Olympic Speed skating

The speedskating in Sochi, Russia at the 2014 Winter Games has been nothing short of thrilling so far with a number of events already in the books.

While entertaining, the results thus far have been rather predictable, with the Netherlands absolutely dominating, having won a medal in each event through Day 5.

The United States has yet to make any kind of noise, which was unexpected thanks to stars such as Shani Davis, who had a disappointing showing in the 1,000-meter race.

There is still plenty of time for various countries to turn things around, including an exciting team pursuit event that no fan, hardcore or casual, should miss.

Day	Date	Event	Channel	Time
Saturday	2/15/14	Men's 1500m	NBC	8:30am ET
Sunday	2/16/14	Women's 1500m	NBC	9:00am ET
Tuesday	2/18/14	Men's 10,000m	NBC	8:00am ET
Wednesday	2/19/14	Women's 5000m	NBC	8:30am ET
Friday	2/21/14	Men's Team Pursuit Quarterfinal	NBC	8:30am ET
Friday	2/21/14	Ladies' Team Pursuit Quarterfinals	NBC	9:15am ET
Friday	2/21/14	Men's Team Pursuit Semifinals	NBC	10:15am ET
Saturday	2/22/14	Ladies' Team Pursuit Semifinals	NBC	8:30am ET
Saturday	2/22/14	Men's Team Pursuit Finals	NBC	8:45am ET
Saturday	2/22/14	Ladies' Team Pursuit Finals	NBC	9:15am ET

Note: All events available for live stream on NBCOlympics.com. All info courtesy of Sochi2014.com unless otherwise specified.

Sven Kramer, Men's 10,000-Meter Race

Look, no competitor the rest of the way should garner more attention than Sven Kramer of the Netherlands.

Kramer won gold in the 5,000-meter race in Vancouver and came extremely close to doing the same in the 10,000 meters before a jaw-dropping coaching error disqualified him after he was directed to the wrong lane.

Now, Kramer is on a warpath. He easily won gold in the 5,000 meters with a total time of 6:10.76, almost five seconds better than the next finisher.

But Kramer has zeroed in on redemption in the 10,000 meters. He took to social media to reveal that he will skip the 1,500-meter race in order to dial in on the elusive prize:

Kramer is one of the world's best at the moment and on a mission. A spot on the podium seems all but assured if he can keep his current form.

Claudia Pechstein, Women's 5,000-Meter Race 

Like Kramer, Claudia Pechstein of Germany is on a quest for redemption after missing the Vancouver Games.

She's also attempting to become the oldest Winter Games champion in a solo event, a historic title that is currently owned by Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, who won gold in the biathlon 10-kilometer race earlier in the Games.

At the age of 41, Pechstein looked gassed near the end of the 3,000-meter race recently and is now hoping for "the race of my life in the 5,000," according to a quote obtained by the Associated Press, via Fox Sports.

Pechstein's time in the 3,000 meters was a sound 4:05.26, but it was only good enough for fourth place and almost five seconds out of first place.

In what is likely her Olympic swan song, Pechstein has history on the mind.

Shani Davis, Men's 1,500-Meter Race

So far, Davis has been the most disappointing athlete in Sochi, but the book is nowhere near fully written on his entire body of work there just yet.

Davis entered the 1,000 meters as an owner of a world record and two previous gold medals, but his bid for a third straight was cut short by an underwhelming performance that saw him land in eighth place.

One person not shocked by the performance was Davis himself, as he told reporters after the event, via Paul Myerberg of USA Today:

There's no excuse. I just didn't have the speed I've always had. I felt fast in the open, but after that, I don't know. I have to look at the film and see. I'm not shocked. I'm very in tune with reality. But I'm disappointed.

For now, Davis enters a bad category of U.S. athletes who have failed to medal in Sochi, as Dave Hyde of the Sun-Sentinel writes:

Despite the slow start, Davis remains a favorite to medal and should hardly be counted out.

It's time for the women to shine on Day 6 of the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, as the ladies' 1,000-meter speedskating final will be contested on Thursday. 

It's the only race of the day on the speedskating schedule, and there are a few international stars competing for glory.

There have already been some upsets in the early goings, however, and the field is loaded with world-class athletes who have a shot at knocking off the favorites. 

Here's a look at when and where you can catch the action, followed by medal predictions for the upcoming race.

