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Glamorous Friesinger finally gets gold
By Paul Newberry
AP sports writer
KEARNS, Utah — Germany's Anni Friesinger added a golden touch to her glamorous image Wednesday, while Jennifer Rodriguez made this U.S. Olympic speedskating team one for the record books.
Friesinger, who sports a Celtic flame tattoo above her bellybutton and has posed for erotic pictures in her native country, broke her own world record in the 1,500 meters to win her first gold medal.
Rodriguez joined Derek Parra as a double-medalist for the American team, adding a second bronze to the one she captured in the 1,000.
The Americans have now won eight medals in eight long-track events, equaling the 1980 team as the most prolific in U.S. history. That squad was dominated by Eric Heiden's five gold medals.
Sabine Voelker of Germany became the first skater to win three medals at the Utah Olympic Oval. She won the silver after finishing second in the 1,000 and third in the 500.
Friesinger erupted in a huge smile of relief when her time of 1 minutes, 54.02 seconds flashed on the scoreboard. She broke her own world record of 1:54.38, set a year ago at the Calgary Olympic Oval.
When the time held up through three more pairs, Friesinger broke down in tears and hugged her coach.
Friesinger came to Salt Lake City being touted as a contender for three gold medals, but she was gaining the reputation for choking in the biggest races.
She finished fourth in the 3,000 — a distance in which she was the overwhelming favorite — and fifth in the 1,000. Her only medal was a bronze in the 3,000 at Nagano four years ago.
That all changed Wednesday.
Friesinger, who won every 1,500 race during the World Cup season, finally came through on the sport's biggest stage.
Her emotions poured out as she climbed to the top of the medal podium, tears rolling down her cheeks. After receiving her flowers, she lingered on the top level after the other two medalists had already climbed down.
Friesinger established the sixth world record in eight events at the Utah Olympic Oval.
Voelker won silver in 1:54.97, while Rodriguez, skating in the final pair of the day, finished in 1:55.32. Chris Witty, the gold medalist in the 1,000, was fifth.
Rodriguez, a former inline skater from Miami, rose quickly in speedskating after shifting to the ice just 18 months before the Nagano Games.
Witty, who won bronze in the 1,500 four years ago, briefly held the Olympic record before her time of 1:55.71 was bumped off. She was still hindered by the lingering effects of mononucleosis, but managed to put up an impressive time considering she skated in the 10th pair, the last group to go before the ice was resurfaced.
"To say that I would've walked away with a world record, a gold medal and three personal bests is a little more than I expected," Witty said. "It just all came together."
U.S. coach Mike Crowe said Witty's illness probably kept her off the medals stand.
"She was feeling pretty decent today," he said. "But the 1,500 is kind of a barrier for her. She had a few doubts and was a little conservative. You can't be conservative on this ice."
Defending Olympic champion Marianne Timmer was on record pace halfway through the race but was exhausted at the end. She struggled across the line in 1:59.60, placing her 21st out of 33 skaters.
The other American finishers: Amy Sannes was eighth in 1:56.29, while Becky Sundstrom settled for 13th in 1:57.33.
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February 20, 2002
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