2002 Winter Olympic Games Speed skating
500 m Men:
- Casey FitzRandolph (USA)
- Hiroyasu Shimizu (JPN)
- Kip Carpenter (USA)
Favorite Jeremy Wotherspoon falls in the first heat, taking him out of contention, but posts the fastest time in the second heat.
FitzRandolph was the first American to win the event since Eric Heiden in 1980, who was in attendance as the team orthopedist.
American Speedskater Wins Gold, The New York Times, February 12, 2002
1000 m Men:
- Gerard van Velde (NED)
- Jan Bos (NED)
- Joey Cheek (USA)
Van Velde, who had finished 4th in the Olympics twice already, delivers a huge surprise by skating a World Record and winning the gold medal.
1500 m Men:
- Derek Parra (USA)
- Jochem Uytdehaage (NED)
- Ådne Søndrål (NOR)
In reverse order of the 5000 m, Uytdehaage first breaks the world record, which is later bettered by Parra, who wins the third US skating gold of the Games. He is the first Mexican-American to medal in a winter sport.
5000 m Men:
- Jochem Uytdehaage (NED)
- Derek Parra (USA)
- Jens Boden (GER)
Parra and Boden break their personal bests by 15 seconds to win surprise medals, while Uytdehaage skates a new world
record.
10,000 m Men:
- Jochem Uytdehaage (NED)
- Gianni Romme (NED)
- Björn Staele (NOR)
2 x gold medal winner from Nagano '98 Romme scores another point, while Uytdehaage wins with a stunning world record, breaking the 13 minute barrier.
500 m Women:
- Catriona Le May Doan (CAN)
- Monique Garbrecht-Enfeldt (GER)
- Sabine Völker (GER)
World Record holder Catriona LeMay Doan retains her Olympic title by beating 4 time World Sprint Champion Monique Garbrecht-Enfeldt.
1000 m Women:
- Chris Witty (USA)
- Sabine Völker (GER)
- Jennifer Rodriguez (USA)
After suffering from mononucleosis, Witty skates a new World Record to win by surprise.
1500 m Women:
- Anni Friesinger, (GER)
- Sabine Völker (GER)
- Jennifer Rodriquez (USA)
Finally Friesinger comes to terms with the pressure of being the favorite by skating a world record end winning gold. Voelker and Rodriquez repeat their 1000 m successes.
3000 m Women:
- Claudia Pechstein (GER)
- Renate Groenewold (NED)
- Cindy Klassen (CAN)
Hot favorite Friesinger finishes only fourth, while all medalists break the former world record.
5000 m Women:
- Claudia Pechstein (GER)
- Gretha Smit (NED)
- Clara Hughes (CAN)
Claudia Pechstein takes a medal in four consecutive Winter Games. Clara Hughes and Gretha Smit surprise by ending up on the podium too. The latter only started competing in long track skating this year, although she and her sisters have proven almost unbeatable in marathon skating, which is performed in groups.