2026 Olympic Men's 5000m Speed Skating Prediction & Preview
Updated February 7, 2026
Updated February 7, 2026
The men’s 5000m speed skating competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina is set to be an exciting distance event in the speed skating program. Scheduled for February 8 at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, this event is a test of both the speed and endurance of these athletes. Before they race for gold in Italy, I've got you covered with my prediction for this Olympic event here.
One of the biggest headlines heading into this event is the dramatic breaking of the long-standing 5000m world record. Norwegian skater Sander Eitrem clocked an unprecedented 5:58.52 at the World Cup stop in Inzell in late January, becoming the first man in history to skate the distance in under six minutes. This performance significantly reshapes expectations for this race, placing Eitrem firmly in the spotlight as a top medal favorite and creating the potential for historic achievement in Olympic competition.
Close behind Eitrem in recent World Cup standings is Czech sensation Metodej Jilek, who finished the season strong enough to secure the series title in this distance. At only 19 years old, his rapid rise has caught the attention of speed skating pundits, and his aggressive racing style means he cannot be overlooked as a contender for the podium and even the gold medal.
France’s Timothy Loubineaud also remains a key figure, having set a world best time earlier in the 2025-26 World Cup season before Eitrem’s historic skate. His consistency over long distances means he carries strong credentials into the Olympic arena, with the ability to deliver a medal performance if he is at his best.
It is also interesting to note that there is not a Dutch skater in the top pack of favorites to win this race. Netherlands tends to dominate long-track speed skating historically and the absence of a top contender from that country is interesting to note going into this long-distance event.
Pick: Sander Eitrem ATS PRO
Confidence: 3/5
I'm going to take Norway's Sander Eitrem to win the gold medal in the men's 5000m event in speed skating. Eitrem recently set the world record in this event and he should prove too fast for the rest of the competition to keep up with here. We may not see another world record skate, but an Olympic record feels very attainable here.
Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.
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