0:00:33 > 0:00:34Hello, and welcome to the penultimate day
0:00:34 > 0:00:36of the Winter Olympics.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38And there's still plenty of sport to come before
0:00:38 > 0:00:43we all pack up and head home.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Later in the programme, we'll have highlights of one
0:00:46 > 0:00:50of the new events at these Games, with the mass start speed skating.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54But first, Andrew Musgrave made British cross-country history
0:00:54 > 0:00:57with a seventh place finish in his first event of the Games.
0:00:57 > 0:01:03Now he takes part in his last, and the most gruelling, the men's 50km.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Ollie Williams and Rob Walker are your commentators.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10Ollie Williams and Rob Walker are your commentators.
0:01:10 > 0:01:16We will keep our eye on Andrew Musgrave and he -- if he is not up
0:01:16 > 0:01:21amongst the leaders we will try and keep you posted on his split times
0:01:21 > 0:01:27if he is out of vision. Plenty of stories and plenty of opportunities.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31Iivo Niskanen, we have over two hours to talk about him and the best
0:01:31 > 0:01:37of the rest. He is the reigning world champion in the 15 kilometres,
0:01:37 > 0:01:42and interestingly enough... There is Mattie hike in, he got a bronze in
0:01:42 > 0:01:49the World Championships. Niskanen opted not to start the Olympic race
0:01:49 > 0:01:55because he has placed so much attention and focus on the 50 in his
0:01:55 > 0:01:59preparation. No exaggeration to say that this is the title that he wants
0:01:59 > 0:02:08and no fin has won this since 1950. Tier he has been targeting it for
0:02:08 > 0:02:12four years. He had the World Championships on home snow last year
0:02:12 > 0:02:15in Finland and that was a huge boost to him.This race is everything he
0:02:15 > 0:02:29has been planning.He is a big star, and it is going to be a big contest
0:02:29 > 0:02:42today between Dario: you and Alex Harvey -- Dario Cologna. There are
0:02:42 > 0:02:49many contenders. A last chance perhaps for Harvey. He completed the
0:02:49 > 0:02:59one, two, three for Sweden, Hans Christer Holund. The question is not
0:02:59 > 0:03:10about the ability of Sundby but how tired he is. Alexey Poltoranin,
0:03:10 > 0:03:14however, is on relatively fresh eggs so they could put down the hammer
0:03:14 > 0:03:18early and try and hurt the likes of Sundby, knowing how much mileage you
0:03:18 > 0:03:23already has in his legs from this fortnight.The only reason I think
0:03:23 > 0:03:27they might not do that is because of the wind. The windy nature of today
0:03:27 > 0:03:31could hamper the ability for people to get to the front. Niskanen says
0:03:31 > 0:03:36if it is windy he will not try a break at the front and it is quite
0:03:36 > 0:03:42breezy on the exposed course right now. John Mark Guyot of France has
0:03:42 > 0:03:47an outside chance of doing something. Andrew Marr 's golf is --
0:03:47 > 0:03:55Andrew Musgrave is going to be bare handed for this entire 50 K!
