Wust takes women's 1500m speed skating gold
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Ireen Wust of the Netherlands competes in the women's 1500 metres at the Richmond Olympic Oval during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics February 21, 2010. [Xinhua/Reuters] |
Turin Olympic bronze medalist Ireen Wust of the Netherlands jumped upon the champion podium in tears to celebrate her victory in the women's 1,500 meters speed skating at the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games here on Sunday.
Wust, third-ranked in the World Cup ranking and bronze medalist in the distance at the 2009 World Single Distances Championships, stormed in one minute and 56.89 seconds.
It is Wust's second Olympic gold medal after she claimed the 3,000m victory from Turin at the age of 19.
"I cannot describe how happy I am. I have no words for it. I think I am the happiest person on the earth right now," said the 23-year-old Dutch. "I don't want to be a person that always cries, but today apparently I am."
Wust had a sluggish star at the Vancouver Games after she placed seventh in the 3,000m and eighth in the 1,000m.
"I felt really good but it didn't work in the 3,000m and 1,000m. This was my last chance. I thought I had to open well and skate relaxed. Everything went right," she added.
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Ireen Wust (R) of the Netherlands and Daniela Anschutz Thoms of Germany compete in the women's 1500 metres speed skating race at the Richmond Olympic Oval during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, February 21, 2010. [Xinhua/Reuters] |