Speedskating: Women's 1,000 Meters

Where: Adler Arena Skating Center

When: Thursday, Feb. 13

Watch: NBC during prime-time broadcast, beginning at 8 p.m. ET

Live Stream: NBCOlympics.com

Athletes to Watch: Brittany Bowe, Heather Richardson, Christine Nesbitt, Olga Fatkulina and Zhang Hong

Outlook

Canada's Christine Nesbitt will attempt to defend her gold medal from 2010, but the aging superstar isn't favored to win this year's race. 

Instead, America's Heather Richardson comes into the 2014 Winter Games as the favorite, with teammate Brittany Bowe as her chief rival. 

The two U.S. skaters come into the Games as the No. 1 and No. 2 skaters in the world, and they have an interesting, albeit competitively beneficial relationship. 

“We raced for years on inlines together and now we actually live together up at Park City. So we train together, we live together, we hang out together, we are with each other all the time,” Richardson said, as noted by Willie Cornblatt of NBCOlympics.com. “So it’s really nice that we grew up together and now we are here at the same stage together.”

Nobody should count out Russia's Fatkulina, however, as she's the current world champion at this distance. Additionally, China's Zhang Hong will be in the mix for a medal, and Dutch skater Ireen Wust is always a dangerous competitor. 

Prediction

American fans who are worried about their nation's lack of dominance thus far in Sochi will be pleased on Thursday when Richardson and Bowe hit the ice for this 1,000-meter race, as pointed out by SI.com's Richard Deitsch:

Two medals should be expected in this event, and there's a chance they'll be of the gold and silver variety.

And while Canada's Nesbitt would love to build her legacy with another medal in 2014, it's more likely that Fatkulina will represent her home country on the podium on Thursday. 

Gold: Heather Richardson, USA

Silver: Olga Fatkulina, Russia

Bronze: Brittany Bowe, USA

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Speedskating might not be the United States' biggest strength, but it's hard to believe anyone stateside expected the struggles that have befallen the men's and women's side thus far in Sochi.

Through five events (three men, two women), the United States has exactly zero medals. It has exactly four top-10 finishes, none higher than eighth place. It's been little short of a calamity. Superstars are flailing. Supposed rising stars are crashing and burning. 

Shani Davis being unable to capture his third-straight gold medal in the 1,000 meters is understandable. You know, with it never have been done before and all. But Davis floundering to an eighth-place finish and looking far up the leaderboard is another entirely. Coming in as the leader of the U.S.' speedskating charge and finally taking a leadership role, his faltering feels like a missed opportunity.

Then again, there may only be one country satisfied with its speedskating performance thus far. 

The ice has almost entirely belonged to the Netherlands—especially on the men's side. The Dutch swept the podium in the men's 5,000 meters and 500 meters, a display of dominance on distances long and short that have set the entire tone in Russia. They were unable to complete a third-straight sweep of the men's events on Wednesday, but it hardly put a crack in the armor.

Canadian Denny Morrison earned a silver medal, but he was sandwiched between surprise gold medalist Stefan Groothuis and 500-meter champion Michel Mulder. The ladies' Olympic jewelry has been spread out a little better in their two events thus far, but Ireen Wust gave the Dutch another gold in the 3,000 meters.

Heading into Day 6, all 10 of the Netherlands' medals in Sochi have come in speedskating. 

"I could see my split time, and I knew it wasn't good enough but I still fought hard," Davis said of his 1,000-meter run, per USA Today's Paul Myerberg. "It just wasn't there today. Obviously they're (the Dutch) doing something right, and it's up to us to figure it out."

That something is what the United States will desperately parse film for in the coming days. Viewed as being on par or just a slight step down from the Netherlands coming into these games, the Americans have taken a disappointing step backward. There are five more medal events before the team pursuit competition, which typically provides a thrilling capper to the speedskating festivities every four years.

The United States men won the silver in Vancouver and are expected to compete again. The women haven't fared quite as well but were an underrated contender to eek out a bronze. Whether that's possible anymore is unclear. But either way, the United States is in desperate need of momentum before next weekend. 

Heather Richardson and Brittany Bowe are expected to compete for gold in Thursday's 1,000 meters, but neither looked sterling in the 500 meters. Richardson, selected as a bronze-medal favorite by the Associated Press, finished eighth and Bowe 13th.

Both are better in the middle distances by rule. Richardson, like Davis had a day prior, seemed to be using the 500 as merely a tune-up event. 

“It’s a good warm-up for the 1,000,” Richardson said, per Jeff Mills of the News-Record. “I just want to go into it as calm as possible, just think of it as another 1,000 to do.”

