Leonhard Freisinger (February 7, 1916 – August 29, 1985) was an American

speed skater Speed skating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in travelling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating. ...

who competed at the

1936 Winter Olympics The 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games (german: IV. Olympische Winterspiele) and commonly known as Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936 ( bar, Garmasch-Partakurch 1936), were a winter multi-sport event held from 6 to 16 ...

. He won a bronze medal in the 500 m and placed fourth in the

1500 m The 1500 metres or 1,500-metre run (typically pronounced 'fifteen-hundred metres') is the foremost middle distance track event in athletics. The distance has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896 and the World Championships in Athle ...

event. He won the U.S. National Indoor title in 1937 and 1938 and the National and North American Outdoor title in 1940. In 1938 he set a world record over 500 m at a meet in Davos, Switzerland, but

Hans Engnestangen Hans Engnestangen (28 March 1908 – 9 May 2003) was a Norwegian speed skater and world champion. He held the world records over 500 and 1500 meters for more than 13 years. International championships At the 1932 Winter Olympics he participated ...

beat this record a few minuted later. Freisinger was selected for the 1940 Olympics, but they were canceled due to World War II. Later he became a figure skater in professional ice shows, and coached the 1964 American Olympic speed skating team.

References

1916 births 1985 deaths American male speed skaters Speed skaters at the 1936 Winter Olympics Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in speed skating Medalists at the 1936 Winter Olympics {{US-Winter-Olympic-medalist-stub