0:04:02 > 0:04:07Here we go, the longest and arguably the hardest event on the
0:04:07 > 0:04:10cross-country Winter Olympic programme. The men's 50 kilometre
0:04:10 > 0:04:16classic is underway. It will take the gold and silver and bronze
0:04:16 > 0:04:21medallist well over two hours to take and stake their claim on the
0:04:21 > 0:04:27podium. It is a bit like a world-class marathon. You do not win
0:04:27 > 0:04:32it in the very early stages, but you can certainly cost yourself some
0:04:32 > 0:04:36energy if you get it wrong in the early stages. The really interesting
0:04:36 > 0:04:44thing at the beginning is going to be if we get one or two of the guys
0:04:44 > 0:04:51who have specifically and publicly targeted this race, I wonder how
0:04:51 > 0:04:54early they might try and turn the screw here and just let the others
0:04:54 > 0:05:00know that they are here and that this is the one in which they mean
0:05:00 > 0:05:05business.It will be interesting to see when they do that. This could be
0:05:05 > 0:05:09quite a slow race because the snow is quite dirty and it is not the
0:05:09 > 0:05:13fresh snow they will race on all season and it might make it slower.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17I am not sure that too many people given the wind will be looking to
0:05:17 > 0:05:23push on from the start. You have to be hard -- carefully that mass start
0:05:23 > 0:05:28like this that there are so many bodies and colliding with someone
0:05:28 > 0:05:33now, we have seen it happen in several races already that you will
0:05:33 > 0:05:37have to lose time and you might break a poll. All that kind of
0:05:37 > 0:05:41thing. We have seen people come back from Matt to win a gold-medal but it
0:05:41 > 0:05:46is unusual to do that and you do not want it to disrupt your start so you
0:05:46 > 0:05:50will see people being quite cautious at the start following these loans
0:05:50 > 0:05:56out and it will take a little while for us to develop any sense of who
0:05:56 > 0:06:05will seize the initiative. Iivo Niskanen leads from Alexey
0:06:05 > 0:06:09Poltoranin and they are two of the men who are really fancy to stop the
0:06:09 > 0:06:18dominance of the Swedish skiers. His sister is
0:06:18 > 0:06:21sister is also a world-class skier. I guess the only argument against
0:06:21 > 0:06:24Iivo Niskanen being the joint favourite for this because it is the
0:06:24 > 0:06:32one he is
0:06:32 > 0:06:36one he is targeting what he has produced so far here. He was
0:06:36 > 0:06:41disappointed with 19th in the skiathlon and only 14 in the sprint.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45He was very vocal before even when we came for our research week before
0:06:45 > 0:06:50the games began, he gave a very candid press conference saying the
0:06:50 > 0:06:54real gold medal here is the 50 kilometres on the penultimate day
0:06:54 > 0:06:59and that is the one you really have to worm and he has been really vocal
0:06:59 > 0:07:05about targeting it and he is clearly up for it. I am not saying it is a
0:07:05 > 0:07:09concerted bid to break the field but he is clearly confident that he
0:07:09 > 0:07:15wants to dominate the early proceedings ante is not confident in
0:07:15 > 0:07:22the Norwegians having it all their own way in the early stages.We have
0:07:22 > 0:07:33a gap starting to open between the front group of about 15 or 20.He is
0:07:33 > 0:07:39certainly making his presence felt at the front and Sundby is
0:07:39 > 0:07:44recognising that he is a danger man so he has decided to respond little
0:07:44 > 0:07:49bit.
0:07:49 > 0:07:56bit. Look at that, the three Russians are all in our line. The
0:07:56 > 0:08:00cameras are focusing in on Dario Cologna, he is a four-time Olympic
0:08:00 > 0:08:05champion and he is going for number five. It is an event in which he has
0:08:05 > 0:08:10always been unlucky. This can and is having a little probe off the front
0:08:10 > 0:08:16here and he is undermining his class and his desire to take the title.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20That is an excellent way to phrase it, it is a little probe, just
