Olympic Speed skating

In the speedskating events in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, it’s the Netherlands' world, and we are all just living in it.

Alex Goldberger of NBC reported just how dominant the Dutch have been in a tweet from Tuesday:

The Netherlands will only have one speedskating event on the Day 12 docket to try to add to its impressive medal tally. That event is the women’s 5,000-meter long-track race in a competition that combines speed with incredible stamina.

It is the longest women's speedskating event at the Games and may be the closest thing the Winter Olympics has to compare to the marathon of the Summer Olympics. 

Here is a schedule and broadcast information for the event:

Long-Track Speedskating: Women’s 5,000-meter Schedule

Date: Wednesday, Feb. 19

Time: 8:30 a.m. EST, 5:30 p.m. Sochi time and 1:30 p.m. GMT

TV Broadcast: NBC at 3 p.m. (rebroadcast) and BBC at 1:30 p.m. GMT 

Live Stream: NBCOlympics.com

So who will take home the medals in this grueling race? Let’s dig into some names to watch.

Names to Watch

Martina Sablikova, Czech Republic

If there is a favorite in the 5,000-meter race, it is Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic.

She is the defending gold medalist in the discipline from the 2010 Games in Vancouver and already has a silver medal in Sochi from the 3,000-meter race under her belt. She is a long-distance specialist which is evidenced by her eight world titles in the long-distance competitions.

Much like Shaun White on the snowboarding side of things, Sablikova elected to skip the 1,500-meter race in Sochi to focus on her strengths in the long-distance races even though she captured the bronze in Vancouver in the 1,500 meters.

Of course, she is hoping for a better result than the American snowboarder got in the halfpipe after skipping slopestyle. 

Sablikova became the first-ever Olympian from the Czech Republic to win a speedskating medal and has finished first in the overall World Cup standings for the 3,000- and 5,000-meter distances an incredible seven years in a row.

Claudia Pechstein, Germany

There is an air of controversy when it comes to Claudia Pechstein of Germany.

On one hand, she has nine total Olympic medals, five of which are gold, and she can become the most decorated female Olympian of all time with one more medal. She also has more Olympic medals than any speedskater in history.

However, on the other end of the spectrum is the reality that Pechstein was banned from the Vancouver Olympics because of blood-doping charges.

She told The Associated Press' Graham Dunbar (via USA Today) at the time that she would be back at the Games:

“I'm 100 percent certain that, sooner or later, I will be completely rehabilitated. Everyone who believes in and supports me can be sure that they will definitely see me on the ice again." 

The long-distance specialist would probably like her most recent Olympic memories to be atop a podium instead of surrounded by the controversy of the doping ban, so expect a spirited effort in this race.

Yvonne Nauta, Netherlands

The Netherlands’ best chance at adding to its incredible medal count in speedskating in this event is Yvonne Nauta.

She is also a long-distance specialist who won her first-ever World Cup medal in Kazakhstan with a third-place finish in the 5,000-meter race. Building on that momentum, Nauta finished second overall at the European Championships behind a silver medal in the 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter and a bronze in the 1,500-meter.

Looking forward, it may be too tall of a task to ask Nauta to defeat the likes of Pechstein and Sablikova at her first Olympics.

However, she has the talent, the speed and the stamina necessary to finish on the podium and take home an Olympic medal.

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On Tuesday, we witnessed the Netherlands' dominance in speedskating once again. The Dutch swept the men's 10,000-meter event, as Jorrit Bergsma set a new Olympic record with a time of 12 minutes, 44.45 seconds. On Day 12 of the 2014 Olympic Games, the ladies will get their chance.

The field in the ladies' 5,000-meter event is a deep one and is full of talent. Plenty of these athletes have legitimate shots at a trip to the podium. Due to the star power that will be showcased here, this is certainly one discipline that should not be missed.

Let's take a look at the schedule, viewing information and outlook of this event, as well as give a prediction of which athletes will ultimately reach the podium.

Viewing Information

What: Speedskating: Ladies' 5,000-meters

Where: Adler Arena Skating Center

When: Wednesday, Feb. 19

TV Time: 3 p.m. ET

Channel: NBC

Live Stream: NBCOlympics.com

Outlook

Once Day 11 of the Olympics concluded, the Netherlands tied the United States atop the medal count with 20 each. What makes this so impressive for the Dutch is the fact that 19 of those 20 medals came from speedskating events.

