SALT LAKE CITY (REUTERS) — Canada’s Jeremy Wotherspoon, the World Cup speed skating leader, crashed in the men’s 500 meters at the Utah Olympic Oval, ending his quest for gold in the race.
Wotherspoon lost his footing moments after making a terrific start. He rose and skated slowly back, wearing a look of utter disbelief and disappointment.
“I think he was pretty shocked and startled,” said coach Sean Ireland. “He said he was feeling good, and the next thing he knew, he was facedown on the ice. He’s feeling obvious disappointment.”
Wotherspoon’s training partner, American Casey FitzRandolph, heads the standings after the first day, clocking an Olympic record and personal best of 34.42 seconds.
He leads by 0.19 from defending champion and world record holder Hiroyasu Shimizu of Japan, who dispelled all doubts he had about his form.
FitzRandolph is a native of Verona, Wis.