0:08:20 > 0:08:27pushing off the front of little bit. You can see Sundby on the left,
0:08:27 > 0:08:39wearing number four and very close to others but I wonder what is left
0:08:39 > 0:08:45in his tank. I think Norway will be looking to the second half of the
0:08:45 > 0:08:51race and their experience and what they have done so far and they will
0:08:51 > 0:08:57maybe be looking to Niklas Dyrhaug. Iivo Niskanen is still putting
0:08:57 > 0:09:02everything in and he is looking relatively fresh to me. It looks
0:09:02 > 0:09:08like Niskanen and Alexey Poltoranin are not breaking themselves to get
0:09:08 > 0:09:12up this hill but they are applying pressure. Alexander Bolshunov is
0:09:12 > 0:09:17trying to do something about the gap. It ticks down a few seconds and
0:09:17 > 0:09:22if he gets himself on the podium in this race it would really confirm
0:09:22 > 0:09:28him as the new star of Russian skiing because he has already looked
0:09:28 > 0:09:33so good, and to do it again here at the age of 21 would be really
0:09:33 > 0:09:38something.A change of skis for Alexander Bolshunov. Into the pits
0:09:38 > 0:09:42and a new set on as quickly as you can reasonably do it. A bit of a
0:09:42 > 0:09:47fudge with his right-hand ski but we are away.It is a great piece of
0:09:47 > 0:09:56France skiing from Iivo Niskanen. Alexey Poltoranin is really hurting.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00There is no other reason why the man from Kazakhstan who was vocal about
0:10:00 > 0:10:04targeting this race is no other reason he would let this much space
0:10:04 > 0:10:09grow between him and the Finn. The infection of pace has thus far
0:10:09 > 0:10:16claimed another casualty and Alexey Poltoranin now finds himself locked
0:10:16 > 0:10:20together with the talented 21-year-old Alexander Bolshunov who
0:10:20 > 0:10:28at the last checkpoint was over half a minute ahead of Sundby and Hans
0:10:28 > 0:10:33Christer Holund for fifth and sixth and he will have to do this last 20
0:10:33 > 0:10:38K entirely on his own, even if Skervin, if this is going to be gold
0:10:38 > 0:10:42he will let -- earn every single ounce of the medal that will go
0:10:42 > 0:10:49around his neck in the ceremony tomorrow night. Alexei under
0:10:49 > 0:10:57Bolshunov moves ahead of Alexey Poltoranin.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00Poltoranin. Alexey Poltoranin may not have another elections, he is
0:11:00 > 0:11:04likely to be selected for Kazakhstan but in four years' time we be as
0:11:04 > 0:11:09competitive as now? He has never won an Olympic medal and if now he is
0:11:09 > 0:11:13starting to sail away back into the distance and his engine has gone, it
0:11:13 > 0:11:18is going to be crashing for him because he has a world bronze medal
0:11:18 > 0:11:23in this race before but at the Olympic level he would have loved to
0:11:23 > 0:11:30do something today. You can see he is behind now but can you hold on
0:11:30 > 0:11:38for the medal here when there is so far to go? Will he be hauled in, as
0:11:38 > 0:11:48the Norwegian duo and Alex Harvey of Canada. Alex Harvey 's problem now
0:11:48 > 0:11:52has been that he has not had the legs in this Olympics. He has been
0:11:52 > 0:11:57in a good place in the last few Olympics and we have seen him at the
0:11:57 > 0:12:01halfway point and the gap is now closing up on Iivo Niskanen at the
0:12:01 > 0:12:06front but only very gradually. You can see him heading up on the list
0:12:06 > 0:12:13-- left. Alex Harvey has done well here to keep the pace so far. He
0:12:13 > 0:12:17needs to avoid what happened to him in the other races, losing that
0:12:17 > 0:12:24energy in the final third.For Bolshunov it now becomes an
0:12:24 > 0:12:28advantage to be the lighting -- that young Russian and to be 21 years old
0:12:28 > 0:12:33because he will not be worrying about the same things as Niskanen
0:12:33 > 0:12:36who knows this is his chance, finally he has a 50 kilometres
0:12:36 > 0:12:42classic. It will be eight years before the next one of these at the
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Winter Olympics because in four years' time it will be a freestyle
