Groothuis gives Dutch fourth speed skating gold

DPA/Sochi, Russia Stefan Groothuis gave the Netherlands a fourth speed skating gold in five events at the Sochi Games by winning the men’s 1,000m yesterday. Groothuis upset double Olympic champion Shani Davis of the United States and world champion Denis Kuzin of Kazakhstan, who were both out of the medals. The 2012 world champion clocked 1 minute 08.39 seconds, shading Canada’s Denny Morrison by 0.04 seconds. Dutchman Michel Mulder clinched bronze to go with his 500m gold, becoming the first of his nation’s speed skaters to win a medal at both distances at the Olympics. Mulder on Monday had won the country’s first men’s gold over 500m and becomes the first athlete at the Game to win two medals. The Dutch have further golds from Sven Kramer in the men’s 5,000m and Ireen Wust in the women’s 3,000m, and now have 10 medals in speed skating at the Games. Groothuis, 33, came close to a medal in Vancouver four years ago when he finished fourth and was eighth over the distance in Turin in 2006. But although an obvious threat his victory came as a surprise in the Adler Arena where Davis was seeking a place in the record books as the first skater to bag a hat-trick of golds at the distance, and both Kuzin and Mulder were highly favoured. “It’s unbelievable,” said Groothuis, who had fallen almost immediately in the 500m. “When I started, I didn’t even know what the best time was and when I crossed the finish line, I was really surprised. It was the best time I’ve ever skated on a low-altitude track.” Mulder said he was “extremely satisfied” with a bronze to go with gold. “After winning the 500m, I now have a bronze medal. It’s a great feeling to step on the podium again,” he said. “I knew at the start that Stefan’s time was going to be difficult. I decided to give everything and for winning the bronze, I have to be satisfied.”