Skaters go off in pairs for the individual events around the 400-meter track, but they’re racing the clock, not each other. Determining the winner is simple: The fastest time takes gold, and the top skaters can reach speeds of more than 35 mph. To even out the race distances, skaters “cross over” each time they go down the backstretch, switching lanes without interfering with the other skater. There’s also a team pursuit event, in which three skaters compete for each country in head-to-head, timed races. Like the pursuit event in cycling, teams start at the same time on opposite sides of the track and race a specified distance until the third skater on each squad crosses the line. Quarterfinals, semifinals and a final determine the winner.
The Associated Press
