BEIJING--World record holder Kjeld Nuis edged out his rivals to win the men’s 1,500 metres at the Beijing Olympics on Tuesday, retaining his title to continue the Dutch gold rush in speed skating at the Games.
Nuis swept around the National Speed Skating Oval in a new Olympic record time of one minute and 43.21 seconds, holding off teammate Thomas Krol by three tenths of a second.
“I can’t believe it. I’ve dreamed about this but wasn’t so confident as four years ago,” he told reporters.
In an event often called the “king’s race”, the Dutch team smashed the Olympic record set by American Derek Parra 20 years ago, with Krol first shaving almost half a second off before Nuis knocked off another 0.34.
“Of course...I heard it! I was like, this is going to hurt,” Nuis said when asked whether he was aware of Krol’s time.
Although Nuis was slightly behind Krol’s pace as he sped around the track in the first half of the race, he upped the ante in the latter stages and overtook his compatriot by the 1,100-metre mark.
“It was a hard time to beat but I had some confidence because I won the world championships from him... so I knew I could do it but still, he’s a great skater and he really pushed himself,” Nuis said.
Despite setting an Olympic record himself, Krol had to make do with silver in 1:43.55. Kim Minseok of South Korea took bronze in 1:44.24.
“After 700 metres I really thought that I could be faster, but I know his weapon is the second lap and it really worked out for him in a good way today. Of course, I knew after 1,100 metres that he was going to beat my time, and you just hope till the end, but it is what it is. Of course, I’m really happy and I’m proud that I won a medal at the Olympics,” the 29-year-old first-time Olympian said.
Nuis’ victory could have been the first leg of the double gold he achieved in 2018 in the 1,000 and 1,500m races, but he will not be skating in the 1,000 this Olympics as he has been named as a substitute for the event.
“That still hurts, that I can’t skate that one. I know that when I can skate that easy in the 1,500 metres, I know I can win a medal in the 1,000 metres, but that’s just what if,” he said.
Top-ranked Joey Mantia of the United States, who was tipped for a medal but finished sixth, looked dejected after the race and said he was “devastated”.
China’s Ning Zhongyan also failed to skate as well as he had in other races this season and finished seventh.
The Dutch speed skating team have now won six medals at the Games, including three gold.