Bowe has even more of a preference for the longer distances, as she'll be a medal contender in both the 1,000 and 1,500 meters. While the 25-year-old Floridian has a bronze medal in Vancouver to her name, Davis' struggles taught everyone the fallacy of expected excellence. It only takes the slightest mistake or initial misstep to take a gold-medal run and make it an eighth-place finish.

Davis' chance at Olympic gold isn't over, either. He will have a two-day break for returning to the ice for the 1,500 meters, an event that has vexed his Olympic career. Despite being the world-record holder, Davis has fallen just short of gold in Vancouver and Turin to take silver. Even before his disappointing finish in the 1,000, Davis seemed to indicate the 1,500 might have been taking precedence this time around, per Gary D’Amato of the Journal Sentinel.

"Gold would be the big dream come true in the 1,500 meters race," Davis said. "I love that race so much because when I was a junior it was the first junior world race I won. I got my first international prize money and my first international ranking in the 1,500."

That sounds promising, but very few expected Davis to do anything other than earn gold on Wednesday. At age 31, perhaps he shouldn't be looked upon to carry a country's hopes. He, Richardson and Bowe were viewed as the buoys of United States speedskating, keeping its reputation afloat.

What if others, specifically the Netherlands, just are one step ahead at this point?

It's ultimately too soon to cast aspersions but still fair to worry. The U.S. was projected to medal in three of the five remaining events. That's quite a bit better than most countries. But the disappointments early in Sochi leave open the possibility the United States leaves empty-handed.

Then it will be time for a real examination of how to fix the problems. Whatever they may be. 

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Shani Davis entered the 2014 Winter Olympics as one of the most decorated American speedskaters of all time, but he failed to add to his impressive legacy on Wednesday by falling short of the podium in the 1,000-meter race in Sochi.   

Dan Wolken of USA Today reports the news:

The Dutch managed to continue their dominance on the speedskating rink, as Stefan Groothuis took home the gold. Canadian Denny Morrison snagged the silver medal, and a second Dutchman, Michel Mulder—winner of the 500-meter race—won the bronze.

Davis won gold in the event in both 2006 and 2010, and after Shaun White's fourth-place finish in snowboarding halfpipe, Davis had an opportunity to become the first American man to win three consecutive individual Olympic golds in the same event, according to NBC's Andrew Siciliano:

Amy Donaldson of the Deseret News highlighted some of Team USA's more notable shortcomings thus far in Sochi:

The 31-year-old Chicago native came into Sochi with plenty of pressure, and that pressure became even greater as American hopefuls in other disciplines failed to live up to lofty expectations. Perhaps that pressure got to him as he was unable to come through at the Adler Arena Skating Center.   

There seemed to be some concern among American fans regarding Davis' form ahead of the 1,000-meter event. Davis was a non-factor in the 500-meter race; however, that has never been one of his premier competitions.

Davis essentially admitted as much on Twitter by calling the 1,000- and 1,500-meter events his "big" races:

Davis' coach, Ryan Shimabukuro, tried to ease any concerns following the 500-meter race by claiming that it was simply a tune-up for Davis prior to his main focuses, according to Paul Myerberg of USA Today:

For the 500, for him it's all about using it as a prep for the 1,000 and 1,500, a snap-up. He knows the 500 is a stretch for him. He just uses it for training and to prepare for his other races. I don't think he had any delusions of grandeur about going into this race with any medal expectations.

The complete opposite was true of the 1,000-meter race as Davis carried the weight of a nation on his shoulders. As is often the case, the Netherlands had dominated the long-track speedskating events leading up to Wednesday's outing, and Davis was supposed to stem the tide.

Davis was fully aware of the high level of competition waiting for him in Sochi, though. He has never been one to be boisterous, but he seemed especially reserved regarding his chances in the 1,000-meter race going in, per Wayne Coffey of the New York Daily News.

"If I skate well enough, I'm obviously more than happy to take the title," Davis said. "But it's a big challenge. ... The 1,000 is going to be an intense competition. We'll see what happens."

Davis' apparent lack of confidence proved prophetic as he was far from dominant in what has been his best event over the years. There is no time to dwell on the loss, though, and Davis knows that better than anyone with the 1,500-meter event looming on Saturday.

In many ways, the 1,500-meter race has been Davis' white whale. He won silver in the event at both the Turin and Vancouver Olympic Games, so gold in that race is essentially the only thing missing from Davis' incredible resume.

Even after his poor performance in the 1,000-meter race, Davis can potentially salvage his 2014 Olympic experience by finally capturing gold in the 1,500. Dutchman Mark Tuitert beat Davis in Vancouver, and he once again stands in his way in Sochi.