On Wednesday, the Netherlands looks to shine again, as Ireen Wust is set to take to the ice. Wust has been phenomenal so far in Sochi. She has already earned three speedskating medals—silver medals in the ladies' 1,000-meter and 1,500-meter events and a gold medal in the ladies' 3,000-meter race.

She will be looking for her fourth medal on Day 12. Wust has yet to earn an Olympic medal in the 5,000-meter event, but she is no stranger to this race on the very same ice. In 2013, Wust earned a silver medal in this event in the World Single Distance Championships that were held in Sochi.

Even though she is stronger in the shorter races, there is no denying Wust's current hot streak. She will certainly be one of the favorites to reach the podium on Wednesday.

If Wust is to earn another medal, she must first find a way to overtake the reigning Olympic champion, Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic.

Sablikova earned the gold medal in the ladies' 5,000-meter event in Vancouver's 2010 Olympic Games. That was just one addition to her impressive resume.

She also has four gold medals in the World Championships and one in the Winter Universiade as well—that's only counting her record in the 5,000-meter event.

Earlier in the Winter Games, Sablikova announced that she would be pulling out of the ladies' 1,500-meter event. Ria Novosti gathered this statement from Czech team spokesman Alexandr Kliment, "She will not compete in the 1,500 meters because she wants to prevent herself from getting injured before the 5,000 meters. She wants to rest and relax."

That may just give her another edge on her competition.

Making this event even more dramatic is the fact that Wust and Sablikova are slated to skate head-to-head in the seventh of eight pairs in the event. These two athletes could push each other to a new level of excellence.

Other noteworthy athletes in this competition are Germany's Claudia Pechstein—the 41-year-old athlete who previously dominated in this event and still has plenty left in the tank—and Russia's Olga Graf—utilizing home-ice advantage in an attempt to claim her second medal of the 2014 Olympic Games.

Prediction

There is plenty of top-notch talent in this event, and narrowing the field down to a final three is a difficult process. However, Sablikova appears to be in prime shape after having rested earlier in the games. Wust is riding a great hot streak and should be expected to continue that trend. Graf will have the backing of her country in the Adler Arena which should help her confidence.

The odd woman out here is Pechstein. She is still performing admirably at the age of 41; however, it appears that she will be overtaken by the younger competitors. A fourth-place finish is still very respectable here.

Gold Medal: Martina Sablikova, Czech Republic

Silver Medal: Ireen Wust, Netherlands

Bronze Medal: Olga Graf, Russia

The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi will mark the site of the third edition of the team pursuit speedskating competition.

Following five fast-moving events in the men's competition, one thing is clear—the Netherlands have a stronghold on the sport. But the gold medal that has eluded the longtime speedskating powerhouse is one in the team pursuit, as host countries Italy and Canada won in 2006 and 2010, respectively.

Looking at the results from the speedskating events so far, the Netherlands are such heavy favorites that this team pursuit seems like a formality. But you never know what can happen with three skaters gliding together at close speeds for eight laps in one of the most exciting events to watch during the Winter Games. 

Here's a look at Canada's winning race against the United States in 2010.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WB5FHb6Y4XM

The knockout-style tournament of this eight-team, two-day event also adds another element of intrigue that most other speedskating competitions can't offer. Here's a look at the schedule for the upcoming races, which begin on Friday in Sochi with predictions for the medal winners.

While you can only watch the three rounds of competition live online with NBC Live Extra, you can catch the action on NBC Primetime at 8 p.m. ET on Friday and Saturday.

Event	Date	Time (ET)
Quarterfinals	Fri., Feb. 21	8:30 a.m.
Semifinals	Fri., Feb. 21	10:13 a.m.
Finals	Sat., Feb. 22	8:51 a.m.

Gold: The Netherlands

To this point of the 2014 Winter Olympics, the men's speedskating competition has been reduced to the Netherlands versus everyone else. And the Dutch are winning by a landslide.

Of the five men's events to take place so far, the Netherlands has taken 12 of 15 medals, including four first-place finishes. The latest example of Dutch dominance came on Tuesday, when the trio of Jorrit Bergsma (gold), Sven Kramer (silver) and Bob de Jong (bronze) completed a podium sweep in the 10,000 meters.

"They're on fire right now," U.S. coach Ryan Shimabukuro recently told Paul Newberry of the Associated Press. "They've got all the momentum going in their direction."

Tuesday's triumph marked the third 1-2-3 finish for the Netherlands, as they also cleaned up shop in the men's 500-meter and 5,000-meter races. In fact, Koen Verweij's silver medal in the 1,500-meter event, when he was 0.003 seconds behind the winner, is the only individual men's race the Dutch didn't win.

