Ids Postma
A Dutch speed skating powerhouse who broke world records and claimed Olympic gold in the fiercely competitive era of the 1990s.
Born 1973 (age 53)·Dutch speed skater·Birthday: December 28·Generation X
Biography
Ids Postma's career unfolded during a golden age for Dutch speed skating, a time when standing atop the podium required beating not just the world, but your own teammates. A prodigious talent, Postma announced himself globally at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, seizing the gold medal in the 1000 meters with a blistering display of power. His rivalry with countrymen like Gianni Romme and Rintje Ritsma defined an era, pushing each to faster times. Postma was a master of the middle distances, setting world records in both the 1000m and 1500m. His style was characterized by a formidable combination of raw strength and technical efficiency. While an Olympic all-around title eluded him, his world championship wins and record-breaking performances cemented his status as one of the most formidable skaters of his generation.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Ids was born in 1973, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ids Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Ids's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 50
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 53 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Olympic gold medal in the 1000 meters at the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano.
- Set the world record in the 1000 meters in 1998 and in the 1500 meters in 2000.
- Became the World Allround Champion in 1999.
- Won the World Single Distance Championships gold medal in the 1000m in 1998 and 1999.
Did You Know?
His first name, Ids, is a traditional Frisian name.
He originally wanted to be a gymnast before focusing on speed skating.
After retirement, he worked as a commentator for Dutch television.
He set his 1500m world record at the iconic Viking Ship hall in Hamar, Norway.
“The 1000 meters is a sprint where you must control the chaos.”
