OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES
8
The Speed Skating events took place in the Adler Arena where 36 medals were up for grabs and 43 Men and 32 Ladies set new national records and five Olympic records were broken. The Dutch swept four podiums and won a total of 23 medals, Russia and Poland won three medals, Korea, Canada and Czech Republic all got two medals and China clenched one medal. The first Dutch podium sweep was the 5000 m where Sven Kramer (NED) bettered his own Olympic record, successfully defended his Olympic title and topped the podium followed by Jan Blokhuijsen and Jorrit Bergsma. Since the 2010 Olympics Kramer won most races in this distance and the last time there was a sweep was at the 1964 Olympics with Norway. In the Ladies’ 3000m, Dutch star and 2006 gold medalist Ireen Wüst managed to regain her title ahead of the reigning Olympic Champion Martina Sáblíková (CZE). Olga Graf won the bronze medal on home ice and also skated a new national record (she also achieved a new national record in the 5000 m). In the Men’s 500 m although the Dutch had never won gold in this distance they triumphed with their second sweep of the Games. Michel Mulder won 0.012 ahead of Jan Smeekens. Ronald Mulder skated a track record in his second race, which brought him from sixth to third place. Reigning 500 m Olympic Champion Sang-Hwa Lee (KOR) kept her title and Olga Fatkulina (RUS) clenched the silver while Margot Boer won the first Dutch Olympic medal in this distance. In the Men’s 1000 m Stefan Groothuis (NED) won the gold and Michel Mulder the bronze. Denny Morrison was the second Canadian in history to medal in the 1000 m after Gaétan Boucher (in 1980 and 1984). He was not qualified for this distance but his teammate Gilmore Junio gave up his spot when realizing that Morrison’s chances of winning a medal was higher than his own. China came to center stage in the Ladies’ 1000 m when Hong Zhang won the title. Two Dutch skaters followed with Wüst in second and Boer taking the bronze. The Men’s 1500 m was the tightest race in Olympic history, with two skaters finishing in 1:45.00. A study of the 1000ths of a second brought Poland its first ever Olympic Speed Skating gold medal. Zbigniew Bródka beat
Dutchman Koen Verweij with only 0.003 second. Morrison took his second medal with a bronze. Jorien ter Mors was the first lady to compete in both Speed Skating and Short Track at the Olympic Winter Games, she set a new Olympic record of 1:53.51 and led the 1500 m Ladies podium which was also a clean Dutch sweep. Defending champion Wüst clenched the silver while Lotte van Beek got bronze. The final Dutch sweep was in the Men’s 10000 m. Kramer was hungry for victory following his disqualifying mistake in Vancouver. However Jorrit Bergsma set an Olympic record of 12:44.45 and took the title. Kramer got the silver while 2006 Olympic champion Bob de Jong won his fourth medal in this distance becoming the most decorated long distance skater. 2010 Olympic Ladies’ 5000 m Champion Martina Sáblíková retained her title and for the first time in history, the German ladies did not make it to the podium. Wüst won silver, her fourth medal at these Games, and 35-year-old Carien Kleibeuker (NED) won bronze, bringing the total of individual medals for the
Martina Sablikova (CZE)
Netherlands to 21. In the Team Pursuit the Dutch teams set new Olympic records, the men 3:37.71 and the ladies in 2:58.05. The Polish teams also did well with a silver medal in the Ladies and bronze for the Men. The Russian Ladies took the bronze while the Korean Men took the silver medals. A number of skaters have announced their retirement which marks the beginning of a new Olympic cycle which will peak at the next Olympic Winter Games in 2018.
WORLD CUP In this Olympic season, the World Cup circuit was spread over six weekends. The Series started last November in Calgary (CAN) then moved to Salt Lake City (USA). On December 1 the series went to Astana (KAZ) then Berlin (GER). The next World Cup took place three months later in Inzell (GER), two weeks after the Olympic Games. The following week the Essent ISU World Cup Speed Skating Final took place in Heerenveen (NED) where Americans Shani Davis and Heather Richardson won the Grand World Cup.