Ids Postma

Ids Hylke Postma (born 28 December 1973) is a Dutch former speed skater. He is an Olympic gold medalist and former world champion.

Ids Postma
Personal information
Birth nameIds Hylke Postma
NationalityDutch
Born (1973-12-28) 28 December 1973
Dearsum, Netherlands
Height1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight93 kg (205 lb)
SpouseAnni Friesinger-Postma (2009)
Sport
CountryNetherlands
SportSpeed skating
Turned pro1993
Coached byHenk Gemser
Retired2004
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)500 m: 35.99 (2001)
1000 m: 1:09.15 (2002)
1500 m: 1:45.41 (2002)
3000 m: 3:58.53 (2002)
5000 m: 6:32.92 (2000)
10 000 m: 13:45.91 (1998)
Medal record
Men's speed skating
Representing the  Netherlands
Olympic Games
1998 Nagano 1,000 m
1998 Nagano 1,500 m
World Championships
1997 NaganoAllround
1998 HeerenveenAllround
1994 GothenburgAllround
1996 InzellAllround
2000 MilwaukeeAllround
2001 BudapestAllround
2003 GothenburgAllround
European Championships
1997 HeerenveenAllround
1996 HeerenveenAllround
2000 HamarAllround
2001 Baselga di PinéAllround
World Single Distance Championships
1996 Hamar5000 m
1999 Heerenveen1500 m
2000 Nagano1500 m
1998 Calgary1500 m

In 1993 Postma finished 2nd at the Speedskating World Championships for Juniors. In his first year as senior skater, he became Dutch Allround Champion, finished second behind Johann Olav Koss at the World Allround Championships, and came 4th in the European Championships, but nevertheless did not qualify for the Dutch Olympic team. In 1997 Postma won both the European Allround Championships and the World Allround Championships.

His greatest success came in 1998 when he became World Allround Champion again, also setting a world record in the point-sum combination, and won two Olympic medals at the Olympic Games in Nagano. He won the 1,000 meters event and placed second at his specialty, the 1,500 meters, just behind Ådne Søndrål from Norway. Also in 1998, he was the first skater who skated an official world record on the 1,500 meters below 1:50.00: Postma did this in Berlin. Erben Wennemars had done the same the summer before, but that time was not ratified by the International Skating Union. Postma's record did not last long, because a few hours later Kevin Overland skated to a new record in Calgary.

Postma is also a three-time World Champion in the World Single Distance Championships. He won the 5,000 meters in 1996 and the 1,500 meters in 1999 and 2000.

In October 2004 Postma announced his retirement and nowadays he lives on his farm in Deersum. He married German speed skater Anni Friesinger on 11 August 2009 in Salzburg. The couple will not live together on the farm until renovations are complete. In August 2011, she gave birth to a daughter. He previously had a relationship with Renske Vellinga, until her death in a car crash in 1994.

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