1,000 metres, Women

There were many contenders for the 1000 m title in Torino. Germany’s Anni Friesinger had won the 2003 and 2004 World Championships, and was runner-up in 2005. The crowd favorite was veteran Chiara Simionato, winner of the first 1000 m at the World Sprints just weeks before the Games. The other 1000 m that weekend had been won by the 500 m Olympic champion and World Sprint champion, Svetlana Boyarkina-Zhurova, although she was not generally considered a 1000 m specialist. From North America, Cindy Klassen and Jennifer Rodriguez were also highly considered, with three Dutch women, Marianne Timmer (1998 Olympic Champion), Barbara de Loor (2005 World Champion) and Ireen Wüst (winner of the 3000 m at Torino), considered as outsiders for a medal.

Not regularly skating the 1000 m, Cindy Klassen was drawn early in the program, lowering Friesinger’s track record from earlier that season to 1:16.09. Fellow Canadian Kristina Groves faced Marianne Timmer a few pairs later. Timmer had been frustrated earlier in the Olympics, having been disqualified for two false starts in the 500 m. She opened out faster than Klassen, and held on to her lead in the last lap, beating the leading time by just 0.04 seconds.

Pair after pair failed to improve Timmer’s time, with 2002 Champion Witty doing no better than 27th, and favourite Simionato placing only 13th. In the last pair, Anni Friesinger seemed headed for the gold, clocking the same split as Klassen, and known for her strong last lap. But Friesinger, too, missed out in the end, finishing at 1:16.11, just behind Klassen to take the bronze.