WHISTLER, British Columbia — Norway’s Petter Northug won his fourth medal of the Olympics, using his trademark sprint to overtake Germany’s Axel Teichmann on the final straightaway Sunday to capture the 50-kilometer classical cross country race.
Northug blew a kiss toward the sky after crossing the finish line for his second gold medal in Vancouver. He anchored Norway to victory in the team sprint — also pushing past Teichmann near the end — and won a bronze medal in the individual sprint and silver in the relay.
“To be the Olympic champion in the 50K is the biggest boyhood dream of my life,” Northug said. “I didn’t think I was among the favorites. I’ve been tired, and there has been something missing in these championships.”
Northug finished in 2 hours, 5 minutes, 35.5 seconds, with Teichmann 0.3 seconds back for the silver medal. Johan Olsson of Sweden took bronze, a second back.
The top American was James Southam, who finished 28th about 4 1/2 minutes back.
Bradley replaces Lysacek
VANCOUVER — Ryan Bradley of Colorado Springs will compete in the World Figure Skating Championships this month in Turin after Olympic gold medalist Evan Lysacek said he would not compete.
Lysacek, the defending world champion, said he is not retiring but is following the lead of many Olympic gold medalists by skipping the ensuing world championships.
Also skipping the worlds will be defending world champion ice dancers Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto. They are mulling retirement.
“We’re going to take some time while on tour with ‘Stars on Ice’ this spring to consider our competitive plans for the future,” Belbin said.
Replacing them will be Kim Navarro and Brent Bommentre.
John Henderson, The Denver Post
Kramer mulls new coach.
Dutch speedskater Sven Kramer is considering hiring an additional coach after a disastrous error by his current one cost him a second gold medal.
Kramer said he was not planning to dump Gerard Kemkers but may add another coach as he builds toward the Sochi Games in 2014. In the 10,000 meters, Kemkers sent him into the wrong lane, and he was disqualified. More miscommunication cost the Dutch team pursuit a spot in the final. It settled for the bronze medal despite setting an Olympic record.
Footnotes.
The United States, while losing the gold medal race to Canada 14-9, won the most overall medals in Vancouver with 37.
• Lubomir Visnovsky — a Slovakian hockey player for the Edmonton Oilers — received a reprimand from the IOC after testing positive for a stimulant contained in a cold medication that he declared on his doping control form.
The Associated Press