Davis has three 1,500-meter World Championships to his credit, and he will be considered a top contender on Saturday. If nothing else, perhaps his uncharacteristic failure in the 1,000-meter race will serve as further motivation when it comes to finally topping the podium in the 1,500.

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Speedskating continues to be one of the most action-packed, adrenaline-filled events at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi. The men's 1,000-meter event figures to be one of the sport's most exciting contests, as the United States looks to earn a medal on the blades of Shani Davis.

However, the United States will have to compete with the speedskating powerhouse Netherlands if the team is to reach the podium.

The Dutch boast a strong group featuring Michel Mulder, who took home the gold medal in the men's 500-meter event.

This is truly a competition that should not be missed. Let's take a look at the event's schedule and viewing information, followed by predictions of which athletes are likely to reach the podium.

Speedskating: Men's 1,000 Meters

Where: Adler Arena Skating Center

When: Wednesday, Feb. 12

TV Time: 9 a.m. ET

Live Stream: NBCOlympics.com

Athletes to Watch: Shani Davis, Mo Tae-bum, Denis Kuzin, Michel Mulder

Outlook

Davis will look to make Olympic history in this event. With a victory on Wednesday, he would become the first speedskater to win the same event in three consecutive Olympic Games—Davis won the men's 1,000 meters in 2006 in Turin and again in 2010 in Vancouver.

During an interview with John Powers of The Boston Globe, Davis spoke of his run at history: "People are shooting for me. I have the biggest target on my back and people really strive to beat me. That's all they train and aim for. In the 1,000, I'm the man. My job is to try to defend it."

Davis will have some stiff competition if he is to claim yet another gold medal.

Mo Tae-bum of South Korea will look to overtake Davis this year, as he finished second to the American in Vancouver's Games in 2010. He excels mainly at the 500-meter distance, but is talented enough to medal here as well.

American speedskater Brian Hansen is not a favorite in this event; however, he is excited for his race with Mo Tae-bum:

Denis Kuzin of Kazakhstan will look to continue his hot streak, as he is the current world champion at the 1,000-meter distance. He earned the gold medal in the event at Sochi, so he is very familiar with the track.

The aforementioned Mulder could be a factor as well. The Netherlands produce some fine speedskaters, and he is among the top of the class. After winning the gold medal in the 500-meter event, he will look to strike once again here.

Prediction

Expect a highly contested event on Day 5 of the 2014 Olympic Games. With all of the aforementioned athletes in top form, we are in for what should be a dramatic conclusion. There are plenty of skaters who will be in contention for the podium and only tenths of seconds will separate medal winners from those who will go home empty-handed.

Gold: Shani Davis

Silver: Denis Kuzin

Bronze: Mo Tae-bum

Though they have yet to make the podium thus far, Team USA still has multiple speedskaters poised to win Olympic medals in Sochi.

So far, the Netherlands have dominated speedskating in 2014, sweeping the podium in two different events and taking home eight of the 12 medals awarded so far.

Yet, as the competition shifts from the 500-meter sprints to longer races, the Americans will have better chances to unseat the Dutch and earn some Olympic glory of their own.

Shani Davis

After taking home Olympic gold in the 1,000-meter in both 2006 and 2010, Shani Davis must be considered the favorite to three-peat in Sochi.

Though this is probably his last Olympics, Davis' age has not diminished his immense ability yet. The 31-year-old Chicago native skates with the same smooth technique that has made him the biggest U.S. speedskating star since Apolo Anton Ohno.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox5-K6q1JsY,26

Though Davis did not medal in the 500-meter, Paul Myerberg of USA Today reports the Olympic veteran was not put off by the result, rather using the shorter race as preparation for both the 1,000-meter and the 1,500-meter, in which he earned silver medals in each of the past two Olympics.

His coach, Ryan Shimabukuro said, per Myerberg:

For the 500, for him it's all about using it as a prep for the 1,000 and 1,500, a snap-up. He knows the 500 is a stretch for him. He just uses it for training and to prepare for his other races. I don't think he had any delusions of grandeur about going into this race with any medal expectations.

"Even Davis, one of the best skaters America has ever produced, needs a race like the 500 to round into gold-medal form — to get "race-ready,"" Myerberg reports Shimabukuro as saying. 

Said Shimabukuro:

Knowing that, that's why it's important for him to race today, to get that sharpness back. If he went into the 1,000 kind of like race-rusty, then I don't know what he would do. But at least I know now that he's snappy, he's ready to go.