Verweij is in good shape to win a gold in this competition though, as he and fellow teammates Sven Kramer and Jan Blokhuijsen are currently the world record holders in this event, per speedskatingstats.com. The trio set new world lows in back-to-back weeks in November, including the current record of three minutes, 35.60 seconds.

All three skaters have earned medals in respective events so far, and they look like the runaway favorites to add gold to their trophy cabinets in the team pursuit.

Silver: United States

The U.S. placed second at two of three World Cup events that have featured the team pursuit this season, behind the group of Shani Davis, Brian Hansen, Jonathan Kuck and Joey Mantia. 

Overall, though, it's been a massive disappointment for the U.S. speedskating so far during the XXII Winter Games, with Davis highlighting a notable crop of athletes to miss out on a medal, as detailed by Newberry.

Led by Shani Davis, Heather Richardson and Brittany Bowe, the U.S. posted some impressive results on the World Cup circuit and rolled into Russia boldly predicting its new high-tech suits might give it a shot at equaling or surpassing its greatest haul at an Olympics, the eight medals won on home ice in both 1980 and 2002.

But the new suits turned out to be a bust and were dumped midway through the Olympics. There were also questions about the decision to do high-altitude training prior to an Olympics at sea level, along with some serious soul searching about whether the Americans got complacent after their World Cup success.

No U.S. skater has finished higher than seventh in Sochi, setting up the team for its first medal shutout since 1984.

You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who pegged the United States to be facing a speedskating medal drought, but that's where we find ourselves following Day 11 in Sochi. In the end, though, a medal here could serve a nice consolation prize for Team USA on the way out of Russia.

Bronze: Korea

While the Netherlands seems like a lock to handle its side of the bracket and skate into the finals, it will be interesting to see how the half of the tournament works out.

Throughout the World Cup circuit, Korea and the United States have emerged as the top contenders to be runner-up to the Netherlands. Korea's trio of Cheol-Min Kim, Kyou-Hyuk Lee and Hyong-Joon Joo have arguably been more consistent throughout, with three top-three finishes including second place in December at a World Cup race in Berlin.

While the U.S. team might have more top-notch talent, this group has been performing at a high level together and will be worth watching.

With a podium sweep in the men's 10,000 meter race on Tuesday, the Netherlands continued to dominate the speedskating competition at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games.

In taking the gold, Jorrit Bergsma recorded the fastest sea-level time in the history of the event, with a mark of 12 minutes, 44.45 seconds. He also broke the Olympic record of 12 minutes, 58.55 seconds, previously held by South Korea's Lee Seung-hoon, Tuesday's fourth-place finisher.

Meanwhile, Sven Kramer—who entered Tuesday's race as an event favorite—placed second, with 37-year-old Bob De Jong earning a bronze medal to complete the Dutch sweep.

Of the 27 medals awarded in speedskating at Sochi thus far, Dutch athletes have racked up a staggering total of 19, topping the previous record of 13 set by East Germany in 1988.

Overall, the Netherlands have earned six gold, six silver and seven bronze speedskating medals in Sochi, with no other country earning more than two medals in the sport in the process.

Tuesday's medal sweep was the 10th in Olympic speedskating history—and the fourth one turned in by Dutch skaters in Sochi—with the next scheduled speedskating event being the women's 5,000 meter race on Wednesday.

Speedskating has been one of the most action-packed, adrenaline-filled sports throughout the duration of the 2014 Olympics in Sochi. After the conclusion of the men's 10,000-meter event on Tuesday, we have seen nine disciplines reach their conclusions.

With only the ladies' 5,000 meters, men's team pursuit and ladies' team pursuit remaining, certain storylines have developed that will play a huge part in speedskating's finale.

From the Netherlands' dominance to disappointing finishes by the United States, let's take a look at the ongoing storylines that will be very apparent throughout the sport's conclusion in Sochi.

Can Anyone Keep Up with the Netherlands?

The first speedskating event that took place this year in Sochi was the men's 5,000 meters. Right off the bat, the Netherlands asserted its dominance, as it swept the podium for the first of what would be many times.

Not only did it sweep that podium, but Sven Kramer started the Olympics off in style, setting a new Olympic record with a time of 6:10.76.

One day later, the Dutch were at it again, as Ireen Wust topped the ladies' 3,000-meter event. The following day, we saw another Dutch sweep, highlighted by Michel and Ronald Mulder—brothers who took the gold and bronze medals, respectively.

