1.5K Sprint Makes a Dramatic Debut

Julija Tchepalova of Russia gave everything she had at the start. Tor Arne Hetland of Norway saved a lot for the finish.

It worked for both of them.

Tchepalova and Hetland won gold medals in the women’s and men’s 1.5-kilometer cross-country sprints Tuesday. Both races helped give the sport’s newest Olympic competition a chaotic debut.

The all-day event had frantic finishes, fallen favorites and charges of foul play. In the end, Tchepalova and Hetland won their first gold medals of these Games.

“It was a very difficult victory for me,” Tchepalova said. “Today was just my lucky day.”

Tchepalova dusted off a pair of skis and rode them to victory for her second medal of these Olympics. She jumped in front at the start and pulled away at the end.

“I took a lot of risks,” she said.

Evi Sachenbacher of Germany won the silver and Anita Moen of Norway was the bronze medalist. Americans Tessa Benoit, Kikkan Randall, Aelin Peterson and Kristina Joder failed to qualify for the elimination heats.

Claudia Kuenzel of Germany finished fourth and protested the results, claiming Moen cut her off by illegally changing lanes in the final stretch. But a competition panel overruled the complaint.

Tchepalova covered the Soldier Hollow course in 3 minutes 10.6 seconds--controlling the race from start to finish.

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Tchepalova won bronze in the 10K classical event. Tuesday’s victory was her second gold medal in two Olympics--she won the 30K freestyle in 1998.

Hetland started his final in third place, patiently waiting to make a move. He passed Italy’s Cristian Zorzi in the final 100 meters. Germany’s Peter Schlickenrieder then did the same thing, edging the Italian by the tip of his skis.

Schlickenrieder won the silver in his final Olympics, and Zorzi won the bronze.

Carl Swenson, Torin Koos, Lars Flora and Kris Freeman of the U.S. didn’t qualify for elimination heats.

Schlickenrieder protested the results, claiming Hetland cut him off by illegally changing lanes in the final stretch. He tried to withdraw his complaint after talking to team members, but the competition panel already had overruled it.

Hetland covered the course in 2 minutes 56.9 seconds.