2014 WINTER OLYMPICS

FEB. 7-23 | SOCHI, RUSSIA

Speedskating
Shani Davis
500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters

A Sochi R U S S I

U.S. athletes to watch

Brtittany Bowe
Long track 500, 1,000, 1,500

Heather Richardson
Long track 500, 1,000, 1,500

Three-time Olympian Shani Davis a back-toback gold medalist in the 1,000 meters and two-time Olympian Heather Richardson head the U.S. mens and womens long-track speedskaters heading LONG TRACK to Sochi. And while SHORT TRACK the face of U.S. short track Apolo Anton Ohno is now an NBC analyst, 23-year-old J.R. Celski has stepped into a leadership role after dominating the U.S. trials in Kearns, Utah. Jessica Smith headlines just a threeperson womens short-track team.
Adler Arena & Iceberg Palace

J.R. Celski
Short track 500, 1,000, 1,500

Jessica Smith
Short track 500, 1,000, 1,500

Tucker Fredricks
Long track 500

Mitch Whitmore
Long track 500

Adler Arena, left, and Iceberg Palace are host to longand short-track speedskating, respectively.

Event descriptions

2010 U.S. medalists in Vancouver

Name Shani Davis Chad Hedrick Mens team Apolo Ohno Event 1,000m 1,500m 1,000m Pursuit 1,500m 1,000m 1,500m 1,000m Medal gold silver bronze silver silver bronze bronze silver Olympic outlook Will defend in Sochi Will defend in Sochi Retired Will defend in Sochi Retired Retired Will defend in Sochi Retired

Long Track
Skaters race in pairs, starting together and racing against the clock. Both men and women race the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters, with the women also contesting the 3,000 and 5,000 while the men compete over 5,000 and 10,000 meters. In team pursuit, three athletes race as a team and try to advance through competition rounds by defeating other teams head-to-head.

Where skaters change lanes

J.R. Celski Katherin Reutter

Short Track
There are two types of races: individual and the relay, featuring teams of four skaters. In individual races, four to six skaters race at the same time. Skaters must pass each other cleanly, without forcing the passed skater to slow down, and are penalized if they skate inside the blocks that mark the curve (but not if they move them). Short-track skaters can reach speeds of up to 30 mph. Men and women skate the same distances: 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters; in relays, women race over 3,000 meters and men over 5,000.
Event day Off day
M-Long, 10,000m; W-Long, M&W-Long, W-Short, 1,900m, 5,000m team pursuit; 3,000m relay; M&W-Short, M-Short, 500m 500m, 1,000m

EVENT SCHEDULE
M-Long, W-Long, M-Long,500m; W-Long, M-Long, 1,000m 5,000m 3,000m M-Short,1,500m; 500m W-Short, 500m, 3,000m relay

W-Long,1,000m; M-Long, 1,500m; W-Long, W-Short, 500m; W-Short, 1,500m; 1,500m M-Short, 1,000m, M-Short, 1,000m 5,000m relay

2.8

2.9

2.10

2.11

2.12

2.13

2.15

2.16

2.18

2.19

2.21

Sources: U.S. Speedskating, wire service reports, Tribune archives

The Salt Lake Tribune