Another Dutch sweep came about in the ladies' 1,500-meter event, as Ireen Wust was at it again, earning the silver medal and her third overall medal of the Olympic Games.

Finally, on Tuesday, we saw another Netherlands sweep in the men's 10,000-meter event. This time it was Jorrit Bergsma who set a new Olympic record with a time of 12:44.45, just edging out Kramer, who set an Olympic record of his own in the men's 5,000 meters.

Here's one way to put this country's dominance in perspective: The Dutch have the most Olympic medals thus far in the Olympic Games with 20. Nineteen of those came from speedskating. The other one came from a similar sport: Short-track speedskating.

Looking ahead, the Dutch will look to reach the podium on Wednesday in the ladies' 5,000 meters. Wust will be skating once again and look to claim her fourth medal in Sochi. She will have tough competition, however, as Russia's Olga Graf and Germany's Claudia Pechstein are solid skaters in their own right.

Can the United States Overcome its Disappointing Finishes?

It's been a tough Olympics for Team USA as far as speedskating is concerned. The Americans have yet to earn a single medal through the conclusion of nine disciplines.

What makes that so tough to swallow for the United States is that it was supposed to have a couple of legitimate chances to reach the podium already in Sochi.

Shani Davis entered the 2014 Olympics trying to claim his third-straight gold medal in the men's 1,000-meter event. If he was successful, he would have made Olympic history as the first male American speedskater to win the same event in three-straight Olympic Games.

Not only did Davis miss out on the podium—which featured two skaters from the Netherlands—but he only managed to finish in eighth place with a time of 1:90.12—a full .73 seconds off the gold-medal pace.

Davis had another shot to medal in the men's 1,500-meter event, but like the 1,000 meters, he fell short and finished in 11th place.

After the race, he confided in Paul Myerberg of USA Today regarding his lack of confidence:

I wasn't good enough today. I think after the 1,000-meters race, it took a lot out of me knowing that I did the best I could and wasn't good enough there. And not having the confidence of the 1,000, I think it carried into today.

On the ladies' side, Heather Richardson also had a fair shot at reaching the podium. Unfortunately, her finishes resembled those of Davis.

She started strong in the ladies' 500-meter event, placing fourth in the first race. However, after a poor showing in the second race, she was only able to come away with eighth place.

Richardson took part in the ladies' 1,000-meter and 1,500-meter events as well, placing seventh in both.

During an interview with Jeff Mills of News and Record, Richardson spoke of her disappointment:

I went home (to the Olympic Village) and cried forever about the 1,000. But I have to let it go at some point and focus on the rest of my races. That's what I tried to do. Each skater is an individual. For me, mentally I needed to be stronger going into my races.

Richardson will have one more shot at the podium, as she is slated to race as one of the three Team USA skaters in the ladies' team pursuit event on Friday. If the United States fails to capture a medal in the remaining events, it will go down as one of the biggest letdowns in an otherwise solid Olympic performance.

Speedskating has captured the essence of the Olympics thus far at the 2014 Winter Games thanks to thrilling action, plenty of drama and classic podium domination by the usual suspects.

All of the events so far have been close affairs, although the struggles of the U.S. team have been the main headline. America has yet to gain even one medal so far in Sochi, Russia despite names such as Shani Davis and Heather Richardson in attendance.

Meanwhile, the Dutch have simply dominated en route to completely sweeping three podiums.

The final men's individual event takes place on Day 11 as the big names will partake in the lengthy endurance test known as the 10,000 meters before things give way to the team-pursuit events.

Event: Men's 10,000-meter Race

Date: Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 8 a.m. ET (17:00 Sochi time)

Live TV: None

TV Highlights: NBC Primetime (8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT)

Live Stream: NBC Live Extra

Note: All info courtesy of Sochi2014.com unless otherwise specified.

Athletes to Watch

Lee Seung-hoon, South Korea

If one athlete is going to crash another Dutch party and prevent them from sweeping a jaw-dropping fourth podium, the nod has to go to defending champion Lee Seung-hoon.

He won the event in Vancouver after Sven Kramer was disqualified, but was one of the Games' bigger disappointments in Sochi as he finished 12th in the 5,000-meter race.

He told reporters after the stunning display that his failure to adapt to Sochi was part of the issue, via Patrick Johnston of Reuters:

I was not sick and I had no physical problems. I have been training in France and the Netherlands and now in Russia, and that is three countries in three weeks.