No Olympian has ever won three gold medals in any Olympic event, but it would be foolish to doubt a well-prepped Davis could do it. And while it would be a surprise for Davis to finally earn a gold in the 1,500-meter, expect him to medal in that race as well.

Heather Richardson

The top-ranked women's speedskater in the world is racing in her first Olympics, though she has gotten off to a rough start.

Heather Richardson holds the U.S. record in the 500-meter, but her past performance did not translate to the short track in Sochi, where she finished a disappointing eighth, trailing as Sang Hwa Lee of Korea set a new Olympic record.

Running fourth heading into the final race, Richardson told Gary D'Amato of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that she would use the result as a learning experience.

"Definitely, I felt like I was a medal contender," she said. "I'm not sure what happened. ... Maybe just going into the outer (lane) I lost a little speed. So tomorrow that's what I'll work on, carrying my speed into the outer for the 1,000 (on Thursday). That's the only thing I can think of."

Good news for Richardson: she has also set U.S. records in the 1,000- and 1,500-meters, and like Davis, she's now primed for success in those longer runs. Regardless of what happened in this first shot at a medal, Richardson is too talented to miss the podium entirely.

Brittany Bowe

If it's not Richardson donning an Olympic medal, don't be surprised to see her rival and fellow American accepting one instead.

Brittany Bowe and Richardson are friends outside of skating, per D'Amato of the Journal Sentinel, but as Team USA's strongest pair of female long-track skaters in three Olympics, they are fiercely competitive with each other when they take the ice.

Said Bowe, per D'Amato:

When we're racing each other, there's no friendship there.We're competitors. But at the end of the day whoever is the fastest is going to win. It's you vs. the clock. It's not me vs. Heather or Heather vs. me. We leave it on the track. We give it our all and then we go home, sit on the couch, have a cup of coffee, watch TV. We're back to being friends.

I think it's a really healthy relationship and it's something special.

While Bowe is better at distance and Richardson excels at sprints, the 1,000-meter is the best event for each of them; while Bowe is second to Richardson in the 1,000-meter rankings, Bowe holds the world record.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvdwBuW8QT0

This is the type of rivalry that can have a happy ending. With both of these skaters at the top of their games, neither has to shut the other American off the podium. When the medal ceremony occurs, both Richardson and Bowe could be standing alongside each other as the "Star-Spangled Banner" plays.

Holland's domination at Sochi's long-track speedskating oval has reached a level that's as ridiculous as the crazy orange hats the Dutch fans wear.

With a silver and a bronze in the women's 1,000 meters on Thursday, the Dutch have taken 12 of the 18 medals awarded through six races, including four golds.

That gives the tiny European nation more Olympic hardware than mighty Germany or host Russia, and also more medals than all of the Asian nations combined.

Climbing onto the podium for a second time Thursday were silver medalist Ireen Wust, who won gold in the 3,000, and Margot Boer, who added a second bronze to the one she copped in the 500.

Holland has a population of only 16.8 million, and a fair amount of its real estate is below sea level, but its speedskaters have been on an amazing rise in Sochi. They already have easily topped their seven-medal total that dominated the long-track oval at Vancouver in 2010, and Thursday's haul also pushed them past their national record of 11 Olympic medals, set at Nagano in 1998.

Now, as the men's and women's 1,500-meter races approach this weekend, they're poised to become the winningest speedskating team in Olympic history. With two more medals they'll break the record 13 East Germany won at Calgary in 1988, which appears certain to happen.

The Dutch always have fielded powerhouse teams in their national sport, but what's stunning about their performance in Sochi is that they have found new ways to win.

Boer is the best example of that. She has seldom been a factor on the World Cup circuit but has medaled in both sprints, which traditionally have been the weakest events for Holland's men's and women's teams.

Holland had never before medaled in the women's 500, which has been part of the Games since 1960.

Likewise, the Dutch men's sweep of the 500 may well go down as the most astonishing team accomplishment in Sochi. No nation had ever swept the men's 500 before, and Holland had won only two previous medals at that distance, and none since 1988.

Holland also swept the men's 5,000 behind Sven Kramer's Olympic-record performance, and Wust's gold in the women's 3,000 continued the anticipated success in the distance events. But with this sudden takeover of the sprints, some competitors must be wondering whether the Dutch are going to own the remaining six races in Sochi.

They'll be favored for gold in both the men's and women's team pursuit events. Also, Koen Verweij figures to reach the podium in the men's 1,500, and Kramer could be part of another sweep in the 10,000, along with Jorrit Bergsma and veteran Bob de Jong.

