Olympic Speed skating

After Day 3 of the Sochi Games saw a flurry of activity on the ice rinks, Tuesday will not be as action-packed for the speedskaters. 

In fact, the ladies will get the speedskating Olympic spotlight to themselves on Day 4. The only speedskating event on tap for Tuesday is the ladies' 500 meters. 

This has to come to the dismay of the red-hot Netherlands team. The Dutch were fantastic on Monday. That was highlighted by a podium sweep in the men's 500-meter long-track race with Michel Mulder (gold), Jan Smeekens (silver) and Michel's twin Ronald Mulder (bronze).

Meanwhile, the Americans will be looking to get their speedskating hopes back on track. Legend Shani Davis missed out on the podium in his first event on Monday, and short-track star J.R. Celski just missed the podium with a fourth-place finish in the 1,500-meter short-track race. 

Neither of those two highlighted stars will be on display on Tuesday. 

Ladies’ 500-Meter Long-Track Race (First of Two)

Date: Tuesday, Feb. 11

Time: 7:45 a.m. ET, 4:45 p.m. Sochi time and 12:45 p.m. GMT 

TV Broadcast: NBC Sports Network at 7:45 a.m. ET, NBC at midnight (rebroadcast) and BBC at 12:45 p.m. GMT

Live Stream: NBCOlympics.com

Ladies’ 500-Meter Long-Track Race (Second of two)

Date: Tuesday, Feb. 11

Time: 8:45 a.m. ET, 5:45 p.m. Sochi time and 1:45 p.m. GMT 

TV Broadcast: NBC Sports Network at 8:45 a.m. ET, NBC at midnight (rebroadcast) and BBC at 1:45 p.m. GMT

Live Stream: NBCOlympics.com

Previewing the 500 Meters

One of Team USA's brightest speedskating stars will be taking the ice for this event. 

Heather Richardson is the face of a resurgent women's long-track team for the Americans. She was recently the first American woman to win the world sprint crown since 2005. 

She and teammate Brittany Bowe enter these games as expected medalists. 

Those hopes, however, are more due to their domination in the 1,000 meters. Both Richardson and Bowe are converted in-line skaters. They both are also better at the 1,000 than the 500.

This is not to suggest that they are hopeless in the 500; chances are, one of them will pick up a bronze.

With South Korean defending champion Lee Sang Hwa and Russia’s Olga Fatkulina also in the mix in the 500, there isn't a lot of opportunity for any other skaters to sneak into the top two. 

Lee is the world-record holder in the event, and she was first in the overall World Cup standings for the 500 meters in the 2012-13 season. She will have to slip up for someone else to snag a gold in this event. 

Meanwhile, this will all prove to be valuable experience for Richardson in her second Olympics. This is key for her to achieve her lofty goals. 

As passed along by John Powers of The Boston Globe, Richardson put far greater expectations on herself in Sochi than she did in Vancouver:

In Vancouver I was just happy to be there. Here, I actually want to put in some solid races, just go out, relax, and do my best, hopefully be on the podium. My goal is to be on the podium in at least one of my three individual events.

Richardson has a chance to take a step toward that goal on Tuesday. 

U.S. long-track speedskating star Shani Davis opened his fourth Olympics by taking a loss in stride—seeing it more as a key opportunity to train for his biggest races, including the 1,000 meters Wednesday.

On Monday, Davis completed two easy 500-meter runs on his way to a 24th-place finish, tweaking his speed in the races as if he were taking batting practice before he hopes to hit a couple of home runs in the 1,000 and the 1,500, which happens Saturday.

Davis, 31 years old, wants to add to his stash of four Olympic medals, and if he is to get another, it will likely come in the 1,000 (in which he has two golds) or the 1,500 (in which he has two silvers).

"I think it was a good setup for me for the 1,000," Davis said on NBC just after finishing the 500. "It was what I was looking for today. I have to get up to speed in the first 100, take the positive from doing that today and make it perfect for the 1,000."

Medals in Sochi will add more prestige to a career that has been as interesting for its off-ice evolution as its on-ice accomplishments.

How many long-track speedskaters do we remember? Dan Jansen, of course, for his final, teary win in the 1,000 in 1994, when his baby daughter was passed to him through the crowd in Hamar, Norway, so that he could take a victory lap with her cradled in his arms. 

Eric Heiden, with his five medals in 1980 and a medical degree—we remember him. And Bonnie Blair, with her squeaky voice and outsize thighs, who, like Davis, appeared in four Olympics and won five gold medals and a bronze.

