Finishing touch

Lazutina's last race produces 6th Olympic gold

Larissa Lazutina was not challenged in the 30K race. AP

MIDWAY, Utah (AP) -- Larissa Lazutina of Russia, who missed the previous race because of a doping suspicion, on Sunday won the women's 30-kilometer cross-country race to collect her record-breaking 10th medal at Winter Olympics.

Lazutina powered home in the classic-style race well ahead of the field and beat Gabriela Paruzzi of Italy by one minute, 48.1 seconds.

The 36-year-old Russian again underwent a blood test Sunday morning, but this time the results were negative.

Another Italian, Stefania Belmondo, took the bronze in her final Olympic race to add to the gold she won in the opening 15K free style race.

Lazutina won her third medal of these Games, giving her six gold, three silver and a bronze in four Olympics. She tied the women's Winter Games record held by fellow Russian cross-country skier Raisa Smetanina, who won four gold, five silver and one bronze between 1976 and 1992.

Her sixth career Olympic gold medal tied Lazutina with two more Russians, speedskater Lydia Skoblikova and cross-country skier Lyubov Yegorova.

Belmondo also has an impressive Olympic record with nine medals, including two gold.

Lazutina was disqualified just before the women's relay Thursday after abnormal levels of performance-enhancing hemoglobin were found in her blood. Hemoglobin is an oxygen-carrying molecule in red blood cells that can increase endurance.

Her disqualification led to Russia's entire Olympic team threatening to leave the Olympics. That threat was later dropped and the results of Lazutina's urine sample, which had to be matched with the blood test, have not been announced.

"I was devastated and it made me more determined for today," Lazutina said. "I took the test today and it was fine. On Thursday, it was the first time in my life that I got a positive result. I cannot explain why. I suspect it was the high altitude. I was shocked by the result."

She led every leg of the race and covered the tough, high-altitude Soldier Hollow course in one hour, 29 minutes, 9 seconds.

Lazutina won silver medals in the 15K freestyle race and the 10K combined event. She also finished fourth in the 10K classical.

"I believe today what happened was what was supposed to happen in the team relay. I proved that the Russians are the best," she said.

Paruzzi finally clinched an individual medal 10 years after getting the first of three bronze she's collected with the Italian relay team.

"It's a great satisfaction for me to win this silver," Paruzzi said.

Belmondo, 33, said she would not be back in four years for the home Olympics in Turin.

"Another four years is too far away," Belmondo said. "It's great to close my career with such a good result."

 

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