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Twenty years after she made her Winter Games debut at Torino 2006, Martina Sáblíková (CZE), pictured top, returns to Italy to participate in her sixth Olympic Games in Milan. 

But six Olympic Games is not a record in long-track speed skating: Claudia Pechstein (GER) competed at eight Olympic Games between 1992 and 2022, winning five gold medals, two silvers and two bronzes along the way.

Claudia Pechstein (GER) competed at a remarkable eight Olympic Winter Games, winning nine medals, between 1992 and 2022 © ISU

Wüst simply the best

In Milan, Sáblíková won’t just be the most experienced athlete in long-track speed skating, she's also the most decorated speed skater at the oval with a total of three gold medals, a silver and two bronzes from her six Games.

However that tally of six medals only puts Sáblíková 13th on the all-time Olympic medal table in Speed Skating. Her former rival Ireen Wüst (NED) sits atop that table as the most decorated Olympian of all time in the sport with 13 medals. Wüst won a total of six gold medals, five silver, and two bronzes, before retiring after the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Ireen Wüst (NED) won 13 Olympic medals, including six golds, before retiring after the Beijing 2022 Games © Getty Images

Legend Thunberg pure Clas

On the men's side, Kjeld Nuis (NED) is the most decorated Olympian on the track in Milan with three medals. The 36-year-old Dutchman won 1000m and 1500m gold in 2018 and 1500m gold four years ago in Beijing.

Kjeld Nuis (NED) is the most decorated speed skater at the Milan oval with three gold medals from the last two Winter Games © ISU

The most decorated male long-track speed skater of all time is Clas Thunberg (FIN), who won seven medals - five gold, one silver and one bronze - between the inaugural Olympic Winter Games in Chamonix in 1924 and the second Winter Games in 1928 in St. Moritz.

Eric Heiden (USA) is the most decorated long-track speed skater at one single Olympics. He swept all five events at his home Games in Lake Placid in 1980.