1 9 3 6 . ▁However , ▁Z of ia ▁Ne hr ing owa ▁set ▁the ▁first ▁official ▁world ▁record ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 9 . ▁Women ' s ▁speed ▁sk ating ▁was ▁not ▁very ▁high - profile ; ▁in ▁Sk ø y tes port ens ▁st j erner ▁( St ars ▁of ▁the ▁sk ating ▁sport ), ▁a ▁Norwegian ▁work ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁no ▁female ▁sk aters ▁are ▁mentioned ▁on ▁the ▁book ' s ▁nearly ▁ 2 0 0 ▁pages , ▁though ▁they ▁had ▁by ▁then ▁competed ▁for ▁nearly ▁ 3 0 ▁years . ▁The ▁women ' s ▁long ▁track ▁speed ▁sk ating ▁was ▁since ▁domin ated ▁by ▁East ▁Germany ▁and ▁later ▁reun ified ▁Germany , ▁who ▁have ▁won ▁ 1 5 ▁of ▁ 3 5 ▁Olympic ▁gold ▁med als ▁in ▁women ' s ▁long ▁track ▁since ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁ ▁Techn ical ▁develop ments ▁ ▁Art ific ial ▁ice ▁entered ▁the ▁long ▁track ▁compet itions ▁with ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁Winter ▁Olympics , ▁and ▁the ▁compet itions ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁on ▁Lake ▁Mis ur ina ▁were ▁the ▁last ▁Olympic ▁compet itions ▁on ▁natural ▁ice . ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁also ▁saw ▁the ▁first ▁Winter ▁Olympic ▁compet itions ▁for ▁women . ▁L idia ▁Sk ob lik ova ▁won ▁two ▁gold ▁med als ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁and ▁four ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 . ▁ ▁More ▁aer od ynamic ▁sk ating ▁su its ▁were ▁also