0:12:45 > 0:12:49as these rotate. He will be 34 by the time the next one comes around
0:12:49 > 0:12:56and he feels that now he is in his prime. Bolshunov is 13 seconds back
0:12:56 > 0:13:00and he might feel his chances slipping away. Bolshunov has three
0:13:00 > 0:13:05medals already at these Olympics and probably other than hauling in
0:13:05 > 0:13:11Niskanen he doesn't have much of a care in the world right now. The
0:13:11 > 0:13:15reason that his performances so special and remarkable in this race
0:13:15 > 0:13:21is that he was on the podium in the sprint as well and to be that
0:13:21 > 0:13:26competent over the short distance and now trying to reel in Niskanen
0:13:26 > 0:13:34over the longest distance, it really is worthy of note. Suddenly it is a
0:13:34 > 0:13:39very, very lonely race. You can see now that it looks like Niskanen is
0:13:39 > 0:13:44having to work and struggling a bit on the right ski up this hill.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47Bolshunov is well in touch and he can seen this given ahead of him and
0:13:47 > 0:13:51even that, being able to see the guy, makes a big, big difference
0:13:51 > 0:13:55when you are consuming like this, knowing that your target is ahead of
0:13:55 > 0:13:59you and I think Bolshunov is looking stronger coming up this climb as
0:13:59 > 0:14:05well. It is interesting, we are approaching about 36 kilometres now
0:14:05 > 0:14:09of this 50 kilometre race. Iivo Niskanen has given us such a
0:14:09 > 0:14:14gripping spectacle by forcing his rival Paul to run into come with him
0:14:14 > 0:14:18off the front and creating this massive gap and now Bolshunov fills
0:14:18 > 0:14:23that.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29that. Bolshunov now is just slowly hauling in Iivo Niskanen and we are
0:14:29 > 0:14:34going to be in for quite some finish. Really and truly one of the
0:14:34 > 0:14:40other story is -- stories is that Dario Cologna has disappeared to two
0:14:40 > 0:14:48point three seconds behind -- two minutes and 13 seconds behind. Even
0:14:48 > 0:14:54the Norwegians, we have recently had Andrey Larkov go through the
0:14:54 > 0:14:59checkpoint two minutes behind and they have lost 16 seconds on Iivo
0:14:59 > 0:15:04Niskanen. All the Norwegians are at least two minutes behind and Iivo
0:15:04 > 0:15:08Niskanen, even if he is caught by Alexander Bolshunov, it is
0:15:08 > 0:15:12incredible, what he has done to this race and how it has left the
0:15:12 > 0:15:19Norwegians and Alex Harvey and Dario Cologna in his rake -- week.He has
0:15:19 > 0:15:24blown the field apart. He was as good as his prerace predictions and
0:15:24 > 0:15:28he said it would go for it and he said he was targeting gold in this,
0:15:28 > 0:15:36the hardest event. It is going to be an agonising run in to the finish
0:15:36 > 0:15:39for Iivo Niskanen bad he cannot afford to ease up because where
0:15:39 > 0:15:45everybody else is still falling further behind him, Alexander
0:15:45 > 0:15:51Bolshunov, the 21-year-old from Russia, is continuing to put the
0:15:51 > 0:15:54psychological pressure on Iivo Niskanen. Every time, and he will
0:15:54 > 0:15:58have a few opportunities because it is a twisting and turning course,
0:15:58 > 0:16:02every time it takes a left and or are right and he will see that
0:16:02 > 0:16:10maroon shadow looming large. This is real pressure now from the Russian.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14A little reminder if you haven't watched Marcus Cross country and you
0:16:14 > 0:16:18don't who we are talking about, on the left is Iivo Niskanen from
0:16:18 > 0:16:25Finland. He was fourth in the relay and 19th in the sprint. A team
0:16:25 > 0:16:30sprint specialist from Sochi who four years focusing entirely on
0:16:30 > 0:16:35winning this race here today. He was the one who made the move and surged
0:16:35 > 0:16:40forward earlier than we thought anyone would and he absolutely blew
0:16:40 > 0:16:43apart the field in this race. Up until a few minutes ago he looks
0:16:43 > 0:16:49like he was totally untouchable for the remaining ten or 15 kilometres.
