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Finn Sonnekalb, 18, Sets German 1000m Record to Seal Olympic Spot at Salt Lake World Cup

The 18-year-old's breakthrough signals fresh momentum for Germany entering his first full World Cup season.

Overview

  • Sonnekalb clocked 1:06.48 for fifth place, cutting Joel Dufter’s national 1000m mark by 0.32 seconds.
  • The time met the Milan–Cortina 2026 qualifying standard, confirming his Olympic berth at the World Cup opener.
  • He missed the junior world record by one hundredth of a second, as American Jordan Stolz won in 1:05.66.
  • France’s Timothy Loubineaud set a 5000m world record of 6:00.23, the first speed skating world record for his country.
  • Germany also saw Gabriel Gross break the national 5000m record in 6:06.75, with Fridtjof Petzold and Felix Maly placing 10th and 11th in the A group.