Speed skater Vanessa Herzog didn’t really know whether to be happy or angry yesterday at Beijing’s National Speed Skating Oval. Like four years ago in Pyeongchang, the 26-year-old finished fourth over the 500 meters, Austria’s athlete of the year 2019 was missing a whole seven hundredths of a second. For the American Erin Jackson, on the other hand, a gold fairy tale came true that only the Olympic Games can write.
The 29-year-old almost missed these winter games after a fatal slip in the US elimination race, but teammate and friend Brittany Bowe gave up her Olympic starting place to Jackson. “It’s part of the Olympic spirit to be a great comrade. It’s not just about me. It’s about Team USA. Erin has the vigor to bring home a medal, hopefully a gold one,” Bowe said at the time. Now the American Jackson is the first black woman ever to celebrate an Olympic victory in speed skating.
She only made her debut in a speed skating world cup four years ago, because she had initially operated the sport of inline skating, which was more popular in the States. Jackson qualified for PyeongChang 2018 after just four months of training on the ice. At that time, place 24 looked out. Now she sits at the top of the throne.
“Maybe it’s an incredible path I’ve taken. But I’m living proof that there are many ways to ultimately get there,” says Jackson, who is already the current World Cup leader over this distance to the games in China came. In her duel against Kaja Ziomek from Poland, she set a fabulous start time and then clearly won in 37.04 seconds.
Time would have brought silver in 2018
Four years ago Herzog’s time of 37.28 seconds would have been enough for silver, this time only metal remained behind the Russian Angelina Golikova. “Fourth place as a reward for the hard work over the past eight months with constant health problems is bitter, but I’m very proud of my performance. In the end, only three athletes were faster than me and their performance has to be acknowledged,” said Herzog, who had been struggling with two herniated discs during her Olympic preparation since the summer. Which is why at the end of the day she summed up with satisfaction: “Four years ago it was definitely more disappointing than now, because unlike back then I’m super proud of my performance with all the history.”
The 26-year-old, who was already world champion in the 500 meters in 2019, is still competing in the 1000 meters (Thursday) and the mass start (Saturday) in Beijing. Gabriel Odor is in the men’s mass start (Saturday). (free)
Source: Nachrichten
