Ants Antson, Estonian speed skater, Died at 76

  Sports

Ants Antson was born on November 11, 1938, and died on October 31, 2015.

He was an Estonian speed skater who competed for the Soviet Union.

Ants trained at the Kalev Voluntary Sports Society.

Coached by former World, Olympic, and European Champion Boris Shilkov, Antson had his best year in 1964, when he became a European Allround Champion, won the Olympic event in the 1500 m at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck and set a new world record in the 3000 m at the same games.

For his achievements that year, he received the Oscar Mathisen Award.

The two gold medals Ants won in 1964 turned out to be his only international medals, although he did win some national medals at the Soviet Allround Championships – gold in 1967, silver in 1965 and 1968, and bronze in 1966.

Ants participated in the 1500 m at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, but despite skating a new personal record, he finished only twelfth.

He retired shortly after the 1968 Games and worked as a sports official, first in the Soviet Estonian Committee for Physical Culture and Sports, and later with the Estonian Olympic Committee.

At the 1992 Winter Olympics, Ants became the first flag bearer for Estonia after it became independent from the Soviet Union.

Ants passed away at age 76 in October 2015.