Uwe-Jens Mey
Encyclopedia
Uwe-Jens Mey is a former speed skater
, considered to be the fastest sprinter of his time because of his 500 metres supremacy in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was born in Warsaw
, Poland
.
Originally competing for East Germany (and after the German reunification
for Germany
), Uwe-Jens Mey's first notable achievement was in December 1983. At the age of 19, he outpaced André Hoffmann in the 500 metres and by doing so, Mey earned the East German title and a ticket to the 1984 Winter Olympics
in Sarajevo
. There, Mey finished 8th on his favourite 500 metres distance.
In the years after the Sarajevo Olympics he stood firm in the international sprinting sub-top, making step-by-step progression. At the World Sprint Championships
, he finished 6th, 5th, and 4th, respectively, in 1985, 1986, and 1987. Finishing second behind Dan Jansen
in the overall standing of the first distances World Cup in 1986, Mey established himself at the 500 metres world top. Mey was a true perfectionist, training very hard to improve his technique. During the mid 1980s, he was considered to be the fastest starter in the world.
One week before the start of the 1988 Winter Olympics
in Calgary
, he finished 2nd in the World Sprint Championships, behind a supreme Dan Jansen. This made Jansen the favourite for both the 500 and the 1,000 m. But because of a family tragedy (his sister died from leukemia
just hours before the start of the 500 m), Dan Jansen turned out to be mentally incapable of sprinting a perfect race; on both distances, Jansen fell. But it still remains doubtful if Jansen would have been able to beat Mey that day; the East German raced perfectly, faster than anyone had ever raced before. His opening time on the first 100 m of the 500 m was 9.76 and he finished in a new world record
time of 36.45, a legendary record that would stand firm for four years.
Four days after his legendary 500 m race, Mey started as an outsider for winning the 1,000 m as well. Though not his favourite distance, Mey again skated very fast; his time of 1:13.11 was a new personal record, one he would never beat in his later career. With this time, he outpaced the 1,000 m favourite, Igor Zhelezovski
, by 8 hundredths of a second, but Mey wound up finishing in second place, just behind another outsider, the World Allround Champion
Nikolay Gulyayev
. One month later, Mey won his first 500 metres Overall World Cup. By repeating this achievement during the following the three years, he proved his 500 metres supremacy. He also won the Overall World Cup in his less favoured distance, the 1,000 metres, in 1989 and 1990.
At the World Sprint Championships, he was less successful. In 1989, in Heerenveen
, he finished second behind Igor Zhelezovski
. In 1990, he did not rank himself because of a fall, and in 1991, he finished second once again behind "Igor the Terrible". In January of 1992, in Davos
, he broke his own legendary world record, setting it at 36.43, but one week later, it was broken by Dan Jansen. That established Jansen and Mey as the two favourites for the 500 m at the 1992 Winter Olympics
. In Albertville
, Jansen did not get his revenge for Calgary: Mey outpaced him and all the other sprinters in the field once again, thereby retaining his Olympic gold medal. This turned out to be his last official race.
Mey retired from top speed skating with an impressive palmares: 2 Olympic gold medals, 1 Olympic silver medal, 4 silver World Championship Sprint medals, 48 World Cup victories, 6 Overall World Cup wins, and 2 world records; he truly was the king of the 500 metres of his time.
After his skating career Mey became a salesman.
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
, considered to be the fastest sprinter of his time because of his 500 metres supremacy in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was born in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
Originally competing for East Germany (and after the German reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
for Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
), Uwe-Jens Mey's first notable achievement was in December 1983. At the age of 19, he outpaced André Hoffmann in the 500 metres and by doing so, Mey earned the East German title and a ticket to the 1984 Winter Olympics
1984 Winter Olympics
The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
in Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
. There, Mey finished 8th on his favourite 500 metres distance.
In the years after the Sarajevo Olympics he stood firm in the international sprinting sub-top, making step-by-step progression. At the World Sprint Championships
World Sprint Speed Skating Championships
The World Sprint Speed Skating Championships are annual speed skating championships. The championships are held over a two day period, with the skaters racing one 500 m and one 1,000 m each day...
, he finished 6th, 5th, and 4th, respectively, in 1985, 1986, and 1987. Finishing second behind Dan Jansen
Dan Jansen
Daniel Erwin Jansen is a former speed skater, best known for winning a gold medal in his final Olympic race after suffering through years of heartbreak. He graduated from West Allis Central High School....
in the overall standing of the first distances World Cup in 1986, Mey established himself at the 500 metres world top. Mey was a true perfectionist, training very hard to improve his technique. During the mid 1980s, he was considered to be the fastest starter in the world.
One week before the start of the 1988 Winter Olympics
1988 Winter Olympics
The 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, he finished 2nd in the World Sprint Championships, behind a supreme Dan Jansen. This made Jansen the favourite for both the 500 and the 1,000 m. But because of a family tragedy (his sister died from leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
just hours before the start of the 500 m), Dan Jansen turned out to be mentally incapable of sprinting a perfect race; on both distances, Jansen fell. But it still remains doubtful if Jansen would have been able to beat Mey that day; the East German raced perfectly, faster than anyone had ever raced before. His opening time on the first 100 m of the 500 m was 9.76 and he finished in a new world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
time of 36.45, a legendary record that would stand firm for four years.