And we'll remember Davis too, now more for his skating than his attitude.

With his four career medals, Davis is in a large group tied for 18th on the all-time speedskating medal list, according to Sports-Reference.com. With two medals in Sochi, he would move up into a tie for seventh. He trails only three Americans in total medals.

Earlier in his career, he was known more for his sullen demeanor and his outspoken mother who all but called the sport racist.

His first Games, in 2002, were a non-starter—he made the team in short-track but chose to compete in junior events instead.

At the 2006 Winter Games in Torino, Davis became the first black athlete from any country to win an individual Winter Olympics medal when he took gold in the 1,000 meters.

He came back and won silver in the 1,500, but he was more popular in the speedskating hotbed of Holland, where he lived for a while.

Before the Torino Games, Davis' mother, Cherie, accused the U.S. federation of not supporting her son. "I told everybody, don't speak to him, don't talk about him, don't even look at him. All you can do for Shani is leave him alone. Just leave him alone," she said at the time, via Sports Illustrated.

After he won that first gold, NBC reporter Melissa Stark pulled Davis aside for the mandatory winner's interview, and all Stark got was Davis staring at the ground and giving one-word answers. Finally, Stark asked Davis if he was angry. Davis mumbled "no."

Cherie was more outspoken. "Why should he be all warm to her," Cherie said later, according to Sports Illustrated. "She's got some painted-on smile. She doesn't care about Shani. Why does his first moment have to be shared with that woman?"  

But the longer Davis was in the sport, the more he became comfortable with himself, other athletes and fans. He had had a contentious relationship with America's other speedskating star, Chad Hedrick, in Torino, where Davis would not participate in the team pursuit event. But this week you could see Davis putting his arms around other American speedskaters and acting as if he was a mentor.

In Vancouver four years ago, Davis became the first man to defend the 1,000-meter medal and then repeated with the 1,500 silver. He was friendly and smiled, something you never saw in Torino.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56T8NMaNu8E

His first post-race television interview in 2014 was appropriate, honest and filled with the information we wanted. He had used the race to get ready for his specialties.

As the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes, he told reporters in the mixed zone Monday after his race, "I really accept the role that I have now. I embrace it. I'm happy and proud that I'm in the position I'm in because a few years ago I wasn't. Here I am now, I'm doing better than ever skating-wise, media-wise, teammate-wise. Everything is positive. And I am so happy things are positive."

Davis' attitude change has also helped him bring in sponsors such as McDonald's, AT&T, United Airlines and accounting firm Deloitte.

History should remember Davis only for his skating now, and not his early behavior.

He is second in history in World Cup points with 57. Only Canada's Jeremy Wotherspoon (67) has more. His 92 World Cup medals ranks only behind Jansen's 104.

And Davis' chance to star at these Olympics begins Wednesday. He will be cheered for loudly by Americans and by Dutch fans, too, who understand his history. 

Watching Davis grow into this strong supporter of his sport and his fellow teammates, watching him grow up and not need his mother's voice, but to represent himself with both his voice and his skates—it has been a fun ride. And it's not over yet.

Diane Pucin is the Olympics lead writer for Bleacher Report. She has covered two Winter Olympics and two Summer Olympics for The Philadelphia Inquirer and four Summer Olympics for the Los Angeles Times.

J.R. Celski might be the next superstar American athlete to come from the world of short-track speedskating, but he's not quite there yet.

On Monday in Sochi, Celski finished in fourth place in the 1,500 meters. He led the race for a few laps in the final, but ultimately couldn't hold on to the medal he wanted so badly.

It was a disappointing finish for the 23-year-old. He won the bronze in the event four years ago in Vancouver when he was a less well-known skater, and the Associated Press, via the Detroit Free Press, had predicted that he would pick up the bronze this year as well. 

But short-track speedskating is a capricious event that often comes down to centimeters on the track and milliseconds on the clock, and nothing is ever given.

Nobody knows that better than Celski. For him, no measurement means more than an inch.

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

Four-and-a-half years ago at the U.S. Olympic Trials for short-track speedskating, Celski suffered a nasty fall in the 500-meter race and landed with the blade of his skate in his thigh.

As he removed the skate and the blood poured out of his leg, Celski thought that his Olympic dreams had ended before they could even begin. 

