Nine events were contested at James B. Sheffield Olympic Skating Rink.

Heiden led the individual medal table, while the most successful woman was Russian Nataliya Petrusyova, who won one gold and one bronze medal.

American Leah Poulos-Mueller won two silver medals.

All previous Olympic records were broken in Lake Placid, along with one world record, from Eric Heiden in the final event, the men's 10000 metres.

[3][4] Nineteen nations competed in the speed skating events at Lake Placid.