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FitzRandolph in position for gold in 500-meter speedskating
By Paul Newberry
Associated Press sports writer
KEARNS — American Casey FitzRandolph put himself in position to win a speedskating gold medal, posting the fastest time in the 500 meters on Monday to gain a slight edge over defending gold medalist Hiroyasu Shimizu.
FitzRandolph, who struggled four years ago after switching to clapskates, set an Olympic record of 34.42 seconds and was just off Shimizu's world mark of 34.32, established last March at the Utah Olympic Oval.
Shimizu was the second-fastest skater on Day 1 at 34.61. There will be another 500 meters on Tuesday, with a combination of the two times determining the gold medalist.
Another American, Kip Carpenter, was a surprising third (34.68) after the first run. U.S. record holder Joey Cheek was seventh at 34.78, giving the home team a solid chance to earn a couple of medals on Tuesday.
In a startling development, gold medal contender Jeremy Wotherspoon of Canada caught an edge just a couple of strides off the starting line and tumbled to the ice. He hopped up quickly and briefly considered trying to continue, but realized his medal hopes were over.
Wotherspoon, the silver medalist at Nagano, flipped down his hood and skated slowly around the ice, while the crowd gave him sympathetic applause.
For the first time in three days, there were no world records set at the oval in suburban Salt Lake City. But, with another race to go, there is still a chance that all 10 marks will fall at these games, an unprecedented prospect.
FitzRandolph, of Verona, Wis., was a disappointment in 1998. Considered a strong medal contender in the months leading up to the games, he couldn't adjust to the revolutionary clapskates and struggled to a sixth-place finish in the 500. He worked out the kinks after Nagano and arrived at the Olympics four years later hoping to bring home medals in both the 500 and 1,000.
FitzRandolph didn't disappoint in his first race, exploding from the line to cover the first 100 meters in 9.45 seconds. Finishing up in the outside lane, he streaked around the final corner to put up the best time of the day.
The 5-foot-4 Shimizu, competing in his third Olympics, produced one of Nagano's most memorable moments.
"Race Like The Wind," his countrymen implored him, and Shimizu delivered Japan's first speedskating gold before an M-Wave crowd that included Crown Prince Naruhito and Princess Masako.
Shimizu was slowed by a hip injury this season but appears to have recovered at just the right time to defend his 500 title. He is trying to become the first repeat winner in the 500 since Germany's Jens-Uwe Mey in 1988 and '92.
Carpenter's performance was a stunner. A 22-year-old native of Brookfield, Wis., he had never skated the 500 in less than 35 seconds before taking 0.34 seconds off his personal best.
Cheek, a 22-year-old former inliner from Greensboro, N.C., was the sensation of the U.S. trials in December, winning three events. He has a shot at a medal if he can put together a strong run on Tuesday.
The Americans have already won a speedskating medal: Derek Parra's surprising silver in the 5,000 on Saturday.
Gerard van Velde of the Netherlands was fourth at 34.72, followed by Lee Kyu-Hyuk of South Korea (34.74) and Canada's Mike Ireland (34.77).
FitzRandolph is close friends with Ireland and Wotherspoon, his training partners in Calgary. In fact, the two Canadians will be groomsmen in FitzRandolph's wedding, scheduled for August.
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February 11, 2002
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