Despite the blood, it turns out that his blade had primarily cut muscle. Had it hit the main artery an inch away, Celski could have bled out in minutes.

One inch not only saved his speedskating career, it also saved his life.

In just five months, Celski was able to come through an extensive rehab program and take his well-earned spot on the Vancouver team. There, he ended up winning the bronze in the 1,500 and another bronze in the 5,000-meter relay. 

The four years since Vancouver haven't been all smooth skating for Celski. Still a teenager at the time, he was completely burned out after his comeback from injury and Olympic triumph and took a break from the sport.

He used his time off the ice to explore other passions. He produced a hip-hop documentary about the Seattle music scene. He became friends with Macklemore. He got to be a kid.

Then, in 2011, he decided he was ready to skate fast again.

With a renewed passion for the sport and the 2014 Games in his sight, he was able to overcome a broken left ankle in 2012 and the recent turmoil of the U.S. short-track speedskating program to set himself up as a medal contender in Sochi.

But for the star-hungry U.S. media, a contender isn't enough. They want Celski to be a star.

For the entirety of his career up until this point, Celski has been a bit lost in the looming shadow of Apolo Ohno. They were both born in the same Seattle suburb, and Celski was only 11 years old when Ohno won his first World Cup title.

Ohno, of course, went on to become the most decorated American athlete in the history of the Winter Olympics before retiring after the 2010 Games. Since, he's become a mega crossover celebrity. 

During that time, Celski grew up and became the fastest U.S. short-track skater on this side of Ohno's retirement.

The comparisons between the two are only natural, and coming into these Games, Beth Harris of the Associated Press, via The Columbia Dispatch, reported that Celski was flattered by them and excited about his prospects in Sochi: "I am very happy to be in the position I am now. I looked up to [Ohno] for a long time. [The Sochi Olympics are] completely different for me mentally, physically, I’m healthy. I’m going to ride that momentum."

But so far, the only difference between Vancouver and Sochi is that Celski actually managed to sneak onto the podium in the 1,500 meters in 2010, while on Monday, he was on the outside looking in.

Being fourth in the world in an event is nothing to hang your head about, of course, but it's also not the type of performance that is going to make American fans stop missing Ohno. 

Celski has three more chances to prove to himself and to the world that he is ready to be the next big star in American short-track. On Saturday, he will compete in the 1,000-meter finals, and on Friday, Feb. 21 he'll have a chance to compete in the 500-meter race and the 5,000-meter relay.

So even though he came up short on Monday, the opportunities are still there for Celski in Sochi.

He still has a chance to make a name for himself beyond the infamous injury and outside of the Ohno comparisons. 

He still has a chance to become a superstar in his own right. He's just going to have to skate his way onto a podium or two in order for that to happen.

The 2014 Winter Olympics have already been intriguing in the early going, and Day 3 promises to be yet another day of intense competition.

Whether it was Sage Kotsenburg surprising the strong field in the men's slopestyle event to win gold or Jamie Anderson crushing the competition and living up to expectations with a gold of her own in the women's slopestyle final, Team USA has certainly been great thus far.

Other countries have also stolen several headlines, with Norway leading the way in the medal count and Russia winning a gold medal in the figure skating team competition to claim the lone gold for the host country.

Before Day 3 of the Games begins, here is a look at the information for how to view the latest slate of competition along with a breakdown of some of the most highly anticipated events.

Event	Time	TV Listing
Men's Curling: Germany vs. Canada	3 a.m.	NBCSN
Women's Hockey: USA vs. Switzerland	5 a.m.	NBCSN
Women's Curling: USA vs. Switzerland	5 a.m.	USA
Men's Speed Skating: 500-meter	7:30 a.m.	NBCSN
Men's Freestyle Skiing: Slopestyle Training	7:30 a.m.	NBCSN
Women's Hockey: Finland vs. Canada	10 a.m.	MSNBC
Women's Luge: Singles	11:15 a.m.	NBCSN
Women's Ski Jumping: Training	11:15 a.m.	NBCSN
Women's Freestyle Skiing: Slopestyle Training	11:15 a.m.	NBCSN
Women's Curling: Sweden vs. Great Britain	11:15 a.m.	NBCSN
Women's Curling: USA vs. Switzerland	3 p.m.	NBCSN
Men's Curling: USA vs. Norway	5 p.m.	CNBC
NBC Primetime (Men's Speed Skating 1,500-Meter)	8 p.m.	NBC

Women's Hockey: USA vs. Switzerland

Team USA got off to a great start with a dominant 3-1 win over Finland but will face another stiff test in Switzerland.

