'Different ballgame'

FitzRandolph under less pressure in quest for second gold

Casey FitzRandolph set an Olympic record in winning the 500-meters. AP

KEARNS, Utah (AP) -- Casey FitzRandolph has the hard part out of the way.

He's already the world's fastest man on ice, winning Olympic gold in the 500 meters. So when FitzRandolph laces up his speed skates for Saturday's 1,000, he'll race for his second medal with less pressure.

"It's a different ballgame when you don't have the nerves and you can go out there and go for broke and be relaxed about it," he said.

FitzRandolph set an Olympic record of 1 minute, 9.23 seconds in the 500 Tuesday. He's fourth in the World Cup standings in the 1,000.

"Four years ago, I knew I had to completely have the race of my life times two in order to medal," he said. "This time, because I skate fast everyday in practice, I know I need to skate very good races times two, not the race of my life."

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The 1,000 also represents a second, and final, chance for Canadian Jeremy Wotherspoon. He took four strides and fell in the 500, a shocking result for the pre-Olympic favorite who won silver at the 1998 Nagano Games.

"It's the Olympic Games and anything can happen," he said. "I will be back."

Wotherspoon owns the 1,000 world record of 1:07.72, set at the Utah Olympic Oval in December. He's also the reigning world champion, and leads the World Cup standings.

Wotherspoon's teammate, Mike Ireland, is second in the World Cup after four 1,000 races this season. Wotherspoon is coached by Ireland's brother, Sean.

FitzRandolph is especially eager to match up against Wotherspoon, his best friend and training partner in Calgary, Alberta. Wotherspoon's fall canceled their rivalry in the 500.

"You want to win the gold medal with the best races that you can have and beat the best skaters in the world when you do that," FitzRandolph said. "It was very disappointing for me when Jeremy fell."

Wotherspoon's record will be under pressure Saturday at the oval, where just two world marks have fallen in four races on the world's fastest ice.

So will the Olympic record of 1:10.64, set by defending champion Ids Postma of the Netherlands. He appears unlikely to repeat his victory, however, after finishing 27th in the 500.

Postma's win four years ago was the first by a Dutchman at a distance less than 1,500 meters. His countryman, Jan Bos, finished second in Nagano and is a medal threat Saturday.

American Joey Cheek has an outside shot at a medal. He barely missed reaching the podium in the 500, finishing sixth.

 

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