On the women's side, Wust will enter the 1,500 favored to defend her gold medal, and Yvonne Nauta poses a strong threat in the 5,000.

Holland already owns the record for most speedskating medals in Olympic history with 94, and at these Games it has passed the U.S. for the all-time lead in golds with 32.

Why are the Dutch so good? Because virtually everyone in pancake-flat Holland skates. They hone their skills on frozen canals, and they know that winning an Olympic medal will elevate them to being national heroes for life.

As Kramer said at a press conference after winning the 5,000, "We are all born on either skates or the bike."

But what's interesting about Holland's dominance is that the Dutch don't stir resentment the way most sports dynasties do.

That's partly because it's tough to dislike a nation that rises to Winter Olympics prominence despite being so small. But it's also because without the Dutch, speedskating wouldn't be half as much fun.

They fuel the atmosphere at every Olympic oval, where spectators can't help but be immediately impressed by the ever-present throng of Dutch fans. They're easy to spot, wearing wild orange wigs and outfits that look like they were dispersed by Minute Maid's marketing department.

They're also easy to hear, as they clang cow bells throughout competitions, especially when one of their skaters is on pace to win a medal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixuyShiK8h8

At every Olympics, they also bring along an Oompah band that performs during ice-cleaning breaks. It's called Kleintje Pils, which translates to "Small Beer."

But while the Dutch fans are known for traveling to every corner of the globe to watch their stars triumph, they're also recognized for being great sports who cheer anyone on blades who gives a maximum effort. 

They are to the Winter Olympics what samba-loving Brazilians are to the Summer Games, only it's a pretty safe bet the Dutch throw down a whole lot more Heineken.

Their favorite place to do that is the Holland House, a jovial watering hole that springs up somewhere on the Olympic landscape at every Games.

At the 2006 Olympics in Turin, the Holland House even had a skating rink in the middle of it. At the Holland House in Sochi, according to Dutch television network NOS (via Yahoo! Sports), Wust got a "cuddle" from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Another reason for speedskaters to love the Dutch is because Holland's corporations have long embraced the sport, and their support has included sponsoring foreign athletes.

Americans who have benefited from those deals include Shani Davis and now-retired gold medalist Chad Hedrick. Also, the now-defunct Dutch bank DSB once had an agreement that gave U.S. skaters $300,000 annually for four years.

For Americans, it also needs to be remembered that a Dutch coach laid the groundwork for a U.S. comeback in speedskating after the 1994 retirements of gold medalists Bonnie Blair and Dan Jansen left the roster bare.

Gerard Kemkers became a key U.S. coach and guided the team through a rocky four years. Kemkers' biggest move was to welcome and groom inline skaters who wanted to make the transition from pavement to ice.

Many traditionalists in the U.S. speedskating community initially showed disdain for the inliners but eventually changed their minds when the likes of Derek Parra, Joey Cheek and Jennifer Rodriguez all went on to win multiple medals.

So appreciate the Dutch and think about adding some orange to your Olympic wardrobe, because there's always room for one more on their bandwagon.

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

Speedskating has been one of the most adrenaline-packed, high-octane events during the 2014 Olympics in Sochi.

Skaters continue to get faster by the year, and that fact has become blatantly apparent this year, as multiple Olympic records were broken.

These athletes have been in top form during the early stages of the Winter Games, and competition has been fierce. Certain countries have dominated the events, while other countries were left with an empty feeling after missing out on the podium.

Let's take a closer look at the most compelling speedskating storylines that have surfaced so far in Sochi.

Olympic Records Continue to Fall

Speedskating at the 2014 Olympics started with a bang.

The Netherlands swept the men's 5,000 meter event, as Sven Kramer, Jan Blokhuijsen and Jorrit Bergsma took the gold, silver and bronze medals, respectively.

That was a fantastic feat in itself; however, the Dutch did not stop there. Kramer also set a new Olympic record with a blazing time of 6:10.76.

During an interview with Paul Myerberg of USA Today, Kramer expressed his delight with his performance and his outlook on future events:

I'm really happy with the 5k today. That gives me a little confidence for the 10k. The overall feeling is more like that I'm really confident. I've had a lot of pressure. The last couple 48 hours, it gets crazy. I knew I had to do it (Saturday). Overall, I just focused myself.

After the way that Kramer pushed himself to keep up his mind-blowing pace throughout the 5,000 meter event, it can be easily speculated that he has a great chance to continue his success when the 10,000 meter event rolls around.

