Jordan Stolz starts but doesn't race the 1,500 after being fastest at 500 at the US Olympic trials
Star speedskater Jordan Stolz figures some extra rest is more important than competing in an event he didn’t need to with an Olympic berth already assured
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Star speedskater Jordan Stolz figured some extra rest was more important than competing in an event he didn't need to with an Olympic berth already assured, so after finishing first in the 500 meters at the U.S. trials Sunday, he decided to just line up at the start of the 1,500 instead of actually racing.
The 21-year-old Stolz, twice the world champion at the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 and expected to be one of the faces of the Milan Cortina Games, took a couple of strides from an upright position in the outside lane, then took a hard left and skated toward the sideline. He shrugged as he came off the track.
Emery Lehman, who is from Chicago, won the 1,500 in 1 minute, 44.20 seconds to get another of the three spots for U.S. men in that event, and Casey Dawson — who won the 5,000 on Friday — was second in 1:45.60.
The women's 1,500 was won by Brittany Bowe, a 33-year-old who grew up in Florida; she'll also compete in the 1,000 at her fourth Olympics. Greta Myers, a 21-year-old from Minnesota, initially finished second, was disqualified for making contact with Bowe during their heat, then again was second-fastest during a solo reskate more than an hour later, which she completed even faster than her original time.
Stolz arrived last week at the Pettit National Ice Center, about 40 minutes south of his hometown of Kewaskum, already assured of being prequalified for the Feb. 6-22 Olympics in four events based on World Cup results: 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters, plus the mass start.
That means he only needed to participate at the trials in each of those races to make his spots official for the Winter Games.
“I’m just a little tired,” Stolz said about the choice to essentially skip the 1,500. “Qualify my spot and take a rest.”
In Saturday’s 1,000, his first race in Milwaukee and one in which he holds the world record, Stolz lost his footing right at the outset and fell to the ice, a stunning mistake. But he got right up and closed with the third-best time.
“Pretty impressive,” he said with a laugh.
Afterward, he blamed a recent head cold that left him dehydrated and cramping and without proper preparation.
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In Sunday's 500, he was smooth and speedy enough to finish first in 34.76 seconds, but he made clear he wasn't pleased with that time. He planned to give himself a break for the 1,500 later Sunday but said he did plan to take part in the mass start on Monday.
“After the 1,000 yesterday, I feel pretty tried. It only took one race to get me a little tired,” he said. “But, yeah, it doesn’t matter.”
That's because Stolz has made clear that he views these days as part of his training process a little more than a month ahead of what really matters: the Olympics.
Cooper McLeod, who was second in the 1,000, was next in the 500, 0.06 seconds behind Stolz. While three U.S. men will get berths in the 1,000 at the Olympics, Stolz was the only one assured of a spot as of Sunday.
There are other heats for the women’s and men’s 500 Monday, and each skater’s best time across the two days is what counts.
Erin Jackson, the reigning gold medalist in the women's 500, also already had prequalified and only needed to show up at the starting line in that race. Like Stolz, she did far more than that, producing the fastest time Sunday by clocking 38.15 seconds — one day after winning the 1,000.
The American women have two spots in the Olympic 500 and the other will be settled Monday, the last day of the trials.
Sarah Warren was second-best among the women Sunday in 38.86.
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