Turning it around

FitzRandolph sets Olympic record in 500 qualifying

Casey FitzRandolph just missed reigning gold medalist Hiroyasu Shimizu's world mark. AP

KEARNS, Utah (AP) -- Four years ago, Casey FitzRandolph felt lost on newfangled clapskates. Now, he's on the cusp of being the fastest man on ice.

FitzRandolph put up the best 500-meter time at the speedskating oval Monday, gaining a slight edge over defending Olympic champion Hiroyasu Shimizu with another race to go.

"I'm happy today, but there's more time for happiness if I have another good race," FitzRandolph said. "It's all business right now."

FitzRandolph, who struggled at the 1998 Nagano Games after switching to clapskates, set an Olympic record of 34.42 seconds, even though his left hand grazed the ice in the final turn. He was just off Shimizu's world mark of 34.32.

"I was a little bit afraid in my turns and that was not good," FitzRandolph said. "That slowed me down a lot. I have to be more aggressive and trust the ice more."

Shimizu was the second-fastest skater at 34.61. There will be another 500 meters Tuesday, with a combination of the two times determining the winner.

"I am not too happy," Shimizu said. "The gold is what I'm going for."

From Sports Illustrated • Richard Hoffer: Crowning achievement • Ivan Maisel: Winning combination • SI Daily: Mogul mania • Medal Picks: Predicting the top 3 Features • CNNSI.com's Mark A. Lund: On the upswing • CNNSI.com's Phil Jones: No stone unturned • Daily Digest: A Monday recap • Viewers' Guide: Feb. 12 • Schedule & Results | Medal Tracker Multimedia • Video Box: Page One: Michelle Kwan • Video Box: Page One: Jim Shea • Video Box: Worlds of talent • Photo Gallery: Clark takes snowboard gold | Archive • Video Archive: A collection from the Games

In the closest thing to trash-talking at the speedskating oval, the Japanese star brushed off FitzRandolph's strong run.

"I am not too concerned about it," Shimizu said. "I'll be skating again."

American Kip Carpenter was a surprising third (34.68) after the first day. Joey Cheek, who won three events at the U.S. trials in December, was seventh at 34.78, giving the home team a solid chance to earn a couple of medals Tuesday.

Carpenter's performance was a stunner. The 22-year-old had never skated faster than 35 seconds before taking 0.34 seconds off his personal best.

"I'm not a big guy. I don't have big legs," said the 5-foot-10, 161-pound Carpenter. "All I have is a big heart."

He'll have an advantage on Tuesday when he starts from the inside lane and finishes on the wider outside lane, where it's easier to make the turn at speeds reaching nearly 40 mph.

Carpenter was the only top-five skater who finished on the inside lane.

"I can skate another one just like that or better," said Carpenter, who will race alongside FitzRandolph in the final pairing. Shimizu will go in the next-to-last group.

Cheek, a 22-year-old former inliner from Greensboro, N.C., also gets to finish on the outside lane Tuesday, which should improve his time.

The most shocking event of the day ended the hopes of gold medal contender Jeremy Wotherspoon. The Canadian caught an edge just four strides off the starting line and tumbled to the ice.

Wotherspoon, the silver medalist at Nagano, flipped down his hood and skated slowly around the ice, chucking his goggles in disgust.

"That was one of the hardest things I've ever had to watch in a speedskating competition," said FitzRandolph, his close friend and training partner. "You want to beat the best. It's not so important to win, but that the best man wins."

For the first time in three days, there were no world records set at the oval in suburban Salt Lake City. But, with another race to go, there is still a chance that all 10 marks will fall at these games.

FitzRandolph was a disappointment in 1998. He couldn't adjust to the spring-powered clapskates and finished sixth in the 500. He worked out the kinks after Nagano and arrived at his second Olympics hoping to bring home medals in both the 500 and 1,000.

"To live through it once, and realize that the worst thing that can happen isn't all that bad, it really allows me not to fear failure anymore," FitzRandolph said before the games.

FitzRandolph didn't disappoint in his first race, exploding from the line to cover the first 100 meters in 9.45 seconds. Finishing up in the outside lane, he streaked around the final corner and held together through a slight wobble.

If he can do it again, maybe he'll get that long-desired tryout with the Green Bay Packers. FitzRandolph was an all-conference kicker at Carroll College.

FitzRandolph hopes to become America's first 500 champion -- the equivalent of the 100-meter champion in track and field -- since Eric Heiden in 1980.

 

Related information
Multimedia
Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video
Search our site	Watch CNN/SI 24 hours a day
	Sports Illustrated and CNN have combined to form a 24 hour sports news and information channel. To receive CNN/SI at your home call your cable operator or DirecTV.