Czche speed skater Sablikova defends 5,000m title in Sochi
新华社
2014/02/20
Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic fended off a Dutch legion to defend the women's 5,000 meters title in Sochi Olympic Winter Games speed skating on Wednesday.
Sablikova took her third Olympic gold in 6 minutes and 51.54 seconds, avenging her 3,000m defeat by Ireen Wust of the Netherlands who had to settle for silver in 6:54.28. The Dutch also bagged the bronze as Carien Kleibeuker skated home in 6:55.66.
"Surely it was hard, but I won, so now I am so happy. I pushed everything that I had after five laps," said Sablikova.
"After winning gold in Vancouver (2010 Olympic Winter Games), it's great to win it here in Sochi as well, and this time in front of all my family," she said.
She also gave credits to her Dutch opponents, especially Wust who competed in 1,000m, 1,500m, 3,000m and 5,000m, claiming one gold and three silver. The Dutch team won a total of six gold from 10 individual events in Sochi.
"It was very hard because I was skating with Ireen Wust. She's a very good skater and has good form here in Sochi," said Sablikova.
Wust had a furious race at beginning but ran out of fuel around 3,400m.
Wust said: "This was a real tough one, but that's always the case in the 5k. In the last few laps I was dying."
After her disappointment at taking silver behind her compatriot Jorien Ter Mors in the 1,500m, Wust was happier with her performance over the longer distance.
"This feels totally different than my silver medal in the 1,500m," she said. "Now I feel like I have won silver. In the 1,500 it felt like losing gold."
Claudia Pechstein of Germany finished fifth in 6:58.39, meaning that after nine medals in five previous Olympic Winter Games the 41-year-old German has ended her Sochi campaign without any silverware.
Sablikova took her third Olympic gold in 6 minutes and 51.54 seconds, avenging her 3,000m defeat by Ireen Wust of the Netherlands who had to settle for silver in 6:54.28. The Dutch also bagged the bronze as Carien Kleibeuker skated home in 6:55.66.
"Surely it was hard, but I won, so now I am so happy. I pushed everything that I had after five laps," said Sablikova.
"After winning gold in Vancouver (2010 Olympic Winter Games), it's great to win it here in Sochi as well, and this time in front of all my family," she said.
She also gave credits to her Dutch opponents, especially Wust who competed in 1,000m, 1,500m, 3,000m and 5,000m, claiming one gold and three silver. The Dutch team won a total of six gold from 10 individual events in Sochi.
"It was very hard because I was skating with Ireen Wust. She's a very good skater and has good form here in Sochi," said Sablikova.
Wust had a furious race at beginning but ran out of fuel around 3,400m.
Wust said: "This was a real tough one, but that's always the case in the 5k. In the last few laps I was dying."
After her disappointment at taking silver behind her compatriot Jorien Ter Mors in the 1,500m, Wust was happier with her performance over the longer distance.
"This feels totally different than my silver medal in the 1,500m," she said. "Now I feel like I have won silver. In the 1,500 it felt like losing gold."
Claudia Pechstein of Germany finished fifth in 6:58.39, meaning that after nine medals in five previous Olympic Winter Games the 41-year-old German has ended her Sochi campaign without any silverware.