Kearns, Utah – Talk about a New Year’s resolution.
In the last strides of his final race Saturday at the Olympic long track trials, speedskater Chad Hedrick delivered, as promised, a world record in the 10,000 meters.
Hedrick clipped the finish line at 12 minutes, 55.11 seconds, shedding almost three seconds off the mark set by Carl Verheijen of the Netherlands. Less than a month ago, Hedrick tasted the same rare air: He owned the record for about 15 minutes before Verheijen snatched it away during a World Cup race in the Netherlands.
Eric Heiden’s record of five Olympic speedskating medals just might be next.
“I wanted it more than anybody else,” Hedrick said. “My desire to win is always a little bit more than everybody else’s.”
Before the long track trials last week, Hedrick guaranteed he would use the Utah Olympic Oval’s fast ice to set two world records – in the 5,000 meters and the 10,000. Those plans were initially dashed when coach Bart Schouten insisted Hedrick skate in the 1,000-meter qualifier Wednesday, hours before the 5,000-meter race.
“My schedule has changed a little,” Hedrick said Tuesday night, perhaps backing off his vow to skate the fastest time ever in the 5,000. “But I will put a record on the board this week.”
Guarantees are the lifeblood of Hedrick’s bravado. He makes the vows, he said, to inspire himself and psych out rivals. The former in-line skating legend from Texas could skate for five medals in the Turin Games. He qualified in the 1,000, 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000, and is assured of competing in the team pursuit. He also holds the world record in the 1,500 and, for six days in November, claimed the planet’s fastest time in the 5,000.
“I like to put pressure on myself. When the money’s on the line, that’s when I do my best,” Hedrick said. “I want to be nervous and I want everybody to be expecting big things from me. And that makes me perform much better.”
