Other names: GUSTAFSON, Sven Tomas

         　　　　　GUSTAFSON, Tomas S.

Born: 28 December 1959

Birthplace: Katrineholm (Sweden)

Nationality: Sweden

Sport: Skating

ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Lake Placid 1980

Sarajevo 1984

Calgary 1988

Albertville 1992

AWARDS

Olympic medals:

Gold: 3

Silver: 1

Other results:

World Championships

Silver: 1 (83)

Distance Skating King of the 1980s

At the 1984 Sarajevo Games, speed skater Tomas Gustafson won a gold medal in the 5,000m and a silver in the 10,000m. In the first race, he beat Igor Malkov by only one-fiftieth of a second. In the second race he lost to Malkov by one-twentieth of a second. Between Olympics, Gustafson struggled through knee surgery, meningitis and the death of his father. In the Calgary 5,000m, Gustafson trailed Leo Visser's pace by eight hundredths of a second with only 400m to go. However he skated an exceptional final lap to win by a third of a second. In the 10,000m, Gustafson finally gained an easy victory, setting a world record and winning by almost eight seconds. In 1998, Gustafson's wife, Elisabet, won a bronze medal in curling.