Since 1970, the samalog system has been in use. However, the rule that a skater winning at least three distances was automatically World Champion remained in effect until (and including) 1986. This rule was applied in 1985 when Christa Rothenburger from East Germany won three of four distances and thus become World Champion despite she had only 7th result in samalog score due to fall at third distance (second 500 m).
Records
Karin Kania (Enke, Busch) from East Germany has won a total of 6 world championship titles, in 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1986 and 1987.
Bonnie Blair from the United States has a record 9 medals – three golds (1989, 1994, 1995), four silvers (1987, 1990, 1992, 1993) and two bronzes (1986, 1988).
Monique Garbrecht-Enfeldt from Germany has won record three consecutive world championships, in 1999, 2000 and 2001 (and another two titles in 1991 and 2003).
The youngest World Sprint Champion is Monika Pflug from West Germany who won her only world sprint title in 1972 at age 17.
The oldest World Sprint Champion is Monique Garbrecht-Enfeldt from Germany who was 34 years and 38 days old when she was her fifth and last world sprint title in 2003.
Edel Therese Høiseth from Norway hold record by number of participations in the championships (19 times in 1984–2002).
The biggest point margin between the winner and the second placed skater at the end of competition is 3.465 points between Karin Enke from East Germany and Leah Poulos-Mueller from the United States in 1980.
At the 1985 championships, Christa Rothenburger from East Germany won three of four distances and thus become World Sprint Champion in accordance with then-existing rule. Due to fall at third distance (31st place at second 500 m), she had only 7th result in points classification by losing 3.565 points to her compatriot Angela Stahnke who eventually become silver medalist. Without taking into account this case, the smallest winning margin between the champion and the runner-up is 0.020 points between Yu Jing from China and Christine Nesbitt from Canada in 2012.
There are seven speed skaters who become World Sprint Champions by winning all four distances at the championships – Sheila Young from the United States (1976), Natalya Petrusyova from the Soviet Union (1982), Karin Enke from East Germany (1984), Bonnie Blair from the United States (1994 and 1995), Franziska Schenk from Germany (1997), Monique Garbrecht-Enfeldt from Germany (2003) and Brittany Bowe from the United States (2015). Bonnie Blair is the only speed skater who achieved this feat twice.
By contrast, there are five speeed skaters who become World Sprint Champions without winning any of four distances – Ruth Schleiermacher from East Germany (1971), Monika Pflug from West Germany (1972), Leah Poulos from the United States (1974), Marianne Timmer from Netherlands (2004) and Wang Beixing from China (2009).
There are five female speed skaters who become champions both at the World Sprint Championships and the World Allround Championships – Sylvia Burka from Canada (Allround: 1976; Sprint: 1977), Natalya Petrusyova from the Soviet Union (Allround: 1980, 1981; Sprint: 1982), Karin Kania (Enke, Busch) from East Germany (Allround: 1982, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988; Sprint: 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987), Anni Friesinger from Germany (Allround: 2001, 2002, 2005; Sprint: 2007) and Miho Takagi from Japan (Allround: 2018; Sprint: 2020, 2024). Karin Kania (Enke, Busch) remained the only female speed skater who win both championships in one calendar year by firstly achieving this feat in 1984 and then repeating this success in 1986 and 1987. Anni Friesinger and Miho Takagi are the only female speed skaters who won world titles at three different championships – World Allround Championships, World Sprint Championships and World Single Distances Championships (at the latter competition Friesinger won 12 gold medals in 1998–2009 and Takagi won five gold medals in 2015–2024).
United States
East Germany
Germany
China
Japan
Canada
Netherlands
Soviet Union
Russia
South Korea
Belarus
Norway
Poland
Austria
Czech Republic
Italy
Bonnie Blair