Ivar Ballangrud was one of the most successful speed skaters in the world for a period of 15 years, from 1924 to 1939. Coming from the small place
Lunner on
Hadeland, he was a member of the famous "Hadeland Trio", consisting of himself,
Michael Staksrud and
Hans Engnestangen. He represented the club
Trondhjems Skøiteklub. Ballangrud was four times
World Allround Champion, four times
European Allround Champion, five times Norwegian Allround Champion, and four times Olympic Champion. He won three Olympic titles at the
1936 Winter Olympics in
Garmisch-Partenkirchen: 500 m (quite surprisingly), 5000 m, and 10,000 m. On the 1500 m during those Winter Olympics, he won silver – his teammate
Charles Mathiesen being the only one to keep him from winning gold in all four speed skating events. Ballangrud had won his first Olympic gold 8 years earlier on the 5000 m at the
1928 Winter Olympics. In addition, he won a bronze medal (1500 m) in 1928 and a silver medal (10,000 m) at the
1932 Winter Olympics. He would have been the favourite for winning more Olympic gold in 1932 if the races had been held in the normal European way, not the American
pack-style way where all competitors are on the ice at the same time. He made his international debut as a 19-year-old rising star in 1924, although it was too late to compete in the Winter Olympics that year. However, he was paired with
Julius Skutnabb – who had just become the Olympic 10,000 m Champion – in his first World Championships in Helsinki in 1924, and beat the champion on his homeground. In 1930, he dethroned
Oscar Mathisen from the top of the
Adelskalender and he would remain the number one on the Adelskalender for seven years. In addition to his five official world records, Ballangrud skated 16:46.4 in a 10,000 m
pack-style test race before the Olympic Games in 1932. This time was 31 seconds below the then-current world record and it would stand unbeaten as the fastest 10,000 m time for twenty years, until
Hjalmar Andersen set his famous world record of 16:32.6. In December 1932 it was announced that he became professional. Ballangrud was born as Ivar Eriksen. His mother changed his last name when she remarried following her husband's death. In retirement Ballangrud worked at his sporting good store in Drammen, and later in Trondheim. A statue in his honor was raised in his native Jevnaker. ==Records==