Special Olympische Spelen

There is nothing better for Pechstein

On Sunday, competing in her third Olympiads Pechstein broke her own record covering the distance in 3:57.70 minutes. Nothing surprising for the first woman to break the four-minute barrier.
Olympic presentation: Speed Skating

After Jochem Uytdehaage's victory in the men's 5000M, the Netherlands believed they could recreate their performance in the women's 3000M with Renate Groenewold. It was counting without Germany's Claudia Pechstein.

They should have known better. The 29-year-old speed skater is a real living legend in her sport having claimed five Olympics and twelve world championships medals in her career. Moreover, the German never failed to claim an Olympic medal in this event since the 1976 Winter Olympicc, reaching a pinnacle with a treble in Nagano.

On Sunday, competing in her third Olympiads Pechstein broke her own record covering the distance in 3:57.70 minutes. Nothing surprising for the first woman to break the four-minute barrier.

"I'm so happy to now have all the medals-- gold, silver and bronze in this discipline," she said after her achievement. Pechstein had grasped the bronze medal in Lillehammer in 1994, and finished runner-up in Nagano four years ago.

"There is nothing better, it's the best that you can reach. This year, the only thing that counts is the Olympic Games, and that I could get Gold was just a dream becoming true, and a bonus for me: the world record like in 98, it's just a great result, I can't say more, " she added.

In Germany, there was the great Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann, winner of the 3000M in 1988 and 1992, and the 25-year-old Friesinger. There is now Claudia Pechstein, who let her speed skating technique do the talking.

Who would remember today that she actually came into speed skating through figure skating?

Eurosport : Patrick Merle-11/02/2002