Four days after his legendary 500 m race, Mey started as an outsider for winning the 1,000 m as well. Though not his favourite distance, Mey again skated very fast; his time of 1:13.11 was a new personal record, one he would never beat in his later career. With this time, he outpaced the 1,000 m favourite, Igor Zhelezovski
Igor Zhelezovski
Igor Nikolayevich Zhelezovski is a former speed skater, considered to be one of the best sprinters ever, which resulted in his nickname "Igor the Terrible"...
, by 8 hundredths of a second, but Mey wound up finishing in second place, just behind another outsider, the World Allround Champion
World Allround Speed Skating Championships
The World Allround Speed Skating Championships are a series of speed skating events held annually to determine the best allround speed skater of the world...
Nikolay Gulyayev
Nikolay Gulyayev
Nikolay Alekseyevich Gulyayev is a former speed skater, considered among the world's best in the 1980s.-Biography:...
. One month later, Mey won his first 500 metres Overall World Cup. By repeating this achievement during the following the three years, he proved his 500 metres supremacy. He also won the Overall World Cup in his less favoured distance, the 1,000 metres, in 1989 and 1990.
At the World Sprint Championships, he was less successful. In 1989, in Heerenveen
Thialf
Thialf is an ice arena in Heerenveen, Netherlands. The stadium is used for long track speed skating, short track speed skating, ice hockey, figure skating, and non-sports events. The outdoor rink was opened in 1967, and the indoor stadium was opened in 1986. Several world records were set in the...
, he finished second behind Igor Zhelezovski
Igor Zhelezovski
Igor Nikolayevich Zhelezovski is a former speed skater, considered to be one of the best sprinters ever, which resulted in his nickname "Igor the Terrible"...
. In 1990, he did not rank himself because of a fall, and in 1991, he finished second once again behind "Igor the Terrible". In January of 1992, in Davos
Davos
Davos is a municipality in the district of Prättigau/Davos in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It has a permanent population of 11,248 . Davos is located on the Landwasser River, in the Swiss Alps, between the Plessur and Albula Range...
, he broke his own legendary world record, setting it at 36.43, but one week later, it was broken by Dan Jansen. That established Jansen and Mey as the two favourites for the 500 m at the 1992 Winter Olympics
1992 Winter Olympics
The 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 8 to 23 February 1992 in Albertville, France. They were the last Winter Olympics to be held the same year as the Summer Olympics, and the first where the Winter Paralympics...
. In Albertville
Albertville
Albertville is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.The town is best known for hosting the 1992 Winter Olympics.-Geography:...
, Jansen did not get his revenge for Calgary: Mey outpaced him and all the other sprinters in the field once again, thereby retaining his Olympic gold medal. This turned out to be his last official race.
Mey retired from top speed skating with an impressive palmares: 2 Olympic gold medals, 1 Olympic silver medal, 4 silver World Championship Sprint medals, 48 World Cup victories, 6 Overall World Cup wins, and 2 world records; he truly was the king of the 500 metres of his time.
After his skating career Mey became a salesman.
World records
Over the course of his career, Mey skated 2 world records:| Distance | Result | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 m | 36.45 | 14 February 1988 | Calgary Olympic Oval The Olympic Oval in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is a covered speed skating oval built for the 1988 Winter Olympics. It is the official designated training center for Speed Skate Canada and the Canadian National Speed Skating team. It is located on the University of Calgary campus... |
| 500 m | 36.43 | 19 January 1992 | Davos Eisstadion Davos Vaillant Arena is an arena in Davos, Switzerland. It is primarily used for ice hockey and is the home arena of HC Davos. It holds 7,080 people, of which 3,280 are seated... |
Personal records
| Distance | Result | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 m | 36.43 | 19 January 1992 | Davos Eisstadion Davos Vaillant Arena is an arena in Davos, Switzerland. It is primarily used for ice hockey and is the home arena of HC Davos. It holds 7,080 people, of which 3,280 are seated... |
| 1,000 m | 1:13.11 | 18 February 1988 | Calgary Olympic Oval The Olympic Oval in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is a covered speed skating oval built for the 1988 Winter Olympics. It is the official designated training center for Speed Skate Canada and the Canadian National Speed Skating team. It is located on the University of Calgary campus... |
| 1,500 m | 2:02.27 | 6 January 1985 | Innsbruck Innsbruck - Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus... |
| 3,000 m | 4:35.94 | 27 February 1982 | Innsbruck Innsbruck - Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus... |
| Sprint combination Samalog Samalog is a scoring system in speed skating. It is used in allround tournaments to convert results at various distances into points in order to determine an overall champion... |
146.770 | 26 February 1989 | Heerenveen Thialf Thialf is an ice arena in Heerenveen, Netherlands. The stadium is used for long track speed skating, short track speed skating, ice hockey, figure skating, and non-sports events. The outdoor rink was opened in 1967, and the indoor stadium was opened in 1986. Several world records were set in the... |