Though the Swiss were dominated by Canada in a 5-0 loss in their opener, the No. 5 team in the world is still a team that can score and pose a threat to the U.S. With Canada just over the horizon for Team USA, it might be difficult not to overlook Switzerland.

After scoring a goal in the first game, Alex Carpenter tweeted about the win but was already looking forward to the next game against the Swiss:

Carpenter, Hilary Knight and Amanda Kessel make up a stout scoring offense to go along with a defense that held the Finland national team goalless through nearly the entire game.

With talent at nearly every position and a scoring attack that is matched only by maybe the Canadians, Team USA will dominate Switzerland and have to prove themselves against a tough Canada team. 

Speed Skating: Men's 500-Meter

One of the best American Winter Olympians in history will once again grace the ice on Day 3 of competition as Shani Davis returns to competition.

Davis' success hasn't been as talked about as some of the figure skaters or snowboarders for Team USA, but it certainly hasn't gone unnoticed.

Apolo Anton Ohno, one of the most decorated speed skaters in American history, is close friends with Davis and told Gary D'Amato of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Davis is, "the best skater, in my opinion, to ever put long-track speedskates on."

When Davis hits the ice again in Sochi, he will do so in search of his third-straight gold. While both he and Shaun White are working to become the first American to bring home three straight, they are both just as dominant in their sports.

Davis has a shot to once again repeat as a gold-medal winner, and at the age of 31 he told D'Amato that he still has the competitive fire to continue in the sport:

I want to compete against these guys until the competitive fire inside of me goes away. As long as I still have that drive to be the best and I train to be the best, you'll see me out here skating.

Short-Track Speed Skating: Men's 1,500-Meter

In the absence of Ohno, a young star in J.R. Celski will look to take his place atop the short-track world.

With his chance to earn a gold coming soon in Sochi, the star provided an inspirational message leading up to the Olympics on his official Twitter account:

After earning a bronze medal in Vancouver during the 2010 Winter Olympics, the 23-year-old is ready to turn that into a gold in his next chance on the ice in Sochi.

The U.S. Olympic team provides a profile of the star on their official Twitter account:

Celski's talent has been apparent, and he's been dominating in big events. He is ready to emerge at these Games in Sochi and will continue his journey on Day 3 of the Olympics.

Day 3 of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi will be filled with speedskating action.

The men’s 500-meter long-track and men’s 1,500-meter short-track will give out medals in the finals, and there will be qualifying runs for the women’s 500-meter short-track and women’s 3,000-meter short-track relay.

Here is a look at the complete schedule and broadcast information for Day 3 action on the speedskating rink.

Men's 500-meter long-track final

Date: Monday, Feb. 10

Time: 10 a.m. ET, 7 p.m. Sochi time and 3 p.m. GMT

TV Broadcast: NBC at 8 p.m. ET (rebroadcast) and BBC at 3 p.m. GMT

Men's 1,500-meter short-track final

Date: Monday, Feb. 10

Time: 7:15 a.m. ET, 4:15 p.m. Sochi time and 12:15 p.m. GMT

TV Broadcast: NBC at 8 p.m. ET (rebroadcast) and BBC at 12:15 GMT

Women's 500-meter short-track heats

Date: Monday, Feb. 10

Time: 5:30 a.m. ET, 2:30 p.m. Sochi time and 10:30 a.m. GMT

TV Broadcast: NBC at midnight ET (rebroadcast) and BBC at 10:30 a.m. GMT

Women's 3,000-meter short-track semifinals

Date: Monday, Feb. 10

Time: 6:45 a.m. ET, 3:45 p.m. Sochi time and 11:45 a.m. GMT

TV Broadcast: NBC at midnight ET (rebroadcast) and BBC at 11:45 a.m. GMT

The most intriguing storylines of Day 3 for speedskating will revolve around who takes home the medals in the men’s 500-meter long-track race and the men’s 1,500-meter short-track race. With that in mind, let’s dig into some predictions for those races.

Men’s 500-meter long-track

The predicted medalists:

Michael Mulder, Netherlands: gold

Mo Tae-bum, South Korea: silver 

Joji Kato, Japan: bronze

If Mulder wins the gold, he will be heralded in his speedskating-loving country. Paul Myerberg of USA Today breaks down just how important the sport is in the Netherlands:

In the world of men's speedskating—and in the long-distance races in particular—the rest of the world is chasing the Netherlands, a country that views Olympic dominance as a quadrennial birthright.