I have not slept well in Russia and I have found it hard to adjust to the climate, but I should have overcome all these things.

I regret the result but now I must try to forget it and get ready for the 10,000m and the team pursuit.

A much better performance is necessary if he is going to take the top prize once more, not to mention reach the podium at all, in a Games where the Dutch have run away with the competition.

Sven Kramer, Netherlands

Sven Kramer is a man on a mission.

Forget that Kramer put on a dominant display in the 5,000 meters to take gold. That is great, but Kramer has his mind on others things:

This willingness to drop a shot at another medal (which he probably would have won) should tell fans the entire story.

For the unfamiliar, Kramer was easily the gold-medal winner in the 10,000 meters in Vancouver—except his coach made a baffling mistake that got him disqualified.

Michael Farber of Sports Illustrated has the story:

Kramer properly took the turn on the inside lane and was supposed to shift to the outside for the next lap. He already had made the adjustment when his coach, Gerard Kemkers, motioned him with one finger to go back, shouting “inside lane!” Two-thirds of the way to a smashing victory, Kramer seemed to hesitate for an instant and then dutifully returned to the inside.

Just like that, a six-second lead and a top-podium finish evaporated forever.

The field is peppered with tough competition, but Kramer should be the main focal point for fans.

Prediction

Anything other than Kramer getting redemption with a gold is out of the question. 

This win is now four years in the making. Heck, forget the storyline—Kramer is still head and shoulders above the rest of the field in terms of talent.

That is not to say the field does not stand a chance. Lee Seung-hoon will surely bounce back now that he has had more time to get acclimated to the conditions in Sochi. Bart Swings of Belgium once again figures to be in top form and contend for a medal, too.

But the podium will belong to Kramer. It will not be another Dutch sweep, but Kramer's spot at the top is a sure thing based on his current form and past success in the event.

Gold: Sven Kramer

Silver: Lee Seung-hoon

Bronze: Bart Swings

It wasn't the suits. That much we know for sure. Maybe it was the confidence lost by a poor start or the lack of comfort the skaters felt as they attempted to salvage their trip to Sochi. But when examining the surprising failures of the United States' speedskating team at the 2014 Olympics, the reality is we must first begin with the performers and the program itself.

The United States came roaring into Sochi with high hopes. The Associated Press (h/t Yahoo! Sports) had pegged the Americans as the favorites to win eight medals across men's and women's competition, more than any other country this side of the monolithic Netherlands. Two gold, four silver, two bronze.

They're facing the very real possibility of walking away with none. 

Shani Davis, the two-time defending 1,000-meter Olympic gold medalist, managed only an eighth-place finish. He fared even worse in the 1,500 meters, an event in which he has twice silver-medaled and holds the world record. Heather Richardson, the United States' best hope on the women's side, managed no better than a seventh-place finish in her three events.

Only two more individual events remain, the 10,000-meter men's competition and ladies' 5,000-meter race. The United States is, at best, considered a massive underdog to medal in both events.

While the men could grab a medal in team pursuit—the AP selected them as silver medalists—the prospect of individual medals is far-fetched. And considering how the United States has performed as a whole in Sochi, maybe the team pursuit medal is just as unlikely.

From start to finish, it's been an absolute mess of confusion, distractions and poor performances that has damaged the country's reputation within a sport it typically performs very well in.

Let's start with the suit, because it has become the overarching source of criticism stateside. Developed by Lockheed Martin, the high-tech race suits were supposed to be the height of aerodynamic excellence and give American skaters an advantage. Instead, athletes complained the suit hindered rather than helped and made the unprecedented call to return to old technology in hopes of reversing course.

At this level of speedskating, any minuscule advantage or hindrance can be the difference between gold and going home empty-handed. So it was understandable for the racers to want to make a switch.

It ultimately didn't matter. Whether it was a confidence factor or the Netherlands just hit the nail right on the head with suit technology, the results were no different. Still, some of the skaters expressed frustration about the effect the fiasco had on their runs. 

"There were just so many things going on, with what's going on with this, what's going on with that, what's got to happen here," Davis said, per Jared S. Hopkins of the Los Angeles Times. "I think if we could eliminate all those distractions and I could've just put that energy into performing and skating, it would've been a totally different outcome."

The suit issue raises numerous questions. On the surface, it's easy to write this off as sour grapes from frustrated athletes. They can't catch the Dutch, so of course the suit is holding them back. It couldn't possibly be a training issue or others performing better. Why, that would be absurd.

