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CNN Sunday Morning

Collision in Short Track Racing

Aired February 17, 2002 - 11:10   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well about 1,700 miles west of Daytona Beach in Utah, the Winter Olympics, where it was all about the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat yesterday. We're talking about that collision in the short track competition. Rusty Dornin joins us live now from Salt Lake City with more on that.

Good morning, Rusty.

RUSTY DORNIN: Well, Fredricka, you know skating still is dominating the headlines here at the Olympics, whether as you said, it's the agony of defeat, victory, intrigue, or spectacular wipeouts that changed the medal chances for Apolo Anton Ohno.

In that 1,000-meter race last night, he was first to come over that finish line. He was destined to do it. The crowd was cheering him on, when a Chinese skater came up on the outside, sort of jostled them, and then from the inside a South Korean skater caught him, sent four skaters slamming into the boards. Ohno was flung into the 360, but managed to get up and struggle and get his left skate over the finish line to get the silver.

In the meantime, Steve Bradbury, who had been bringing up the rear has the gold medal. He won the very first Winter Olympic gold medal for Australia. So, it looks like Ohno will compete again in three other races, although he does have a gash apparently on his inner thigh.

Also skating headlines, of course, with the controversy all week long between the Canadians and the Russians. The Canadians will be awarded a gold medal tonight. Now originally, it had been planned to be awarded on Thursday after the women's figure skating. Those plans were changed yesterday. It looks like both pairs will be on hand.

The Russians are planning to come. The Russian National Anthem will be played along with the Canadian. Both flags will be raised. But it does look like David Pelletier and Jamie Sale will have to give back their silver medals. No word on what will happen to that medal, but of course, the silver medal will just be erased from the Olympic history books in terms of that event.

Also on the ice, this time a tie between the Russians and the Americans. Last night it was the first time the two teams had faced off since the Miracle on Ice in 1980, and apparently Brett Hall on a rebound scored the goal that made it a tie here. So, exciting things still on the ice going here. But once again, the focus is turned back, I think on the athletes now, that of course the skating controversy has died. Now that the medal will be awarded, I think it will die down even more. Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Wow, lots of excitement on the ice there, Rusty. I don't know if you're prepared to answer this one, but let me give it a shot. In terms of the 1,000-meter speed skating race, at what point would they or could they have possibly made a decision to have that race over, take that race over, since virtually all the competitors, except for one were left standing?

DORNIN: You know I am not sure on that. I did hear that there was talk that they would run that race over again. They've done it before in situations like that. I do understand that the Chinese skater was disqualified. But I'm not up on the answer there of why they decided not to run that again, although as you know, Ohno was injured in that race. He did go up to the medal ceremony, actually in a wheelchair.

WHITFIELD: Yes, I know it's water under the bridge and the medals have been handed out. But it's so heartbreaking to see that every time. Gosh. All right, thanks a lot Rusty Dornin out in Salt Lake City.

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