|
 |   |
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|  |
No match U.S. sprint cyclist Nothstein sweeps to gold medal
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- The bad memories of Atlanta are history for Marty Nothstein. Like the American cycling team he represents, he finally has the Olympic gold medal that eluded him. Nothstein, of Trexlertown, Pa., won the men's match sprint Wednesday, the first U.S. cycling gold at the Olympics since the boycott-marred Los Angeles Games in 1984. It also made up for Nothstein's silver medal at the Atlanta Olympics. "I've been waiting for this day for four years," Nothstein said. "I've been thinking of only one thing. Ever since I was a little boy, I've wanted to win a gold medal in the Olympics." After the medal ceremony, Nothstein took his own little boy, Tyler, for a victory ride around the track. "He was hanging on pretty tight," Nothstein said with a big smile. "I told him Daddy just won a gold medal and he gave me a big kiss." Nothstein beat Florian Rousseau of France 2-0 in the finals. A short time earlier, he had beaten Jens Fiedler of Germany 2-0 in the semifinals to avenge a loss to Fiedler in the gold medal race at Atlanta. "Not a single day went by that I didn't think of losing in Atlanta," Nothstein said. "It haunted me. I made a lot of big sacrifices to get to this point. To come here and win takes a big burden off my back." It was a workmanlike performance by Nothstein, who didn't show much emotion until he pumped his fist in victory after blowing past Rousseau on the decisive second race in the best-of-3 format.
He yelled in joy as he crossed the finish line while his coach, Gil Hatton, leaped on the track's skirt as the Australian crowd cheered. Nothstein held an American flag overhead on his victory lap. Then he broke into tears after stopping to hug and kiss his wife, Christi, son Tyler and daughter Devin. Since arriving in Sydney, Nothstein hasn't seen much of his family. He rented an apartment and has minimized his contact with them. "I've had to have a lot of discipline and make a lot of sacrifices," he said. "I've had to be committed to myself 100 percent." It was a big victory, not only for Nothstein, but for the U.S. cycling program. Take away Los Angeles, where the United States won three events, and the Americans hadn't won a gold medal since 1904. "Hopefully, some kid is going to be watching Marty on TV in the States and then want to come out to a track and give it a ride," said Sean Petty, director of the U.S. Olympic cycling team. "That was a good haul in 1984 but other than that it was a really long time without a gold medal," Petty said. It was fitting that Nothstein pulled the United States out of its gold medal drought. With three world titles and 22 national championships, he's the most dominant, if unheralded, American in the sport's history. Fiedler beat Laurent Gane of France 2-0 for the bronze. Nothstein looked like he was ready to race. He went to the starting line cool and relaxed, looking like he was watching TV in his living room. He was all business and focused on securing the gold medal. "It was all confidence," Hatton said. "Marty worked extremely hard for this." Nothstein started the first race in the finals from behind, meaning he would have to pass Rousseau at some point. The Frenchman led through two laps, until Nothstein's burst of speed on the backstretch vaulted him ahead. In the second race, Nothstein started from the front before relinquishing the lead after the first lap. Nothstein closed on the backstretch and again blew past Rousseau with 150 meters remaining in a stunning display of power. Nothstein changed to a lower gear between the semifinals and finals, and it gave him an extra boost. With his powerful thighs, Nothstein's strategy was to win by riding from behind. "Everybody felt this was a front-rider's track because it's so fast," Hatton said. "Marty was the only rider who wanted to ride from behind. Again, it's confidence, all confidence." The match sprint combines strategy with speed, with riders jockeying for position for two laps before going into a flat-out sprint on the final lap. The rider who advances must win two matches in a best-of-3 format.
Tanya Lindenmuth of Trexlertown, Pa., placed sixth overall in the women's match sprint. She was second of four riders, behind Tanya Dubnicoff of Canada, in a race to determine final positions in the tournament-style competition.
| ||||||||||||||||||||
