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Ladies' 5,000m champ is likely to see record fall
By Stephen Speckman
Deseret News Olympic specialist
KEARNS — The current world record-holder in the ladies' 5,000 meters is about to be part of the performance of a lifetime — without having to lace up a pair of skates.
Germany's Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann set the record at the Utah Olympic Oval last March, clocking a 6 minute, 52.44 second finish during World Cup competition. But long-track speedskating's queen of the 400-meter ice track is expecting a baby in June and has instead been covering the sport for German television.
That leaves today's 1 p.m. race wide open to a handful of women, all capable of skating under 7 minutes for the equivalent of 3.1 miles.
"Like most times, (my) record will not survive this Games," said Niemann-Stirnemann.
Teammate Claudia Pechstein is the near equal of the race's reigning royalty, skating an Olympic record in the 1998 Nagano Games with a 6:59.61. Her personal best is slightly faster, but current World Cup season times have not challenged Niemann-Stirnemann's record.
"The 5,000 meters is my favorite race," she said.
Anni Friesinger, the German who broke her own world record in the ladies' 1,500 for a gold Wednesday, is the top-ranked skater in the current 3,000/5,000 World Cup standings but her best time this season is only a 7:09.39.
Canada has two skaters, Cindy Klassen and Clara Hughes, who have flirted with the world record this season.
Joining the Canadians in the last fight for Olympic medals in Kearns will be the Netherlands' Gretha Smit, who this season skated a personal best 7:03.47. If the Dutch women are anything like their male teammates were in the men's 10,000 yesterday — they captured the gold and silver — expect at least one woman to make headlines in Holland after today.
Even Kazakstan has one skater who could surprise the field.
For the U.S., though, the best hope was double-bronze medalist Jennifer Rodriguez, who recently skated a 7:07.93. She has opted out, however, and will be replaced by Annie Driscoll, whose personal best is a 7:47.0. Teammate Catherine Raney's best time is 7:16.08.
E-MAIL: sspeckman@desnews.com
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February 23, 2002
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