Anne Henning

Who is Anne Henning?

Anne Elizabeth Henning is a retired speed skater from the United States.

Anne Henning grew up in Northbrook, Illinois and started in short track speed skating, but then, like many short track speed skaters before and after her, switched to long track speed skating. In 1971, 15 year old Henning won silver at the ISU Sprint Championships, the forerunner of the World Sprint Championships. During those championships, she set new world records in both her 500 m races.

In 1972, Henning broke the world records on the 500 m and the 1,000 m, which made her the favourite on those distances at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo. During her 500 m race against Sylvia Burka at those Olympics, Henning was obstructed at the crossing by Burka, but she still set the fastest time and a new Olympic record. In her re-skate, which she was allowed to take according to the rules, she improved her time to 43.33. Aged 16, this made Henning the youngest Olympic Champion in the history of Olympic speed skating. On the 1,000 m, Henning took the bronze medal behind surprise winner Monika Pflug and only 0.01 seconds behind silver medallist Atje Keulen-Deelstra.