Theirs is a skating powerhouse that stems in large part from the Netherlands' devotion to the sport. While soccer rules on sunny days, speedskating occupies the country's undivided attention throughout the winter and during Olympic years in particular.

While that devotion from the fans would seem to add some pressure for many competitors, Mulder specializes in the 500-meters. He was the overall men’s champion at the 2014 World Championships and will look to take home the gold after missing the 2010 Olympics.

His biggest competitor may be Mo from South Korea.

He also thrives in the 500-meters and won the gold in the event in Vancouver in the 2010 Olympics.

However, if his comments were to be believed, he would be just as happy staying out of the limelight if he wins again (via NBCOlympics.com): "But my personality is, I don't like people treating me like a hero just because I have a gold medal around my neck." 

As for the predicted bronze medalist, Kato is a veteran who won his first Olympic medal (a bronze) in 2010 in the 500-meters. Look for him to challenge for the podium once again.

Men’s 1,500-meter short-track

The predicted medalists:

Charles Hamelin, Canada: gold

Lee Han-bin, South Korea: silver 

J.R. Celski, United States: bronze

Celski won two bronze medals in the 2010 Olympics and likely represents the United States’ best opportunity at a medal in short-track in Sochi. 

He is certainly proud to be there representing his country:

Celski had an up-and-down World Cup season but did win the gold in the 1,500-meters at the final World Cup event. Look for him to parlay momentum from that finish onto the podium.

As for the predicted gold medalist, Hamelin has quite an impressive resume. He counts a silver medal in the 2006 Olympics in the 5,000-meter relay and a gold medal in the 500-meter individual and 5,000-meter relay in the 2010 Olympics as part of it.

Finally, Lee has momentum from his first place finish in the 1,500-meter in the Torino stop in the World Cup. Look for him to challenge Hamelin for the gold medal.

Note: Past accomplishments courtesy of individual athlete profiles on NBCOlympics.com.

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This is supposed to be a breakout Olympics for American speedskater Heather Richardson. 

Over 5,700 miles from where she first picked up roller skates, Richardson will have the eyes of the world on her as she goes for gold in the 1,000 and 500 meters. The spotlight will be extra bright now that she's part of speedskating's newest power couple with her fiance, Jorrit Bergsma of the Netherlands

Luckily, 24-year-old Richardson will have some familiar faces in the crowd to cheer her on in her second Olympics—including one who almost didn't make it.

Heather was born and raised by a blue collar family in High Point, N.C. Her parents, Jeff and Pat Richardson, loved to roller skate, and introduced Heather to the skating rink at a young age. 

Though they didn't have much extra money, Jeff and Pat did the best they could to support their daughter in all of her endeavors. When she showed promise in inline speedskating at a young age, they both took on an extra job so they could afford to keep up with the necessary classes, competitions and equipment.

It wasn't always easy, but as her state meets turned national and national meets turned international, Jeff and Pat took turns going to support their daughter so that the other could stay home and work.

Heather is competing on a much bigger stage now, but not much has changed. Nobody liked it, but because of finances, Pat was supposed to go to Sochi, while Jeff was going to stay home and cheer from afar. Very afar. 

Jeff and Pat were both able to go to Vancouver in 2010 with the help of family and friends because it was so close, but Sochi was a different story. Even before Heather officially made the 2014 Olympic team, they tried everything to make the trip work. They set up payment plans and even took out a second mortgage on their house.

The Richardsons are an extremely close family. When Heather isn't competing, she talks with her parents multiple times a day. They all wanted to be together as she tried to become an Olympic champion for the first time.

But no matter what they tried, the numbers didn't add up. Jeff, who still works two jobs, was going to have to stay home.

Or, at least that was what he was going to have to do. On February 1, Jeff Mills of the local News & Record wrote a feature about the Richardson family. Since then, things have changed. 

Local businessmen in High Point read about the family's struggles and came together to raise the money—around $6,000—to get Jeff to the Games. After fast-tracking a visa and booking last-minute flights, it was confirmed: Jeff was going to be able to go see his daughter try to win Olympic medals in person.

On Monday, thanks to the generosity of others, the whole family was finally together in Sochi. Heather shared her excitement on her Instagram.

