Speed skating at the 2022 Winter Olympics — speed skating events at the Olympics
Speed skating at the 2022 Winter Olympics marked the first time gender quota equality was achieved, with 83 spots allocated per gender across 14 events.
Key Facts
- Venue
- National Speed Skating Oval (Ice Ribbon)
- Dates
- 5–19 February 2022
- Total quota spots
- 166 athletes
- Events contested
- 14 (7 men, 7 women)
- Winter Olympics appearance
- 24th overall, 17th for women
- Quota change from 2018
- -14 spots
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Speed skating has been a fixture of the Winter Olympics since the early 20th century, with gradual expansion of events and athlete quotas over successive Games. Growing emphasis on gender equity in international sport prompted governing bodies to align male and female participation numbers more closely.
Speed skating competitions at the 2022 Winter Olympics were held at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing from 5 to 19 February 2022. A total of 14 events—seven for men and seven for women—were contested among 166 athletes, representing the 24th staging of Olympic speed skating.
The 2022 Games established a milestone for gender parity in speed skating by equalizing quota allocations at 83 per gender for the first time in Olympic history, setting a precedent for future Winter Olympics programming and reinforcing broader institutional commitments to equitable athlete representation.