02/23/2002
KEARNS, Utah — Claudia Pechstein of Germany won Olympic gold in the
5,000 meters Saturday, skating to a world record for her second gold of
these games.
Pechstein became just the second speedskater to ever win three
consecutive Olympic titles. Bonnie Blair won the 500 in 1988, '92 and
'94.
Pechstein, who turned 30 on Friday, skated in 6 minutes, 46.91 seconds —
bettering the mark set 90 minutes earlier by Gretha Smit of the
Netherlands.
The German won a gold in the 3,000 with a world-record time on Feb. 10.
She now has seven career Olympic medals, including four golds.
Pechstein's main rival, countrywoman Anni Friesinger, faded to sixth.
Smit won a silver in 6:49.22. Clara Hughes of Canada took bronze in
6:53.53.
It was the eighth world record in 10 events at the Salt Lake City Games,
topping the previous mark of seven set at the 1988 Calgary Olympics.
Catherine Raney was the top American finisher, placing ninth with a
national record time of 7:06.89 — 10 seconds lower than her personal
best.
Annie Driscoll of Roseville, Minn., was last among 14 skaters, finishing
in 7:35.23 but bettering her personal best by almost 12 seconds. Two
others fell and didn't finish.
Pechstein was behind Smit's pace heading into the final lap, but used a
powerful closing kick to skate the final 400 meters in 32.05. Smit's
last lap was 34.77.
Pechstein won her two previous Olympic titles over German great Gunda
Niemann-Stirnemann, who didn't compete in these games because she's
pregnant. Pechstein won in '94 in 7:14.37, then set a world record of
6:59.61 to win at Nagano four years later.
The United States, Germany and the Netherlands tied for most medals at
the oval with eight apiece.