The thing is, even if the suits ultimately didn't matter from a results standpoint, the speedskating program never should have approved their use. As noted by the Wall Street Journal's Joshua Robinson and Sara Germano, the skaters never used the suits in competition pre-Sochi. The suits were completed so close to the Games, it was almost impossible to expect the competitors to feel comfortable.

Deciding to use the suits without competitive practice was questionable at best and irresponsible at worst. The last thing you want to be doing when competing on the Olympic level—something you have prepared the last four years for—is to be trying something new and uncomfortable.

It's ultimately silly to attribute the United States' struggles entirely to the suits. That's just a false justification. But as more folks come out and express their frustration, it's becoming clear that a chasm exists between decision-makers. 

In particular, the team's decision to train at high altitude in Collalbo, Italy, has drawn the ire of multiple people associated with the speedskating program. Nancy Swider-Peltz Sr., the coach of Brian Hansen, had enough mincing words in an interview with Kelly Whiteside and Paul Myerberg of USA Today:

Collalbo was a big mistake. I'm going to get in trouble for it, but I don't care anymore. I am tired of not being believed. I'm tired of being told that science is the only answer, that intuition and experience is not good enough. You can teach a person with intuition and experience science, but you can't teach a scientist to be a coach. It is something you learn from the very beginning.

The relationship between science and sport is an ongoing evolution across the world. Major professional sports leagues have invested millions upon millions of dollars on advanced analytics, and that is only going to grow going forward. Basketball and baseball analytics in particular have revolutionized not only the way teams judge talent but how they play.

Could those like Swider-Peltz merely be part of a resistant old garb holding back progress? It's not an unfair assertion. There are still those close to baseball who value RBI over WAR and folks in basketball who use points per game over per-possession metrics. Those people are wrong, of course, but as long as they're in positions of power, there is going to be a separation.

Then again, it's pretty clear the technology and advancement failed in Sochi. The suits were scrapped. The skaters were slow on the more humid ice.

Ultimately, the only clear takeaway here is that the U.S. speedskating program needs a major powwow the moment it leaves Russia. There needs to be a clear game plan over the next four years. What events is it emphasizing. What advancements in suit technology it wants to push. Everything needs thrown in a cogent plan, one the skaters, national coaches and personal coaches understand and can get on board with.

Because if we've learned anything in Sochi, it's that a speedskating program in disarray is bound for failure—no matter what suit the athletes are wearing.

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From the start of the Sochi Winter Olympics, the Dutch speedskaters have been amazing, getting a pair of medal sweeps early on at the long-track oval. Then, they moved on to staggering, as golds, silvers and bronzes piled up like the chips of a poker player on a hot streak.

But now, their performance in Sochi is downright preposterous.

After Sunday's sweep in the women's 1,500 meters, the speedskating score is Holland 16, Rest of the World 8. And with an additional medal won in short-track speedskating, the Dutch's total haul of 17 is the most by any nation at Sochi, one more than the U.S. or host Russia.

The latest Dutch speedskater to leave the rest of the world gaping in disbelief is 24-year-old Jorien ter Mors, who arrived in Sochi as a little-known skater who most often put her blades to work in short-track events.

But on Sunday, Ter Mors led the Dutch, clad as always in a neon shade of orange, to their third medals sweep in eight events. She blew away the competition with an Olympic-record time of one minute, 53.51 seconds, which was particularly startling given that Sochi's ice is considered slow.

When Mors crossed the finish line and saw her time, she stared at it open-mouthed, every bit as stunned as her audience. She skated in the ninth of 20 pairs, meaning all of the world's highest-ranked competitors had yet to take aim at her mark, but there was an immediate sense they would strictly be chasing the silver and gold.

That proved to be true, even for Holland's Ireen Wust, the defending gold medalist who already had won the 3,000 in Sochi while also claiming silver in the 1,000.

Wust is so renowned in Holland that there's already a speedskating oval named for her there. But she had to settle for silver in her signature event, finishing in 1:54.09. 

Bronze medalist Charlotte van Beek (1:54.54) completed the sweep, but the Dutch added an exclamation point, with Marrit Leenstra (1:56.40) also out-skating the rest of the world and finishing fourth.

No nation had ever before finished 1-2-3-4 in an Olympic speedskating event. 

"Unfortunately, there are only three spots on the podium," Leenstra said. "But still I would rather have Dutch girls in front of me than others."

