Olympic Team Is Taking Shape

Three-time medalist Chris Witty and 2002 bronze medalist Kip Carpenter earned likely spots on the Olympic speedskating team at the U.S. long track championships Tuesday.

Witty finished fourth in the women’s 500 meters with a combined time of 1 minute, 18.52 seconds. Elli Ochowitz claimed the title in 1:17.29, with Amy Sannes (1:17.72) and Jennifer Rodriguez (1:18.27) taking the next two spots.

“Everybody is skating well,” said Witty, who has been to three Winter Olympics and competed as a cyclist in the 2000 Summer Games. “I had to move my butt a little bit to make it.”

On the men’s side, Casey FitzRandolph posted the fastest cumulative time over two races, 1:09.71. He already was prequalified for the team in the 500, giving him a chance to defend the gold medal he won at the Utah Olympic Oval in 2002.

“As of yesterday, I wasn’t sure if I would skate it,” FitzRandolph said. “I’ve been sick.”

Tucker Fredricks took second in 1:09.87, while Carpenter claimed third at 1:10.12, edging 38-year-old Marc Pelchat, a two-time Olympian, by .028 seconds for the final spot.

Carpenter won bronze in the 500 at the Salt Lake City Games, but he battled injuries and equipment problems leading up to the national championships. He beat Pelchat with a strong second race.

The top four in the 500 are expected to make the Olympic team, which will be comprised of 10 men and 10 women. There’s a slight chance that fourth-place finishers could be bumped from the team if there are too many qualifiers, but U.S. Speedskating officials said that hasn’t happened since 1988.

Eight skaters, including FitzRandolph and Rodriguez, prequalified for the Olympic team.

World record holder Shani Davis, who has earned the chance to skate at least three events in Turin, Italy, skipped the national championships to focus on training in Calgary, Canada.