Rodriguez Wins World Sprint Championship Title

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (Jan. 23) –  U.S. long track speedskater Jennifer Rodriguez (Miami, Fla.) claimed the women’s world sprint championship title Sunday after four impressive races over the weekend.

Rodriguez, overcoming a month of fatigue-like symptoms sprang back to life over the weekend setting three new personal best times. “This is the most fun I’ve ever had at a competition,” Rodriguez said Sunday after taking a victory lap around the Olympic Oval. “I never have four out of four good races. Usually it’s only two or three out of four but this weekend was awesome.”

Rodriguez started her day with a personal best in the 500-meters with a finish time of 37.94, barely missing the bronze medal that went to Sayuri Yoshii (JPN) who finished in 37.91. Rodriguez shared her fourth place finish with Sayuri Osuga of Japan.

Rodriguez was able to take home a medal, a gold one, in the 1000-meters with a finish time of 1:14.18. Anzhelika Kotyuga (BLR) took home the silver in 1:14.44, followed by Cindy Klassen (CAN) who won the bronze medal in 1:14.47. Kotyuga also took home the silver medal in the overall ladies’ classification. Germany’s Sabine Volker finished third overall.

On the men’s side, the Netherland’s Erben Wennemars defended his title as world sprint champion. American Joey Cheek (Greensboro, N.C.) finished third overall in the men’s classification.

“I’m really quite pleased with my performance this weekend,” Cheek said. “I had a really strong feeling all week that something good was going to happen at the competition and it did.”

Cheek nearly missed medalling in the men’s 500-meters event with his fourth place finish in 34.70. Russia’s Dmitry Lobkov and Canada’s Jeremy Wotherspoon tied for the gold in 34.67, closely followed by Wennemars.

Kip Carpenter (Brookfield, Wis.) fell four steps into his 500-meters race but quickly recovered and finished the race.

In the 1000-meters, Shani Davis (Chicago, Ill.) took home the silver medal in 1:07.62. Wennemars won the gold in 1:07.46.

“I will cherish this medal,” Davis said. “But I won’t be happy until I’m at the top.”

RESULTS (courtesy of www.isu.org. For more detailed results, please visit the web site.)

Ladies’ 500-meters:

1. S. Volker GER 37.89; 2. T. Okazaki JPN 37.90; 3. S. Yoshii JPN 37.91; 4. J. Rodriguez USA 37.94; 4. S. Osuga JPN 37.94; 6. S. Rempel CAN 38.01.

Americans: 23. E. Ochowicz 38.92; 24. C. Witty 39.00; 26. A. Sanne 39.20

Ladies’ 1000-meters:

1. J. Rodriguez USA 1:14.18; 2. A. Kotyuga BLR 1:14.44; 3. C. Klassen CAN 1:14.47; 4. M. Gargrecht-Enfeldt GER 1:14.66; 5. S. Volker GER 1:14.72; 6. C. Simionato ITA 1:14.87

Americans: 13. C. Witty 1:16.09; 19. E. Ochowicz 1:16.89; 22. A. Sannes 1:17.51

Ladies’ Overall:

1. J. Rodriguez USA 150.015; 2. A. Kotyuga BLR 150.415; 3. S. Volker GER 150.425; 4. S. Yoshii JPN 150.490; 5. C. Simionato ITA 150.670; 6. B. Wang CHN 151.060

Americans: 16. C. Witty 153.570; 21. E. Ochowicz 154.370; 25. A. Sannes 156.120

Men’s 500-meters:

1. D. Lobkov RUS 34.67; 1. J. Wotherspoon CAN 34.67; 3. E. Wennemars NED 34.68; 4. J. Cheek USA 34.70; 5. H. Shimizu JPN 34.82; 6. J. Kato JPN 34.89

Americans: 10. C. FitzRandolph 35.11; 17. S. Davis 35.43; 29. K. Carpenter 36.25

Men’s 1000-meters:

1. E. Wennemars NED 1:07.46; 2. S. Davis USA 1:07.67; 3. J. Bos NED 1:07.92; 4. J. Cheek USA 1:08.20; 5. C. FitzRandolph USA 1:08.50; 5. M. Kobayashi JPN 1:08.50

Men’s Overall:

1. e. Wennemars NED 137.310; 2. J. Wotherspoon CAN 137.820; 3. J. Cheek USA 137.975; 4. M. Kobayashi JPN 138.050; 5. D. Lobkov RUS 138.100; 6. J. Bos NED 138.470

Americans: 7. S. Davis 138.715; 8. C. FitzRandolph 138.770; 18. K. Carpenter 140.270