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Davide Ghiotto (ITA) celebrates during the ISU World Speed Skating Championships 2023 in Heerenveen (NED) @ISU

During last season’s ISU World Speed Skating Championships in Heerenveen (NED), Davide Ghiotto (ITA) took the first ever Italian World Single Distance title, shattering the field in the Men’s 10,000m. The long distance specialist hopes to inspire a new generation of Italian youngsters in Speed Skating. After fulfilling his dream in Heerenveen, he reflects on his historic title while training on summer ice in Inzell (GER) with a new target in mind: the 2026 Winter Olympic Games on home soil, in Milano Cortina.

Born slow

Davide Ghiotto started his sports career on inline skates, but he wasn’t made for speed. He says:

“I did long distance, so when I switched from the rollers to the ice, I also did long distances. I’m too slow for the short distances. I was born slow, and will probably die slow.”

Slow is relative. Ghiotto is not able to keep up with his teammates in the fast-paced sprints in the Mass Start, but few can follow when he’s putting in volume.

“I worked a lot with my teammates, but the last two years I often trained alone with my coach Maurizio [Marchetto, ITA].”

Coach Maurizio and Davide Ghiotto (ITA) pictured during the ISU World Speed Skating Championships 2023 in Heerenveen (NED) @ISU

Skating solo laps on the ice and training cardio for many hours on the bike, is Ghiotto’s recipe to become the fastest endurance skater on the planet. It seems tough mentally, but he enjoys the hard work:

“In Italy we have the military force, and we can do speed skating for a job. I like training, I like to work hard. For me it’s not so difficult. I’m happy to do this as my job and I’m very happy when I skate well.”

Breakthrough and disappointment

Ghiotto had a breakthrough season last year, seizing his first World Cup gold medal when he won the 10,000m in Calgary (CAN) in December. He seemed to be on course to win the World Cup Trophy, after beating Patrick Roest (NED) at the penultimate World Cup event in Tomaszów Mazowiecki (POL). However, during the last World Cup race also taking place in Tomaszów Mazowiecki, he got disqualified for an irregular change-up, blowing his chances to take home the Trophy.

Davide Ghiotto (ITA) competes during the ISU World Cup Speed Skating 2023 in Tomaszow Mazowiecki (POL) @ISU

“After the race in Poland, I was very, very angry,” he says. “But rules are rules and we need to respect them. So after that race I tried to forget the race and focus on the last training sessions before the World Championships.”

Confirmation and inspiration

Before winning his 10,000m title at the ISU World Speed Skating Championships in Heerenveen, Ghiotto took silver in the 5000m race a few days before.

“I was very happy to finish second behind Patrick Roest, because he’s a Champion. After the 5000m, which was a good race, I knew I’m a little bit better in the 10,000m.”

Davide Ghiotto (ITA), Patrick Roest (NED) and Bart Swings (BEL) pictured during the ISU World Speed Skating Championships 2023 in Heerenveen (NED) @ISU

Ghiotto went into his title race confidently:

“I had good speed on the ice. I saw the times of long distances men like Ted-Jan Bloemen (CAN) and Jorrit Bergsma (NED) and I knew I could skate those times or a little bit faster.

While I was skating the 10,000m, I tried to take a little bit of time from Bergsma and force a gap.

” Pretty soon into the race, Ghiotto built a solid lead over Bergsma’s split times. He was on his own, setting a new mark."

“During the final five laps I just tried to improve my time, because Patrick Roest (NED) and Sander Eitrem (NOR) were yet to come and they can skate a very good 10,000m.“

Ghiotto managed to lap pair-mate Takahiro Ito (JPN).

“When I saw him in front of me, it was very good, because every lap I tried to close in, not too fast because there were still a lot of laps to go. When I passed, I screamed that I would pass on the right. I could skate behind him and relax on the straight before the final laps.”

Finishing in 12:41.35, Ghiotto was over 14 seconds ahead of Bergsma, who had set the fastest time so far.

“I was very happy because it was a national record and I knew it was a good race, because of the gap with Bergsma.”

After his race, Ghiotto had to wait Roest and Eitrem. When his opponents came short, he exploded.

“For every sportsmen it’s a dream to become World Champion”, he says.

Davide Ghiotto (ITA) celebrates during the ISU World Speed Skating Championships 2023 in Heerenveen (NED) @ISU

“It’s very good [for Italian Speed Skating] for the young people. I hope that my race, my career is an example, to show that after so much hard work, you can set a great result."

“I hope this result is a confirmation for my teammates and me that the work we do together with my coaches is right for the next years, because the [Winter ]Olympic Games in Italy in 2026 are very important.”