Ter Mors received a warm hug from Wust and then set off jogging a victory lap that was interrupted several times as she stopped to wipe away tears of joy and astonishment.

She nearly won an additional medal on Saturday, finishing fourth in the short-track 1,500 at the Iceberg Skating Palace that's right next door to the Adler Arena that houses Sochi's long-track oval.

That turned out to be an excellent warmup for Sunday's race, where Ter Mors' time was the second-fastest ever at sea level. She could have two more chances to medal in Sochi. She's in short-track's 1,000, where qualifying starts Tuesday, and she could be in the final long-track event, Saturday's women's team pursuit. 

Ter Mors is the first woman to double up and skate both long track and short track at the same Olympics. She didn't take up long track until 2012 and started to dabble in workouts on the 400-meter oval mainly as a training tool.

But after a World Cup victory in the 1,500 at Berlin in 2013, she realized she had Olympic medal prospects in both disciplines.

"It is bizarre that I can do this," said Ter Mors (via The Associated Press).

Ter Mors said the last year has been a rough one for her after the death of her father last May.

"I'm just speechless," she said. "To become Olympic champion here, after everything I went through in the past year, this is absolutely fantastic"

The Dutch long-track speedskaters now totally merit consideration as the greatest team in Winter Olympics history. Holland's population is only about 16.8 million, which is less than Florida's.

The 1,500 sweep broke East Germany's previous record of 13 speedskating medals at a single Games, set at Calgary in 1988.

Until Sochi, Holland's highest medal total at a Winter Olympics was 11 at Nagano in 1998, where they all came in long-track speedskating.

In the meantime, the U.S. is still trying to scrounge up its first speedskating medal in Sochi. Heather Richardson was considered a contender, but she placed seventh in the 1,500, in 1:57.6, more than three seconds out of the medal podium.

The other Americans were far back, as Brittany Bowe placed 14th (1:58.31) and Jilleanne Rookard 18th (1:59.15).

With four long-track events left, the biggest upset would be if the Dutch didn't continue their march to the podium.

They'll be favored for gold in both the men's and women's team pursuit events, and a sweep in the men's 10,000 is eagerly anticipated in a nation that has always loved speedskating's distance events. They're also counting on a medal in the women's 5,000 from Wust.

It goes without saying the rest of the world's speedskaters should be expecting a few more servings of Orange Crush.

Tom Weir has covered eight Winter Olympics as a columnist and reporter for USA Today. You can follow him on Twitter at @TomWeirSports.

The Netherlands will hope to continue its reign of speedskating dominance during the 2014 Winter Olympics' four remaining events.

Through eight competitions, the Dutch have snatched 16 medals, including five first-place finishes. No other country has amassed more than two overall prizes.

Their supremacy persisted on Sunday, when they swept the podium in the ladies' 1,500-meter race. As ESPN Stats & Info noted, the Netherlands holds a slight lead on the overall medal tally almost exclusively on the strength of one discipline.

With four events left, the Dutch will look to rack up more medals as the field tries to generate some equality. Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic can put a thorn in the Dutch's plans to snag another gold in the lone remaining ladies' single event.

There are other strong contenders on the men's side, but a veteran long-track specialist could add one more medal to his illustrious track record. Here are a few favorites to watch in the upcoming speedskating races.

Date	Event	Time (ET)
Feb. 18	Men's 10,000 meters	8 a.m.
Feb. 19	Women's 5,000 meters	8:30 a.m.
Feb. 21	Men's and Women's Team Pursuits (Quarterfinals/Semifinals)	8:30 a..m
Feb. 22	Men's and Women's Team Pursuits (Finals)	8:51 a.m.

Men's 10,000-Meter Race: Bob de Jong, Netherlands

Bob de Jong should have one last run left in him.

The 37-year-old has already accomplished everything imaginable in the sport, winning seven world championships during his career. He has won three Olympic medals in the men's 10,000 meters, claiming gold in the 2006 Turin Games and bronze in Vancouver four years ago.

He has not competed in any other Olympic events, keeping himself fresh for his specialty. Saving his energy is a wise move for the veteran, who has several years on his adversaries.

This could be De Jong's last chance to earn a spot on the podium. It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that his top threats, Sven Kramer and Jorrit Bergsma, don the same colors. 

Women's 5,000-Meter Race: Martina Sablikova, Czech Republic 

The strongest challenger to the Dutch speedskating dynasty, Sablikova is vying for gold again after earning two first-place finishes in 2010.

