Day 3 - 2005 World Speed Skating Championships

Special Coverage: Day Three

The 2005 World Speed Skating Championships in Suzhou, China

Team USA Piles Up Seven Medals on Day Three of Worlds

By Robert "Just the Factoids" Burnson

The track events ended today at the World Speed Skating Championships in Suzhou, China, with the young U.S. team winning seven medals while remaining in third place overall behind Italy and Colombia.

Once again it was the junior women leading the way for Team USA. The girls won five medals, including three golds.

Heather Richardson, 16, of High Point, N.C., won the 500 meter sprint to take her second individual gold medal.

Brittany Bowe, 17, of Ocala, Fla., won the 1000 meters to take her first gold of the championships.

Her time (1 minute and 39.811 seconds) was a tenth of a second faster than the time for the winner of the women's 1000 meters, Brigyte Mendez of Colombia.

Brittany also finished third in the 500 meters and was a member of the U.S. team that won the junior girl's 5000-meter relay.

So far, the skater-basketball player has won five medals in the championships.

Joey's Gold

The day also gave USA's Joey Mantia his first medal of the event (and his first-ever individual gold medal in adult competition at a world championships.)

Mantia, 19, of Ocala, Fla., easily won the 500 meters. However, he was only able to manage fourth in the 1000 meters, which was won by French veteran Pascal Briand.

The day also provided the U.S. junior men with their first medal of the championships. It came in the afternoon, when Chad Horne finished second in the 1000 meters.

Junior woman Amber Yarborough of High Point, N.C., also won a medal -- a bronze in the 1000 meters.

Italy and Colombia Roll On

But the day wasn't only a good one for the U.S. team. Italy remained on top in the championships by adding seven more models to its winnings.

Colombia remained in second place overall by adding eight medals, including four golds -- all won by its women and junior women.

France also had a winning day, collecting five medals, including three golds.

Tomorrow the skaters get a day off to prepare for the start of the second stage of the championships: the road races, which end Friday with the marathon.

Medal tally:
(Here's the metal count after three days of racing.)

Event Preview:
Speed Skaters Converge for Smaller World Championships
It's got a new name. And it's smaller than last year. But World Speed Skating Championships promise to be just as exciting as ever with the top inline racers in the world -- including USA's Brittany Bowe and Joey Mantia -- competing for gold, silver and bronze on track and road. (Here's the Planet Preview of the 2005 World Speed Skating Championships!) (Aug. 25, 2005)