Another record fell on Tuesday in the wake of the ladies' 500 meter event. South Korea's Sang Hwa Lee torched the field on her way to a new Olympic record time of 74.70.

She remained astonishingly efficient throughout her two races, as she posted a time of 37.42 in Race 1 and a time of 37.28 in Race 2. Both of those times were the fastest of any competitor in the event.

This victory marks Lee's second-straight 500 meter gold medal.

Netherlands Dominates Speedskating

The Netherlands continues to show why it produces the best skeedskaters in the world.

After the opening men's 5,000 meter event in which the Dutch swept the medals, it became quickly apparent that they would be the country to watch.

They have been.

The Dutch did not stop there, as they continued to rack up the speedskating medals.

Just one day later, during the ladies' 3,000 meter event, Netherlands skater Ireen Wust left the rest of the field in the dust, posting a time of 4:00.34—beating out second-place Martina Sablikova by 1.61 seconds—and earned another gold medal for the Dutch.

The men were back at it on Monday, as once again the Netherlands swept the podium in the 500 meter event.

Led by twin brothers Michel and Ronald Mulder, who took the gold and bronze medals, respectively, the Dutch earned all three podium spots as fellow countryman Jan Smeekens took the silver medal.

The three Dutch skaters torched the field, posting times of 69.312, 69.324 and 69.46. They were three of the five skaters who managed to post sub-70 second scores.

The Netherlands earned one more medal on Tuesday, as Margot Boer finished third in the ladies' 500 meter event with a time of 75.48.

For those counting, that's a total of seven medals for the Dutch in speedskating events already. That's the definition of dominance.

United States Barely Misses Out on Podium

J.R. Celski, one of Team USA's top athletes in the speedskating competition, barely missed out on the men's 1,500 meter short track event on Monday.

The podium featured athletes from Canada, China and Russia—leaving Celski in fourth position.

He still posted a fine time of 2:15.624; however, that was not enough to earn him a medal, as Russia's Victor An earned the bronze medal with a time of 2:15.062—just .562 seconds faster than Celski.

After bumping into another competitor late in the race, Celski lost momentum. He explained the feeling during an interview with Philip Hersh of the Los Angeles Times:

It was hard to recover the speed I lost. It's about timing in short track. If I was in front, that probably wouldn't have happened. I got a little unlucky. But last time I benefited and won the bronze because of some falls. Sometimes you're on the good side of it, sometimes the bad.

It's a shame that such an unforeseen and unfortunate event took place, effectively bumping Celski out of medal contention. He was the United States' best chance of earning a gold medal in speedskating in the 2014 Olympics.

Hopefully, for the United States' sake, he finds better luck in future events.

Different countries have their expertise at the Winter Olympics, but no one has been as dominant as the Netherlands in long-track speedskating.

On the men's side, the Dutch have been especially impressive with a sweep on the podium in each of the first two events. Sven Kramer set a new Olympic record with his win in the 5,000-meter race, while Michael Mulder edged out Jan Smeekens and his twin brother Ronald Mulder in the 500 meter. 

Kevin McGuire of College Football Talk made an apt comparison to the most dominant group in his sport:

However, the Netherlands is not unbeatable going forward. With most of the events still to go, these participants from around the world have a chance to knock the Dutch off the medal stand in some of the more popular races.

Shani Davis, United States

Although he has already become one of the biggest American stars in Sochi, this just puts more pressure on the two-time gold medalist to win again. 

Shani Davis earned gold in the 1,000-meter event in both 2006 and 2010 while getting silver in each year in the 1,500-meter race. Though he struggled to 24th place in the 500-meter race in Sochi, he seemed to have no intention of competing for a medal in this event.

His coach, Ryan Shimabukuro, explained to Paul Myerberg of USA Today:

For the 500, for him it's all about using it as a prep for the 1,000 and 1,500, a snap-up. He knows the 500 is a stretch for him. He just uses it for training and to prepare for his other races. I don't think he had any delusions of grandeur about going into this race with any medal expectations. 

Knowing that, that's why it's important for him to race today, to get that sharpness back. If he went into the 1,000 kind of like race-rusty, then I don't know what he would do. But at least I know now that he's snappy, he's ready to go.

Few athletes get a chance at a "warm-up race" like Davis, but this could work to his advantage heading into his better events. He now knows what it takes to win, and he should be rid of any nervousness going forward.

With his talent and experience, he should challenge for a gold in both the 1,000- and 1,500-meter races.

