Speed skating at the 1948 Winter Olympics – Men's 500 metres
# Speed skating at the 1948 Winter Olympics – Men's 500 metres

The 500 metres speed skating event was part of the speed skating at the 1948 Winter Olympics programme. The competition was held on Saturday, 31 January 1948. Forty-two speed skaters from 15 nations competed.

## Medalists

| Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| - | - | - |
| Finn Helgesen Norway | Ken Bartholomew United StatesThomas Byberg NorwayRobert Fitzgerald United States | |

## Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in seconds) prior to the 1948 Winter Olympics.

| World Record | 41.8(*) | Hans Engnestangen | Davos (SUI) | 5 February 1938 |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Olympic Record | 43.4 | Clas Thunberg | St. Moritz (SUI) | 13 February 1928 |
| Olympic Record | 43.4 | Bernt Evensen | St. Moritz (SUI) | 13 February 1928 |
| Olympic Record | 43.4(**) | Jack Shea | Lake Placid (USA) | 4 February 1932 |
| Olympic Record | 43.4 | Ivar Ballangrud | Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GER) | 11 February 1936 |

(*) The record was set in a high altitude venue (more than 1000 metres above sea level) and on naturally frozen ice.

(**) This time was set in pack-style format, having all competitors skate at the same time.

Five speed skaters were faster than the standing Olympic record. Finn Helgesen set a time of 43.1 seconds.

## Results

| Place | Athlete | Time |
| - | - | - |
| 1 | Finn Helgesen (NOR) | 43.1 |
| 2 | Ken Bartholomew (USA) | 43.2 |
| 2 | Thomas Byberg (NOR) | 43.2 |
| 2 | Robert Fitzgerald (USA) | 43.2 |
| 5 | Ken Henry (USA) | 43.3 |
| 6 | Sverre Farstad (NOR) | 43.6 |
| 6 | Torodd Hauer (NOR) | 43.6 |
| 6 | Delbert Lamb (USA) | 43.6 |
| 6 | Frank Stack (CAN) | 43.6 |
| 10 | Mats Bolmstedt (SWE) | 43.7 |
| 11 | Halle Janemar (SWE) | 44.0 |
| 11 | Åke Seyffarth (SWE) | 44.0 |
| 13 | Keijo Lehdikkö (FIN) | 44.7 |
| 14 | János Kilián (HUN) | 44.8 |
| 14 | Antero Ojala (FIN) | 44.8 |
| 16 | Lassi Parkkinen (FIN) | 45.2 |
| 17 | Gordon Audley (CAN) | 45.3 |
| 17 | Kalevi Laitinen (FIN) | 45.3 |
| 19 | Abraham Hardy (CAN) | 45.5 |
| 20 | Göthe Hedlund (SWE) | 45.6 |
| 21 | Choi Yong-jin (KOR) | 45.7 |
| 21 | Kornél Pajor (HUN) | 45.7 |
| 23 | Aad de Koning (NED) | 45.9 |
| 23 | Lee Hyo-chang (KOR) | 45.9 |
| 25 | Johnny Cronshey (GBR) | 46.0 |
| 26 | Vladimír Kolář (TCH) | 46.1 |
| 27 | Anton Huiskes (NED) | 46.2 |
| 28 | Kees Broekman (NED) | 46.3 |
| 29 | Aage Justesen (DEN) | 46.4 |
| 29 | Jan Langedijk (NED) | 46.4 |
| 29 | Bruce Peppin (GBR) | 46.4 |
| 32 | Dennis Blundell (GBR) | 46.5 |
| 32 | Enrico Musolino (ITA) | 46.5 |
| 34 | Ákos Elekfy (HUN) | 46.8 |
| 35 | Henry Howes (GBR) | 46.9 |
| 36 | Giorgio Cattaneo (ITA) | 47.2 |
| 37 | Iván Ruttkay (HUN) | 47.4 |
| 37 | Gustav Slanec (AUT) | 47.4 |
| 39 | Rudolf Kleiner (SUI) | 47.8 |
| 40 | Pierre Huylebroeck (BEL) | 48.3 |
| 41 | Ferdinand Preindl (AUT) | 48.7 |
| – | Craig Mackay (CAN) | DNF |
