Canadian speed skater Clara Hughes produced a brilliant last lap
to beat German world record holder Claudia Pechstein to win the
gold in the women's 5,000 meters at the Turin Winter Olympics in
Turin on Saturday.
The 33-year-old clocked a winning time of six minutes and
59.07seconds, followed by Pechstein in 7:00.08. Canadian Cindy
Klassen came in third in 7:00.57, seizing her fifth medal at the
Games and sixth overall.
Hughes trailed Pechstein for 10 of 12 1/2 laps before sprinting
past the well-known German skater who dominated the event over the
past three Winter Games.
"I am so thrilled. This has been a dream of mine since I was
16and I realized it today," said a jubilant Hughes.
"I was in shock when I looked up and saw I had the fastest time.
Then my legs buckled over and I collapsed and I thought I could die
from the pain in my legs.
"I knew Claudia would be one of the fastest skaters, so my plan
was not to let her get too far ahead because I knew I could beat
her in the sprint," she added.
Pechstein was seeking to become the first winter Olympian to win
the same event four times, but fell just short.
"I am not a statistic machine. To get a fourth gold would have
been nice, but it is not important," she said.
"I accept that Clara was the faster skater. For me, second is
good," she added.
(Xinhua News Agency February 26, 2006)