World record and Olympic record:
Chris Witty, Salt Lake City, Feb. 17, 2002
17,88 - 44,93 - 1.13,83

Season best:
Anni Friesinger, Salt Lake City, Nov. 18, 2005
17,87 - 45,09 - 1.13,95

Lowland record:
Anni Friesinger, Berlin, Oct. 30, 2005
18,07 - 45,82 - 1.15,17

Rink Record:
Anni Friesinger, Dec. 11, 2005
18,13 - 46,34 - 1.16,30

Best nation:
The USSR with 4 wins, Klara Guseva 1960 (1.34,1), Lidija Skoblikova 1964 (1.33,2), Tatiana Averina 1976 (1.28,43) and Natalja Petruseva 1980 (1.24,10). Germany (East 2 and West 1) and the USA have 3, and
the Netherlands 2.

Best individual skater:
Bonnie Blair here as well with two golds, 1992 and 1994.

Biggest win:
In Hamar 1994, Bonnie Blair stunned the rest of the field, winning in 1.18,74, 1,38 seconds ahead of silver medallist Anke Baier.

Narrowest win:
Bonnie's first 1000 m Olympic win was less devastating. In Albertville, she skated in the 3rd pair and took the lead from Christine Aaftink by just 7/10 after an unpleasant last outer curve, laptime 33,61, finishing in 1.21,90. The two other medallists skated together in the 6th pair. Monique Garbrecht lead from the outer, passing 29/100 behind Blair, slightly ahead of Ye Qiaobo. Then the Chinese took over, passing the 600 still 29/100 behind Blair, but 32/100 in front of Garbrecht. Then the pain set in. Ye chased the German down the crossing, but in the final turn, Garbrecht looked stronger, she chased Ye for the line, but the Chinese crossed first, in 1.21,92, just 2/100 behind, yelling in despair. Garbrecht had 1.22,10.

Most surprising win:
The 1000 m is a lot about Bonnie Blair, it seems, but at least her wins were not surprising. That one belongs rather to another major force in women's sprinting over more than a decade: Monika Pflug, not yet 18 years of age when she took West Germany's second gold at the Sapporo games 1972, brushing off Henning, Titova, Keulen-Deelstra, Statkevich, Holum and the other favourites. Her best achievements at the distance before were a 6th place from the European Championship that year and a 5th in the same championship the year before. She went on to win the world sprint campionship in Eskilstuna after the games, and skated her way through 16 seasons, 5 olympic games, 2 marriages and 3 more sprint championship medals.

Source: Lars Finsen, Yahoo speed skating groups