Speed ​​Skating - 2014 Sochi
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Change the distances, but there is always and only the Netherlands at the top. In the men's 1000m triumphs Stefan Groothuis, another formidable team representative oranje of speed skating. The 33 year old is imposed in Sochi in front of the Canadian Denny Morrison and his compatriot Michel Mulder, this time bronze after the gold in the 500. Difficult to assess whether it has been the most surprising victory of Groothuis or the knockout of the champion Shani Davis announced. The 1000 interrupted his kingdom to see five circles stood for eight years. Unfortunately for James Mirko Nenzi. The blue light of recent progress to elevate it among the top skaters, pointing hard on today's race. But you have to settle only the 25th place finish. "Today, I skated poorly, I was too contract - said the blue - I could certainly do a lot better, but I miss my legs."
Wednesday 12 February 2014 5 minutes reading time
You probably have been in a few, even among the Dutch, to predict the gold Groothuis (first in 1'08'' 39). Experienced athlete, but never on the podium in the winter Olympics and certainly among the least successful of all the samples in Sochi 2014. A skater However, the long experience (it is within almost 15 years) that was affected by bad luck, by injuries (severed his left Achilles tendon in 2007) and depression. Groothuis hath been raised, and only years later. In 2010 he finished fourth in the Games, right in the 1000, and had even thought about suicide. Rose from the battle, in 2012 he had found gold in the World Single Distance and Sprint in the 1000. Then again injuries: a viral infection at the end of 2012 and, a year ago the fibula fracture, while he was snowboarding. Today, even after a 2013-14 season is not exciting, he is the best, thanks to a powerful race at the right point on an ice difficult to interpret, such as the Adler Arena.
Discussion for the other two medalists. Denny Morrison, silver just 4 cents from Groothuis (1'08'' 43) goes up for the first time on the Olympic podium in an individual race. But with his Canada had already won the team pursuit in 2010 and won the silver in Turin in 2006, beating the team from the historic Italian Enrico Fabris. Michel Mulder (third in 1'08'' 74), however, his Olympic crown with the second medal. After the gold in the 500, it can only be framed its games.
The opening chapter of disappointed with mandatory Shani Davis. The American had a mission to get into the history of the sport and the Olympus of speed skating: win for the third time in a row gold over the same distance, 1000 meters, a feat never managed to no other man. The "superhero" Stars and Stripes did not have it done, finishing only eighth in 1'09'' 21. He smiles, however, Germany. Despite missing the podium, square Nico Ihle (12 cents from bronze) and Samuel Schwarz in fourth and fifth position. Certainly Mo Tae-Bum (silver in Vancouver) was in the group of likely medalists. The Korean, however, falls to 12th place. While the Kazakh Denis Kuzin, among the most in shape after the World Cup Sprint, finishes seventh.
Mirko James Nenzi hoped so much, even after the bad performance in the 500. The 24 year old Venetian had all the papers in order to surprise, as he did in Astana in December when he finished on the podium for the first time (second) in the World Cup. The financier, however, does not make a huge treat yourself to a new emotion. In the last drum track, he knew that by the time the medal was not so hard to catch. Find a click away to more than encouraging (16'' 46 to 200 meters) and lets hope for a high quality performance in the subsequent 400, only to collapse in the last part of the race. Will end up in 25th place. Total time of 1'10'' 32, much too far from the Bronze Age (1'' 58'') and a placing among the top.
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