Speed skating-Bowe bids to end long U.S. wait in women's 1,000m
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[February 16, 2022] By
Sakura Murakami
BEIJING (Reuters) - The absence of the 2018 Olympic champion leaves
the women's 1,000 metres speed skating wide open, with American
Brittany Bowe seeking to become the first American to win a medal in
the event for 20 years.
Bowe set the world record of one minute 11.61 seconds three years
ago and has taken encouragement from fellow American Erin Jackson's
victory in the 500m on Sunday.
"I hope that can be a springboard for something special to happen
here in the next couple of days," Bowe said.
"Hopefully, I find myself there on the podium and hopefully a gold
one in the 1,000m. So that's a great momentum builder for sure," she
added.
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After 2018 champion Jorien ter Mors failed to qualify, the Dutch
team pegged their hopes on Jutta Leerdam to add to their Beijing
medal haul in speed skating.
She has set the second fastest time overall this season, clocking
1:12.25, and finished fifth in the 500m in Beijing, but she is
hoping to get on the podium in her favoured 1,000m race.
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Brittany Bowe of the United States in action. REUTERS/Phil Noble
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"My full lap in the 500m was really fast, that
promises a lot for the 1,000. I'll go for nothing less than gold.
That is my goal and I am not afraid to say it," Leerdam said.
Her compatriot Ireen Wust, who has won six Olympic
gold medals in her career, will also be racing and the Dutch team
will face tough competition in the form of Japan's Miho Takagi.
Takagi, who clocked the fastest time this season of 1:11.83, has won
two individual medals in Beijing, finishing second in the 1,500m
behind Wust and winning a surprise silver in the 500.
"It's my last race in this long Olympics. I want to give it
everything," said Takagi who won the bronze medal in Pyeongchang
four years ago.
(Reporting by Sakura Murakami, editing by Ed Osmond)
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