It's good that Heather has the extra support this year. Unlike in Vancouver, when she had just recently switched from inlines to ice skates and had barely made the team, there is a lot of pressure on her at this Olympics.

The Associated Press and Sports Illustrated have both predicted two medals for her in Sochi. The AP thinks that Richardson will win a gold in the 1,000 meters and a bronze in the 500, while SI has picked her for the silver in the 1,000 and a bronze in the 500. Either way, she's expected to do very well.

She's not the only one. Her fiance Bergsma has already won a bronze medal in the 5,000 meters on Saturday, and is a medal favorite in the 10,000 meters and team pursuit. Heather has been in the stands cheering him on, and he will surely return the favor if he can.

Heather met the 28-year-old Dutch speedskater during the 2012 World Cup season. Usually shy and reserved, she went up and introduced herself to him after a race. They stayed in touch and eventually began dating.

Last April on a beach vacation with the entire Richardson clan, Bergsma etched a question to Heather in the sand and proposed in front of her parents. She said yes, of course.

So along with cheering on Heather and helping her deal with the Olympic-sized spotlight, Jeff and Pat will get to spend some more time with their future son-in-law in Sochi as well. 

"We just love him," Pat told Mills. "He’s sweet as can be, and he’s good to her."

Family is the most important thing to Heather. Eventually, when her career is over, she wants to settle down and have a family of her own with Bergsma.

There will be plenty of time for that in the future, though. For now, the superstar in the making has some medals to win. 

With her mother, father and fiance by her side, Heather has all the support she needs to live up to the hype at these Games. 

The 2014 Winter Olympics have been sensational thus far, but Day 3 of the competition will bring speedskating to the forefront of the Olympics stage.

While the days of Apolo Anton Ohno setting the ice on fire are over, there is still plenty of intrigue out of the American camp when it comes to both the short-track and long-track events.

One of the most successful long-track skaters in American history will once again take the stage as Shani Davis looks to add a third gold medal to his collection.

Then there's J.R. Celski, who's on the opposite end of the spectrum from Davis. The 23-year-old competed in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, but is looking to enjoy much more success at this Olympics and earn his first gold.

Before the third day of competition officially begins, here is a look at the speedskating schedule for Monday and a preview of the events.

Event	Time (ET)	TV/Live Stream Info
Men's Short Track 1,500-meter Heats	4:45 a.m.	nbcolympics.com
Women's Short Track 500-meter Heats	5:30 a.m.	nbcolympics.com
Men's Short Track 1,500-meter Semifinals	6:15 a.m.	nbcolympics.com
Women's Short Track 3,000-meter Relay Semifinals	6:45 a.m.	nbcolympics.com
Men's Short Track 1,500-meter Finals	7:15 a.m.	nbcolympics.com
Men's 500-meter Final (1 of 2)	8 a.m.	NBCSN/nbcolympics.com
Men's 500-meter Final (2 of 2)	10 a.m.	NBCSN/nbcolympics.com
NBC Primetime	8 p.m.	NBC

500 Meters

When it comes to decorated stars for Team USA, Davis is one of the best coming into the 2014 Winter Olympics. The 31-year-old already has four medals in his career at the Olympics, but has never won a gold medal in the 500-meter event.

After becoming the first-ever black athlete to win an individual gold medal in the Winter Olympics back in 2006, Davis is now a full-blown star for the USA in search of his third gold; he could win that in either the 500-, 1,000- or 1,500-meter events.

Though he wasn't one of the biggest names coming into the last two Winter Olympics, Davis said he is embracing the notoriety in his third crack, per Nancy Armour of USA Today:

It's not like I ever didn't want to be the face of the Olympics. There were other athletes who had a higher profile. [...] I was a goodie in a vending machine behind eight other awesome snacks. Now people are enjoying me for who I am.

The now-prominent snack will get his first chance at a third gold medal when he competes in the 500 meters, but will likely have to wait until the 1,000- or 1,500-meter events.

With silver medals in the 1,500 meters and gold in the 1,000 meters in both 2006 and 2010, it will be no surprise to see Davis atop the leaderboard when those races are final.

Short-Track 1,500 Meters

Celski is young, but he certainly has plenty of experience on the world's biggest stage for short-track speedskating.

After winning two bronze medals in the 2010 Winter Olympics, Celski is in search of turning those bronzes into golds in 2014.

The 23-year-old plans to do just that when he starts the next phase of his Olympic journey, but said he doesn't set out to achieve a specific medal, according to Craig Hill of The News Tribune.