Having won 10 gold medals in the World Championships since 2007, the Czech Republic star has emerged as a top competitor.  

She dropped out of the 1,500-meter race to focus fully on defending her title in the 5,000 meters. After falling shy of duplicating her gold with a silver finish in the 3,000 meters, all her attention is set on this last run.

Holding the 5,000-meter record with a 6:42.66 time in 2011 shows how well the 26-year-old performs in her top race. Germany will toss two strong contenders at her in Claudia Pechstein and Stephanie Beckert, but Sablikova is the clear woman to beat.

Men's/Women's Team Pursuits: Netherlands

Why pick against the Netherlands right now?

The Dutch have swept the podium in three events so far, showing their terrific depth. If one top contender has an off day, there are a few other guys or gals to pick up the pieces.

In the team pursuit, its strength from top to bottom makes the Netherlands the favorites on the men's and women's side, which would give it two gold medals to close out the Sochi festivities.

For the men, Kramer, Jorrit Bergsma, Jan Blokhuijsen and Koen Verweij will represent their native land. All four have won a medal in Sochi, including Kramer's gold in the 5,000 meters with Blokhuijsen and Bergsma right behind him.

Jorien ter Mors, who captured gold in the 1,500 meters, will lead the ladies beside bronze-winner Lotte van Beek.

Bobby Ilich of the International Business Times explored the Netherland's tight grip of the sport. Part of its dominance stems from a greater interest in speedskating that isn't matched elsewhere.

While many North Americans may think speed skating is boring, the Dutch will say football and baseball are boring. They are clearly the most passionate and engaged supporters of the sport, and they treat it as part of their national identity. Even the King and Queen of the Netherlands are in Sochi, and they were spotted at Adler Arena cheering on the Dutch. (The King even famously proposed to the Queen on ice skates.)

The country's love for skating has shown in Sochi, and it is likely to stay on display for another week.

Through eight days of action, speedskating has undoubtedly been one of the highlights of the 2014 Games.

The thrilling action that can see a race narrowly won or lost by hundredths of a second is always a key point of any Winter Games, but the races in Sochi, Russia have been more impressive than iterations of the past.

Stars such as the Netherlands' Sven Kramer (gold in the men's 5,000 meters) and Ireen Wust (gold in the ladies' 3,000 meters) have stolen the show so far.

Day 9 has just one event, but other big names have a chance to etch their names in the record books when all is said and done in the ladies' 1,500-meter race. While it is a bit of an early event for American viewers, it is one they will not want to miss.

Event: Ladies' 1,500-meter race

Date: Sunday, Feb. 16 at 9 a.m. EST (6 p.m. Sochi time)

Live TV: None

TV Highlights: NBC Primetime (8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT)

Live Stream: NBC Live Extra

Note: All info courtesy of Sochi2014.com unless otherwise specified.

Can America Rebound?

This has to be tiring for readers and fans in general—the United States has been a disappointment so far in the Games in many events.

The description extends to the ladies' speedskating realm, where stars Heather Richardson and Brittany Bowe have succumbed to the pressure of the big stage and not met lofty expectations.

Richardson's struggles can be excused considering it is her first Games. She finished in eighth place in the 500 meters and told reporters afterward, via Julia Bagg of NBC 6, that it was a performance to build on:

She followed that up with a seventh-place finish in the 1,000 meters, which was one of the Games' biggest disappointments. The race was easily Richardson's best event, especially after she took home three World Cup victories in it this year.

As Nick Zaccardi of NBC Sports points out, it was quite the shocking turn of events:

As Zaccardi alludes, favorite Brittany Bowe has also struggled. She placed 13th in the 500 meters and eighth in the 1,000 meters. The latter of the two also happened to be Bowe's best event considering she owns a world record at the distance, as Bleacher Report's Dan Levy points out:

The field will not be easy for either of the U.S. darlings, even with Martina Sablikova (silver medalist in the 3,000 meters) of the Czech Republic pulling out of the race to focus on other events.

Prediction

Based on Richardson and Bowe's current form and the wealth of talent in the field, it is hard to see the U.S. grabbing a medal in this particular event on Day 9.

The aforementioned Wust will be on the hunt for her second gold medal of the Games and third overall, and the host country's Olga Fatkulina, who scored a silver in the 500 meters, figures to play a large role in the podium proceedings, too.

Gold: Ireen Wust (NED)

Silver: Olga Fatkulina (RUS)

Bronze: Lotte van Beek (NED)