Career
He set new world records on the 5,000 m (8:137) in 1941 and on the 3000 m (4:457) in 1942. In addition to speed skating, Seyffarth also was one of Sweden"s leading cyclists, but this career was hampered by an injury in a dirt biking accident in 1943. Seyffarth participated in the 1948 Winter Olympics in Saint Moritz, the first Winter Olympic Games to be held in twelve years.
As a result of the lack of competition during, and shortly after, World World War II, Seyffarth entered the 5,000 m as the world record holder, a record he had set almost exactly seven years earlier, in 1941.
During his heat, Seyffarth seemed to be winning until a photographer tried to take a picture of him and stepped onto the ice. Seyffarth brushed the photographer, losing several seconds, and went on to lose his heat and finally come in seventh overall.
Seyffarth"s official 5,000 m time was 8:37.9. Over the course of his career, Seyffarth skated two world records: Source: SpeedSkatingStats.com To put these personal records in perspective, the column WR lists the official world records on the dates that Seyffarth skated his personal records.
