[1] There was no silver medalist as Soviet competitors Yevgeny Grishin and Yuri Mikhaylov tied for first place.

(*) The record was set in a high altitude venue (more than 1000 metres above sea level) and on naturally frozen ice.

Skating in the first pair, Toivo Salonen set a new Olympic record with 2:09.4 minutes.

Yevgeny Grishin, who skated in the eleventh pair, bettered the world record with 2:08.6 minutes.

Kees Broekman was placed 14th because he was paired up with Bertil Eng and finished behind his opponent.