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A18 SPORTS
Saturday 24 February 2018
Nuis gets 2nd skating gold with

Olympic assist from Poutala

By RAF CASERT the infield. The Norwegian, the top of the speedskat-
GANGNEUNG, South Ko- himself the 500 champion, ing medal standings. They
rea (AP) — Kjeld Nuis won was also chasing a second orange-clad skaters now
his second gold medal in gold. have seven gold medals
speedskating, and he had Nuis ended up winning in and 14 overall in 12 events,
Mika Poutala's Olympic 1 minute, 07.91 seconds. with two mass starts to
spirit to thank for it. Kim Tae-yun of South Korea come on Saturday.
Gold medalist Kjeld Nuis of The Netherlands celebrates with the The Dutchman became took bronze. The country's latest cham-
national flag after the men's 1,000 meters speedskating race the first speedskater to win "I have two of these things pion held his new medal
at the Gangneung Oval at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Gang- two golds at the Gang- around my neck, and that tight after receiving it on
neung, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 23, 2018.
Associated Press neung Oval, but it is Pouta- is why I came here," said the stand — the first time
la who deserves a special Nuis, who failed to make his medals were handed over
medal. country's national team for in the Gangneung Oval —
With Nuis going full out on the last two Olympics. and sang the Wilhelmus an-
the final straightaway in In comparison, Poutala them with a heaving chest.
the men's 1,000 meters on only had a 16th-place fin- Nuis was also the first man
Friday, Poutala could eas- ish to show for his efforts, to win gold after racing in
ily have held him up on having been slowed by the the final pairing at the Py-
the crossover and denied crossover. At least he will eongchang Games. And
him the title. But the Finn be holding his head high. beyond the sheer power in
realized his chances for a "I didn't want to take any his legs, he also had to hold
medal were waning and chances and ruin his race," his nerve while watching all
instead of aggressively Poutala said. "I was afraid his rivals go first.
seeking the middle of the that I would mess his race When Lorentzen became
lane he stayed left, keep- and I knew he was battling the first man to break the
ing the Dutchman's path for the win." 1:08 mark, the pressure in-
clear. Nuis said Poutala came up tensified and it became
"Mika Poutala just saved to him after the race and clear that Nuis would need
my life," Nuis said after said: "I just did what I hope to have the race of his life.
adding the 1,000 title to someone else would do for He false-started once, and
his 1,500 gold. "If he would me." knew a second one would
have thrown himself in front The gold also meant a lot lead to disqualification.
of me, I would have been for the Netherlands. After a But because the 1,000 is a
the fool. He didn't. That is so week without an Olympic sprint race, he could not
beautiful." title in long-track speeds- hold back.
As a result, Nuis kept his kating, the Dutch had to And he didn't.
pace and finished 0.04 do something to change "Mentally, he was very
seconds faster than Ha- things. tough," Dutch coach Jac
vard Lorentzen, who was Nuis delivered, reinforcing Orie said. "That's why he
anxiously watching from the Dutch dominance at won."q
Jessie Diggins picked to carry

U.S. flag at Olympic closing

By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Sports Writer
PYEONGCHANG, South Ko-
rea (AP) — Jessie Diggins
has one more big Olympic
moment awaiting her.
Diggins — who thrust herself
across the finish line to give
the Americans a dazzling
gold medal in the cross-
country team sprint — has
been selected as the U.S.
flagbearer for Sunday
night's closing ceremony at
the Pyeongchang Games.
She's the first cross-country
Jessica Diggins, of the United States, celebrates after winning skier to carry the U.S. flag
the gold medal in the during women's team sprint freestyle into an Olympic ceremony
cross-country skiing final at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Py- since Bill Koch did the hon-
eongchang, South Korea, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. ors at Albertville's opening
Associated Press in 1992.q