Olympic Speedskating 2014: Top Storylines in Both Short- and Long-Track Events
Both short and long-track speedskating are a staple of the Winter Olympics, with long-track originating way back in 1924 and short-track beginning in 1992. While long-track may have quite a bit more history, short-track brings more excitement to the table.
Long-track speedskating takes place on a 400-meter oval with race distances ranging from 500 to 10,000 meters. Racers try their best to beat the clock to secure the gold medal—it's as simple as that.
Short-track skaters race around a 111-meter course. They race two at a time, and the clock is not important. The winner is determined after all the races are conducted in heats at distances ranging from 500 to 1,500 meters.
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There are frequent crashes and disqualifications in this event. While the crashes may be dangerous, it makes for an exciting race.
Here are the top storylines surrounding 2014 Olympic speedskating.
Shani Davis Looks to Make History
No male speedskater has ever won the same event at three straight Olympics. United States star Shani Davis will look to become the first.
At 31 years old, Davis is still in his prime. He's also one of the most successful speedskaters in United States history, and he'll be tasked with taking over the role of "top guy" now that Apolo Anton Ohno has retired from competition.
Davis has been dominant in recent Olympics. He took gold at both Turin and Vancouver in the 1,000-meter race. He also found success in the 1,500-meter race, taking silver at both Turin and Vancouver as well.
While Davis is considered a top contender for gold this year, there are several other skaters that will give him a run for his money, two of which are his teammates—Heather Richardson and Brittany Bowe.
Already a fun event to watch, it will be even better knowing that Olympic history could be made.
Claudia Pechstein Looking to Prove Something at Age 42
Claudia Pechstein is a decorated Olympian, but at 42 years old, she still has something left to prove. The five-time gold medalist was suspended from 2009 to 2011 for doping, even though she never actually failed a blood test.
Needless to say, she is motivated to perform well in Sochi and is still upset over the outcome of her case, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com):
"Without evidence. Without a positive doping test. That still makes me angry today. Because I never doped, never took a banned substance, never used a prohibited method, never missed a doping test.
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Pechstein is looking to possibly finish out her Olympic career on a high note. Age would usually be a hindrance, but Pechstein appears to have too much riding on the line to go out without a real fight.
Actually, she has a good chance at medaling in both the 3,000 and 5,000-meter events. Her stiffest competition will come in the form of Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic, however.
Top Overall Contenders
Aside from Shani Davis and Claudia Pechstein, there are several other athletes vying for medals at this year's Games.
As usual, the Dutch are expected to be a fierce competitor at this year's speedskating events. Sven Kramer and Ireen Wust lead the squad, however, their deep roster is talented enough for someone else to medal as well.
Charles Hamelin of Canada and Shim Suk Hee of South Korea will be big-time competitors in the 500, especially considering that the favorite for the event—China's Wang Meng—is out with a broken ankle that she injured while training.
The field is wide open for many of the events, but there are multiple athletes to be looking out for at this year's speedskating races.
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