Mo Tae-bum, South Korea

Unlike Davis, Mo Tae-bum should be extremely disappointed by not medaling in the 500-meter race. The South Korean star won gold in this event in Vancouver and then again at both the 2012 and 2013 World Championships.

The good news is that he will have a chance at redemption in the 1,000-meter race and will certainly be hungry for a victory. He also has the confidence in his coach that he can win gold, via NBC's Amanda Doyle:

Mo took silver in this longer distance at the World Championships, so it is clear that he can compete at a high level, even if it is not his best event. The speed is there, but the question is whether he has the endurance to keep his pace in the final laps.

He will likely need to post a personal best in order to take home gold, but he should at the very least be in contention for a medal. 

Denis Yuskov, Russia

Although he was unable to medal at the 5,000-meter event earlier in the week, Denis Yuskov certainly put up a good fight with his sixth-place finish.

Former Norwegian speedskater Johann Koss gave his assessment of the run:

This is perfect for Yuskov because he is better at the mid-range events, specifically the 1,500. He won the gold medal at this distance in the 2013 World Championships and has the speed to do it again at his first Olympics.

He will also be competing in the 1,000- and 5,000-meter races and the team pursuit in Sochi. While this gives him multiple opportunities to medal, it also could cause some fatigue by the end of the week, so he must be careful.

Still, the 24-year-old Russian will have a lot of momentum from the home crowd, and Yuskov has a solid opportunity to win a gold medal for the hosts.

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The early results in the 2014 Winter Olympics have not featured much balance on the speedskating front, but expect the competition to pick up in Sochi.

So far, the Dutch have dominated with three gold medals and clean sweeps of the podium in both the men's 5,000 and 500 meters. Sven Kramer, Michel Mulder and Ireen Wust have all captured gold for the Netherlands, solidifying the country's dominance in long-track events.

Moving into the short track, the tides could turn with other nations joining the fun.

The United States is especially looking for a stronger showing to cap off the Sochi Games, and Shani Davis and J.R. Celski are strong contenders to provide just that.

Who can stop the Netherlands' reign of terror during the remaining speedksating events? Let's take a look.

Shani Davis, United States

The most intriguing storyline in speedskating remains Davis' quest for history in the men's 1,000 meters.

Davis has taken gold during the last two Olympics, and a third victory would make him the first American to win three straight titles in the same Winter event. At age 31, it also might mark the veteran's last chance at enhancing his medal tally.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox5-K6q1JsY

Becoming synonymous with the one event has its disadvantages. According to The Boston Globe's John Powers, the four-time Olympic medalist acknowledged that his sterling reputation in the 1,000 places a bullseye on him.

“People are shooting for me," Davis said. "I have the biggest target on my back and people really strive to beat me. That’s all they train and aim for. In the 1,000, I’m the man. My job is to try to defend it.”

He has also earned the same finish in the 1,500 meters for two years running, only it's one he'd probably like to improve. He has snagged silver in each of the past two Olympic Games, so he has to be considered a veritable contender in that event as well.

Ireen Wust, Netherlands

Wust has now captured a gold medal in each of the past three Winter Olympics. Could this be the year she claims more than one?

The Dutch star continued her country's dominance by winning the 3,000 meters, finishing 1.61 seconds ahead of Martina Sablíkova. While the 27-year-old has already accomplished so much, she has two more opportunities to attain gold.

The four-time world champion will compete in the 1,000 and 1,500 meters to conclude her trip to Sochi. She has experienced success in the 1,500 before, registering gold in the 2010 Vancouver Games. 

Championships are expected from this speedskating mainstay, but the competition is steep with Christine Nesbit, Claudia Pechstein and Heather Richardson also vying for the glory of gold. Wust can separate herself from the pack with another first-place finish.

J.R. Celski

Celski has been tabbed as the United States' future speedskating star set to take the torch from Davis. The great expectations made his fourth-place finish in the short-track 1,500 meters all the more disappointing.

The 23-year-old up-and-comer held the lead with five laps to go, but he allowed Canada's Charles Hamelin to catch up and nab his third gold medal. Celski's late attempt to duplicate his bronze finish from 2010 fell short.

For Celski, anything shy of first place is a letdown. 

"I came out to win gold," he told the Los Angeles Times' Philip Hersh. "Anything below that is tough."

Close enough to taste the gold, he now must stay hungry in the remaining events. He could interfere with Davis' quest for glory before joining forces with him during the team relay. 

Considering all the hype thrown upon him, leaving Sochi empty-handed would be a disheartening outcome for one of the world's top young speedskaters.