0:16:49 > 0:16:55However the man you see appear behind him now, wearing number
0:16:55 > 0:16:57seven, is Alexander Bolshunov, the Olympic Athletes from Russia. Russia
0:16:57 > 0:17:01Posner various issues in the last year or two have allowed him to come
0:17:01 > 0:17:07here and become at the age of only 21 essentially the leading light of
0:17:07 > 0:17:10Russian cross-country skiing. He has delivered a silver in the relay and
0:17:10 > 0:17:16a silver in the team sprint and bronze in the sprint and now he is
0:17:16 > 0:17:23impressing so much once again because he has hauled in Iivo
0:17:23 > 0:17:26Niskanen and now there is virtually no gap at all with just about 12.5
0:17:26 > 0:17:34kilometres to go.We have a duel on our hands. All of the others are
0:17:34 > 0:17:39slipping further and further behind this fabulous Finn but Bolshunov has
0:17:39 > 0:17:45worked his way up from the middle of the lead pack and inch by inch and
0:17:45 > 0:17:52second by second he has closed the gap. This is where we get to see the
0:17:52 > 0:17:56extent of the eagerness can and resolve. He will definitely be
0:17:56 > 0:18:00hurting. It would be impossible for him not to feel the effects of the
0:18:00 > 0:18:05savage pace that has decimated a world-class field, including Dario
0:18:05 > 0:18:09Cologna, oh at the last checkpoint was far off three minutes off the
0:18:09 > 0:18:13pace and at some stage this has got to take a toll on Iivo Niskanen,
0:18:13 > 0:18:17even when you bear in mind that he will have the adrenaline of knowing
0:18:17 > 0:18:21he is leading and knowing he is in with a shout of what would be the
0:18:21 > 0:18:28biggest victory of his career. What about Alexey Poltoranin?He is now
0:18:28 > 0:18:3350 seconds adrift and now it is equally impressive that a 21 your
0:18:33 > 0:18:37old selected for the Olympic at the door of Russia team has been able,
0:18:37 > 0:18:43unlike so many more experienced and better on paper contenders,
0:18:43 > 0:18:47Alexander Bolshunov has been able to match him, not by heading out with
0:18:47 > 0:18:53this given but with letting him get the best part of three quarters of a
0:18:53 > 0:18:58minute ahead and then bringing him back. For the first time in such a
0:18:58 > 0:19:01long time this can and have someone to work within the front but equally
0:19:01 > 0:19:06it could lose a gold medal to them. That makes this a really important
0:19:06 > 0:19:11strategic time now for both of these athletes. This Canon has more
0:19:11 > 0:19:13experience of these races but Bolshunov may have more left in him
0:19:13 > 0:19:19for the remaining kilometres.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22for the remaining kilometres.These are huge moments or Iivo Niskanen of
0:19:22 > 0:19:26Finland. His bold strategy, his passion for this distance, and for
0:19:26 > 0:19:32the history of this event, led him to make a decision to go very, very
0:19:32 > 0:19:39hard before the halfway stage. It has worked in all but one regard. He
0:19:39 > 0:19:43has got rid of everybody who stands in his way of this gold medal that
0:19:43 > 0:19:49he so desperately craves. But Bolshunov has played a very smart
0:19:49 > 0:19:55game. He has clawed his way back towards the flying Finn and done so
0:19:55 > 0:20:03gradually and done so with the real tactical maturity that belies his
0:20:03 > 0:20:08years, only 21 years of age and he has got great range and brilliant
0:20:08 > 0:20:11acceleration, otherwise he would not have been in the podium with the
0:20:11 > 0:20:15team sprint with the silver or the silver in the relay or the bronze in
0:20:15 > 0:20:21the individual sprint. But the question now is how does Iivo
0:20:21 > 0:20:27Niskanen respond to this situation? Not so much physically but mentally.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31You are miles clear and pulling away from everyone. It is a great
0:20:31 > 0:20:34situation. Even though the body starts to feel it you know your
0:20:34 > 0:20:37tactic is working and you can start to think about the glorious run into
0:20:37 > 0:20:44the finish but now he has to hang on. Does he play a smart game here?
