U.S. skater Christine Witty from West Allis, Wisc. jubilates after taking third place in the women's 1,500 meter speed skating competition at the Winter Olympics in Nagano on Monday,.AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau

Witty ends medal drought

Web posted February 17, 1998

 Return to Nagano@ugusta

By Dennis Sodomka
Morris News Service

NAGANO - The seventh U.S. medal in the Winter Olympics surprised everyone including the woman who won it.

When Chris Witty crossed the finish line with a new national record in 1,500-meter speed skating Monday she wasn't sure the time would hold up for a medal. Six national records were set in the event, and Witty's held up for the bronze medal.

Marianne Timmer of the Netherlands set a world record to win the event. Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann of Germany was second.

"I was hoping for the top five, and then after my race, I was in second,'' said Witty, 22, of West Allis, Wis. "I wasn't really sure if I would walk away with a medal.

"I didn't plan on winning a medal in this race. In the 1,000 meters I think I'll do better. This medal gives me a lot of confidence going into my final race (Thursday). I started the 1,500 meters as training. I wanted to improve my 1,000. So, yeah, I'm surprised I'm here.

"I felt so strong in the last lap, I think that's going to help me a lot

U.S. skater Christine Witty from West Allis, Wisc. skates during the women's 1,500 meter speed skating competition at the Winter Olympics in Nagano on Monday, Feb. 16, 1998. Witty won the bronze medal. AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau

for the 1,000. It definitely gives me more confidence going into my final race. I'm just happy that technically things are great and physically things are great. I guess I just put together a great race.''

For the United States Jennifer Rodriguez, 21, was 8th; Becky Sundstrom, 21, was 12th; and Moira D'Andrea, 29, was 14th.

Witty's strongest race is the 1,000 and that was generally considered the Americans' best hope for a speed skating medal. The United States has won speed skating medals in every Winter Olympics but two.

When stars Bonnie Blair and Dan Jansen retired after the 1994 Olympics, the U.S. was left with a young team trying to build for the Salt Lake City Olympics in 2002.

"The Americans were hard on us,'' said Witty. "After Dan and Bonnie, no one thought we would win a medal.

U.S. skater Christine Witty from West Allis, Wisc. shows her bronze medal during the victory ceremony of the women's 1,500 meter speed skating competition at the Winter Olympics in Nagano on Monday.AP Photo/Lynne Sladky

"There is a facelift for the sport. New young faces, new technology. Now, there is not just Dan and Bonnie, there are five or six good people here. It's important to see younger skaters here.

"I can't wait for the next four years. We have a strong team, and we'll have the hometown advantage, so I think we'll win a lot of medals in Salt Lake.

"I think it's important that kids see that there is a whole team of skaters at the Olympics, not just two people. I had people tell me after '94 that, 'You were on the Olympic team? We didn't even know that there were other skaters besides Dan and Bonnie.' "