Dutch resume dominance in speed skating, sweep 10,000 meters
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sochi, Russia (SportsNetwork.com) - Speed skating has belonged to the Netherlands at the Sochi Olympics and that did not change on Tuesday.
The Dutch swept another event, grabbing three more medals in the men's 10,000 meters at Adler Arena.
Jorrit Bergsma was the top finisher in Tuesday's event, setting an Olympic record with a time of 12 minutes, 44.45 seconds in the grueling race. Sven Kramer was 4.57 seconds off Bergsma's time, while Bob de Jong finished at a distant 13:07.19 seconds, 22.74 ticks off Bergsma's incredible time.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Still, de Jong earned bronze and gave the Netherlands a total of 19 medals in speed skating during these Olympics. Twelve of those medals have been won by the men.
It marked the fourth event in Sochi that the Dutch have swept. The women won all three medals in the 1,500 meters, while the men also filled the podium in the 500 and 5,000 meters.
Bergsma claimed a bronze in the men's 5,000 back on Feb. 8, with Kramer taking gold. However, it was the 28-year-old Bergsma coming out on top Tuesday in a repeat of his first-place finish at the 2013 World Single Distances Championships, also held in Sochi.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}For Kramer, he may view his silver as a disappointment. The 27-year-old, who picked up his sixth Olympic medal with his second of Sochi, was in line to win this event four years ago in Vancouver, but was disqualified for an illegal lane change.
It also was the fourth Olympic medal of de Jong's career and each has come in this event. That includes a gold in 2006 and a bronze four years ago.
South Korea's Lee Seung-Hoon, who took gold in Vancouver after Kramer's DQ, finished fourth on Tuesday with a time of 13:11.68.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}American Emery Lehman, 17, finished 10th, one spot ahead of fellow U.S. skater Patrick Meek.