Australia could take as many as four speed skaters to Vancouver 2010, after another series of record-breaking performances over the weekend. Sophie Muir and Josh Lose look set to secure places on the ice after the final Games qualifying event in Utah.
Australia could take as many as four speed skaters to Vancouver 2010, after another series of record-breaking performances over the weekend.
Sophie Muir and Josh Lose look set to secure places on the ice after the final Games qualifying event in Utah.
Muir skated to a new national record in the 500m at the World Cup in Salt Lake City, posting 38.60 seconds to finish in eighth place in Division B.
The time was just 0.53 from Division winner Svetlana Kaykan of Russia, and 0.21 of a second from the podium – with a podium placing earning promotion to the Division A ranks.
The Netherlands-based 26-year-old then backed up in the 1000m, slicing 1.4 seconds off her national record with a 1 minute 16.19 second skate.
In the men’s Division B 5000m, team-mate Josh Lose slashed eight seconds off his own national record, recording six minutes 27.03 seconds to finish in sixth place.
Although the final Vancouver qualifying lists for speed skating are yet to be officially announced, the Salt Lake City times of Muir and Lose have put them both into the Olympic qualifying zone.
In addition, a third member of the Australian team, Daniel Grieg, was also in strong form in Salt Lake City, setting a new national record of 36.17 to finish 22nd in the Division B 500m, then establishing a new Australian time for the men’s 1000m with 1:10.19.
The Adelaide-born 18-year-old needed 0.1 of a second to make the 1000m qualifying ranks for the Games, but has ended up fourth reserve and still a chance to claim a spot after all the nations do their selections.
Greig is also now the second fastest junior in the world for the 1000m, an impressive performance given the short time the former in-line skater has spent in the sport.
And Ben Southee produced a record-smashing 1:47.65 in the 1500m, giving him his highest placing yet at a World Cup with 13th in the Men’s B division. Having skated under Olympic qualifying time, this should effectively place Southee in the top 40 rankings (after the elimination of athletes in excess of their nation quota for Vancouver).
No Australian woman has ever competed in long track speed skating at an Olympic Games, and the last male representation was in 1994 in Lillehammer.
But the country has a strong tradition in the sport, with speed skater Kenneth Kennedy the first Australian to go to the Winter Olympics, and Colin Coates the only Australian to compete in six Winter Games.
