Dutch dominance of 1,000 metres continues with gold for Krol
Favourite Thomas Krol has won the gold medal in the men’s 1,000 metres speed skating race at the Beijing Olympics, taking the Dutch gold tally to seven.
Krol, 29, was 0.40 of a second faster than Canada’s Laurent Dubreuil, the surprise winner of the silver. The bronze went to Havard Lorentzen of Norway.
The two other Dutchmen in the event had a disappointing race. Kai Verbij was in with a medal chance but slowed up in the final lap after a mistake in the cross. Hein Otterspeer, in his Olympic debut, was 10th.
The Dutch had been hoping for more medals in the event, having dominated the 1,000 metres in world cup races this season. Nevertheless, Krol is the fifth successive Dutch Olympic champion in the 1,000 metres.
Dutch skaters will be in action one last time on Saturday, when Jorrit Bergsma, Sven Kramer, Irene Schouten and Marijke Groenewoud take part in the two mass start races.
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