It was the first appearance of women's speed skating events at the Olympics.

The competition was held on the Squaw Valley Olympic Skating Rink and for the first time at the Olympics on artificially frozen ice.

Twenty-two speed skaters from ten nations competed.

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

Klara Guseva set the first Olympic record with 1:34.1 minutes.