Kramer topped the overall standings after day one of competition but found himself challenged on the final day by Russia's Denis Yuskov.

Yuskov posted a winning time of 1min 42.18sec in the 1500m to assume the competition lead after three disciplines, while Kramer's 1:44.18 saw him finish joint third in the discipline, which left him work to do to reclaim the title he had relinquished in 2014.

The Dutch legend needed to make up 7.30sec in the 10,000m on the Russian and achieved the feat in style, becoming the only man to dip below the 13min mark in the distance, finishing in 12min 56.69.

Yuskov was unable to match the speed on the Dutchman in his race, finishing in 13:12.49, which was enough to finish in the silver medal position, but could not prevent Kramer from sealing the title.

"It was not as easy as it seemed," said the seven-time champion after his latest victory.

"The conditions were tough this weekend.

"I'm happy to be champion again, but I'm not satisfied about my performance level yet."

Martina Sáblíková secured her third world allround title ©Getty Images



Norway's Sverre Lunde Pedersen took bronze, with 22-year-old sealing his first championship medal.

In the women's competition the Czech Republic's Martina Sábliková ended Ireen Wüst's stranglehold of women's allround.

The Dutchwoman had won the previous four editions, dating back to the last time the World Championships were held in Calgary in 2011, but a fifth title looked out of reach after the 1500m.

Heather Richardson of the US had led the standings in the general classification after two events and maintained her advantage by recording 1min 54.23sec in the 1500m but was likely to face a fight to keep hold of her lead in the 5000m with long distance specialist Sábliková breathing down her neck after recording 1:54.55.

Sábliková put the pressure on in the 5000m by posting a time of 6min 51.21sec to seal her third title, while Richardson, inexperienced in the longer distances, recorded a time of 7:20.27, which saw her finish outside of the medals.

Although Wüst saw her world title slip from her grasp she took silver, ensuring she finished on the allround podium for the ninth consecutive year, while Norway's Isa Njåtun earned bronze.

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