Olympic Speedskating Schedule 2018: TV, Live-Stream Guide for Final Events
The Netherlands has captured six of the 11 speedskating championships at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and there's a chance more could be on the way during the final three events of the competition.
The Dutch overall medal tally from the sport stands at 12 following silver in the women's team pursuit and bronze in the men's team pursuit Wednesday.
Japan boasts the second-best speedskating haul with five medals, while Norway has three after winning the men's team pursuit.
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After watching nine different nations win a medal before it, the United States finally secured a speedskating medal with a bronze in the women's team pursuit.
The bronze was the first medal for the American women in the sport since 2002, and the first overall medal for the United States since 2010.
There could be more good news on the horizon for the Americans, with contenders on the roster of both mass start events.
Remaining Speedskating Schedule (All Times ET)
Friday, February 23
Men's 1,000-meters (5 a.m.)
Saturday, February 24
Women's mass start (6 a.m., final at 7:30 a.m.)
Men's mass start (6:45, final at 8 a.m.)
All events can be live-streamed on NBCOlympics.com.
Event Guides
Men's 1,000-meters
The Netherlands and the United States have split the last four Olympic titles in the men's 1,000-meters, with Chicago native Shani Davis winning back-to-back golds in 2006 and 2010.
Replicating Davis' triumphs from Turin and Vancouver is a difficult task for Joey Mantia, who sits 14th in the World Cup rankings and is focused more on the mass start.
Norway's Havard Lorentzen, who won the 500-meters Monday, is the leader in the World Cup rankings in the event, while the Dutch duo of Kjeld Nuis and Kai Verbij sit behind him in second and third, respectively.
Nuis also has a gold in Pyeongchang in the 1,500-meters, while Verbij is in search of his first individual podium finish.
It wouldn't be surprising if the event comes down to the pair of Olympic champions, with an extra Dutch presence on the medal podium in the form of either Verbij, Thomas Krol or Koen Verweij.
If you're looking for a medal favorite outside of Norway and the Netherlands, Finland's Mika Poutala could make a charge at the podium.
Men's Mass Start
All of the American eggs have been put in the mass start basket.
Mantia is the defending world champion in the new Olympic event, and he stands a significant chance of leaving the chaos with gold.
However, he'll have to navigate a tricky race of 24 competitors, with a start similar to short-track speedskating.
Mantia's top challengers are France's Alexis Contin and Canada's Olivier Jean, but it's likely an unexpected foe rises up in the event due to the frenetic nature of the 16-lap competition.
If the trio of medalists from the 2017 World Single Distance Championships sweep the Olympic podium, it will be because of a relatively clean race.
Although the mass start won't boast the same amount of chaos as any short-track competition, it should provide a few unexpected twists along the way.
Women's Mass Start
After picking up a bronze in the women's team pursuit, Heather Bergsma should skate with plenty of confidence in the women's mass start.
The American, who finished eighth in two events and 11th in another in Pyeongchang, is looking for redemption on an individual level in the final women's event of the speedskating program.
Bergsma took bronze in the event a year ago at the World Single Distance Championships behind South Korea's Kim Bo-reum and Japan's Nana Takagi.
Although South Korea boasts four speedskating medals, it's still searching for gold in the sport, and Kim provides the host nation with the best opportunity to do so.
As there is in every speedskating event, there's a Dutch medal favorite in Irene Schouten, while Italy's Francesca Lollobrigida and Canada's Ivanie Blondin could also find themselves on the podium.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from Olympic.org and ISU.org.
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