"I don’t set goals for a specific time or medal," Celski said. "I set a goal to be the best I can be. I know the potential I have, and when I get there, I will be really satisfied."

The potential that Celski talks about makes him one of the favorites to win and sets him apart from the rest of the field. With just the qualifying for the 1,500-meter event taking place on Monday, expect Celski to torch the field en route to the finals.

Following his individual events, Celski will look to help the men's 5,000-meter relay team earn a gold medal as well. The team finished with the bronze back in 2010 and could medal again with Celski at the forefront.

While the likes of previous stars like Ohno won't be gracing the short-track stage, Celski is certainly ready to carry the torch for Team USA.

Speedskating continues to be one of the most exhilarating events at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi. On Saturday, we saw the Netherlands dominate the men's 5,000-meter event, as they claimed all three medals. Dutch skater Sven Kramer also set a new Olympic record in the event with a time of 6:10.76.

Sunday brought just as much action and intensity with the ladies' 3,000-meter event. With just 1.61 seconds separating the gold and silver medals, those fortunate enough to watch were rewarded with a dazzling conclusion.

Once again, the Netherlands took home the gold medal, as the event's favorite, Ireen Wust, rattled off a blazing 4:00.34. She was followed up closely by Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic, who finished with a time of 4:01.95.

Russia's Olga Graf received the bronze medal, as he concluded her race with a time of 4:03.47.

Unfortunately for the United States, there was very little chance to reaching the podium here. The country's best skater, Jilleanne Rookard, finished in 10th place with a time of 4:10.02.

The final results for the ladies' 3,000 meter event are as follows:

Place	Athlete	Country	Time
Gold	Ireen Wust	Netherlands	4:00.34
Silver	Martina Sablikova	Czech Republic	4:01.95
Bronze	Olga Graf	Russia	4:03.47

Wust has been absolutely dominant in the Winter Games. With this victory, she now has taken home a gold medal for each of the last three Olympics—the 3,000-meter race in Torino in 2006 and the 1,500-meter in Vancouver in 2010 were her other two.

After the event, Wust expressed her relief during an interview with Paul Newberry of ABC News. Said Wust: "Seventeen million Dutch wanted me to win. Now the extreme pressure is off, and I can win more. The relief is immense and the satisfaction even greater."

Wust wasn't the only athlete to be recognized for her performance in the 3,000-meter speedskating event. After receiving the bronze medal for Russia—the country's first medal of the Olympics—Graf was given kind words by president Vladimir Putin.

Said Putin to Graf, "You brought an unforgettable moment of triumph and utter joy to millions of fans by taking the first medal for our team."

That is certainly a memory that will eternally live with Graf.

Claudia Pechstein of Germany has the unfortunate result of finishing in fourth place. At 41 years of age, she is still a phenomenal skater, but her 10th Olympic medal escaped her in this event.

She will have another chance to earn that elusive medal when she skates in the 5,000-meter event on Wednesday, Feb. 19. After her performance in the 3,000-meter event, she expressed her desire to win another medal during an interview with Paul Newberry of ABC News.

"Finishing fourth at 41, that isn't that bad," Pechstein said. "The ice quality was tough, but it was the same for everyone. I didn't feel as old as I am. I'm feeling good about the 5k. I can still get my medal there."

In the wake of the men's 5,000-meter event and the ladies' 3,000-meter event, it can be easily speculated that the remaining speedskating events in the 2014 Olympics will be chock full of exhilarating moments.

Speedskating will continue to be one of the most anticipated events to behold in Sochi.

Russian speedskater Olga Graf wasn't expected to win a medal Sunday. She also wasn't expected to show as much skin as she did after the race.

Graf finished her event in 4 minutes and 3.47 seconds, giving her the bronze medal. It was also the first medal the Russians won at Sochi, making it a major victory for the country, as they weren't expected to grab one in the 3,000-meter race.

After winning the race, Graf unzipped her skin suit so she could breathe, but after realizing what she had done, she quickly re-zipped her suit back up. According to Paul Newberry of The Associated Press (via SFGate.com), this is what she had to say about the incident:

I totally forgot. We have very good suits and they are very tight. ... You just want to breathe and you want to take off your suit. Only afterward did I realize that maybe this video will appear on YouTube. But I don't think it will be so bad.

The situation could have been worse, so we'll give Graf a pass as she was able to win her country's first medal of the Olympic games.