US Olympic Speedskating 2018: Latest Odds, Medal Favorites and Full Schedule
In a sport dominated by the Dutch, the United States usually holds its own in speedskating, and it has a handful of medal favorites heading into Pyeongchang.
The Americans are looking to rebound from a porous showing four years ago in Sochi in which they failed to pick up a single speedskating medal.
As expected, the Netherlands has a bevy of talent in each event that will take place over the next two weeks, but the United States could sneak on to the top of the podium like it did in 2010 by way of Shani Davis in the 1,000-meters.
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Davis returns for his fifth Olympics in 2018, but it will be another male and an American woman married to a Dutch speedskater that are the best medal hopes in South Korea.
Sppedskating Odds (via OddsShark)
Men's 500-Meters
Favorite: Ronald Mulder, Netherlands (+350)
Top American: Mitchell Whitmore (+4,000)
Women's 500-Meters
Favorite: Nao Kodaira, Japan (+350)
Top American: Brittany Bowe (+900)
Men's 1,000-Meters
Favorite: Kjeld Nuis, Netherlands (+210)
Top American: Joey Mantia (+2,500)
Women's 1,000-Meters
Favorite: Nao Kodaira, Japan (-150)
Top American: Heather Bergsma (+500)
Men's 1,500-Meters
Favorite: Denis Yuskov, Olympic Athletes of Russia (+105)
Top American: Joey Mantia (+2,000)
Women's 1,500-Meters
Favorite: Miho Takagi, Japan (-110)
Top American: Heather Bergsma (+400)
Women's 3,000-Meters
Favorite: Ireen Wust, Netherlands (+200)
Top American: Mia Manganello (+10,000)
Men's 5,000-Meters
Favorite: Sven Kramer, Netherlands (-250)
Top American: None
Women's 5,000-Meters
Favorite: Martina Sablikova, Czech Republic (+150)
Top American: Carlijn Schoutens (+3,300)
Men's 10,000-Meters
Favorite: Sven Kramer, Netherlands (-400)
Top American: None
Schedule
Saturday, February 10
Women's 3,000-meters (6 a.m. ET)
Sunday, February 11
Men's 5,000-meters (2 a.m. ET)
Monday, February 12
Women's 1,500-meters (7:30 a.m. ET)
Tuesday, February 13
Men's 1,500-meters (6 a.m. ET)
Wednesday, February 14
Women's 1,000-meters (5 a.m. ET)
Thursday, February 15
Men's 10,000-meters (6 a.m. ET)
Friday, February 16
Women's 5,000-meters (6 a.m. ET)
Sunday, February 18
Men's pursuit quarterfinals (6 a.m. ET)
Women's 500-meters (6:56 a.m. ET)
Monday, February 19
Women's pursuit quarterfinals (6 a.m. ET)
Men's 500-meters (6:53 a.m. ET)
Wednesday, February 21
Men's and women's team pursuit (6 a.m. ET; women's final at 7:58 a.m. ET, men's final at 8:17 a.m. ET)
Friday, February 23
Men's 1,000-meters (5 a.m. ET)
Saturday, February 24
Men's and women's mass start (6 a.m. ET; women's final at 7:30 a.m. ET, men's final at 8 a.m. ET)
Medal Favorites
Heather Bergsma
Heather Bergsma hasn't placed higher than sixth in two Olympic appearances, but she's looking to reverse her fortunes in South Korea.
Bergsma, who is married to Dutch speedskater Jorrit Bergsma, won a pair of gold medals at the World Championships in the 1,000- and 1,500-meters in 2017.
The North Carolina native is favored to make the podium in each event, and she'll be a contender in the mass start, which is a new speedskating event for 2018.
Bergsma is vying to become the third American winner of the 1,000-meters, an event Bonnie Blair took back-to-back golds in 1992 and 1994.
If she achieves success in the 1,500-meters, Bergsma would be the first gold-medal winner from the United States in that event since Dianne Holum in 1972.
The last Americans to medal in those events were Christine Witty, who won the gold in the 1,000-meters in 2002 and Jennifer Rodriguez, who earned bronze in both the 1,000 and 1,500 in Salt Lake City.
Joey Mantia
The best male hope for American speedskating medals is Joey Mantia.
Mantia experienced a difficult Olympic debut in Sochi, as he placed 15th in the 1,000-meters and 22nd in the 1,500-meters.
The two-time Olympian is looking to make an impact in the 1,000-meters, an event won by Bergsma's husband in Sochi, and the 1,500-meters, but he'll face stiff competition from the Dutch.
The 32-year-old will also be relied upon in the team pursuit, an event the American men took seventh place in four years ago.
Also keep an eye on Mantia in the mass start, the new event that features a free-for-all start similar to short-track speedskating. Mantia was the 2017 world champion in the mass start.
Although the sport has been dominated by the Dutch, the Americans have achieved a gold in men's speedskating in three of the last four Olympics, but they were shut out in Sochi.
Mantia could end the gold-medal drought for the American men, and his best chance to do so will come on the final weekend of the Olympics in the mass start.
Brittany Bowe
While the spotlight will be focused on Bergsma, Brittany Bowe shouldn't be forgotten about on the women's side.
Bowe's best chance to reach the podium comes in the 500-meters, where she has a fourth- and fifth-place finish during the current World Cup season.
If Bowe makes her way on to the podium in the 500-meters, she will be the first American woman to do so in the event since Blair captured the gold in 1992 and 1994.
Bowe has an outside chance to join Bergsma as a contender in the 1,000-meters as well since she has a pair of top-six finishes and a "B" final victory on the World Cup circuit this season.
A breakthrough on to the podium by Bergsma and Bowe would mark the first time two American women placed in the 1,000-meters since Witty and Rodriguez in 2002.
The Netherlands has put two skaters on the medal podium in the 1,000-meters in each of the last two Olympics.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from Team USA.
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