0:20:44 > 0:20:49If he is feeling OK physically, and he will get tired at some stage,
0:20:49 > 0:20:55does he now refuse to help the Russian? Does he tucked in behind
0:20:55 > 0:20:58him and start thinking about going for a massive splint -- sprint
0:20:58 > 0:21:04towards the end? Alexey Poltoranin is definitely getting tied in third
0:21:04 > 0:21:09and he is now more than a minute behind these two. Will change of
0:21:09 > 0:21:16skis come into the mix to influence the proceedings the last ten K? This
0:21:16 > 0:21:20is the moment where the questions are being asked and it will be
0:21:20 > 0:21:25fascinating to see how Niskanen responds.The waxing is going on
0:21:25 > 0:21:29now. His team are preparing the skis so it is like cutting to the pit
0:21:29 > 0:21:34lane in the F1 coverage and seeing them about the tyres. We know that
0:21:34 > 0:21:36Niskanen will come in for the skis and the Finnish team have been
0:21:36 > 0:21:39looking at this race and looked at the conditions and they know the
0:21:39 > 0:21:48conditions have changed and Diaz got cold out
0:21:48 > 0:21:51cold out there and they will now try to adapt to that and say, OK, what
0:21:51 > 0:21:54does he need honestly to finish this race? The same applies to Bolshunov.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57They look like there is quite a pace coming on between them. An update on
0:21:57 > 0:22:01the British contenders in this race, Andrew Musgrave came through the 35
0:22:01 > 0:22:05kilometres checkpoint at 45th, nine minutes back from the leader. Calum
0:22:05 > 0:22:15Smith was further back at 58 just a few moments ago.Two questions here.
0:22:15 > 0:22:20If Niskanen comes in for a pit stop will the new skis with the wax make
0:22:20 > 0:22:26a difference? Also, will the fact that he takes a pit stop, assuming
0:22:26 > 0:22:31he does, give this man from Russia and opportunity to accelerate and
0:22:31 > 0:22:38create a gap for the first time? That will be fascinating over this
0:22:38 > 0:22:43next 150 metres or so.It creates an entirely new dramatic -- dynamic
0:22:43 > 0:22:48because now with Niskanen comes in you will have Bolshunov out alone
0:22:48 > 0:22:51and suddenly he is not the one doing the chasing, which he has been for
0:22:51 > 0:22:55most of this race, he is the one being chased and he needs to change
0:22:55 > 0:23:00mindset as well because even now, when there are two of you together,
0:23:00 > 0:23:03it is a different mindset as to whether you stop and you can see
0:23:03 > 0:23:08that Niskanen will peel off now and Bolshunov will go off out alone as
0:23:08 > 0:23:12Niskanen comes in for the change. He is quite measured and taking time a
0:23:12 > 0:23:20little bit and Rob has a different interpretation of that to me. I
0:23:20 > 0:23:23thought Niskanen kept is calm in that change and he came out again
0:23:23 > 0:23:30but he has distanced to make up and now what does Bolshunov do? He has
0:23:30 > 0:23:36an 11 second gap by virtue of the stop. How will Alexander Bolshunov,
0:23:36 > 0:23:4021 years old and in his first Olympics, how will you handle that
0:23:40 > 0:23:47gap and this pressure?Compared to some of the other pit stops we have
0:23:47 > 0:23:53seen, it took maybe a second or two longer certainly than we saw for
0:23:53 > 0:23:58Sundby who had a brilliant pit stop in the early stages of the race.
0:23:58 > 0:24:03Alexey Poltoranin is falling further adrift and getting closer to
0:24:03 > 0:24:09Niskanen because he lost ground after that pit stop. The man from
0:24:09 > 0:24:11Kazakhstan is completely isolated on his own in third place but at the
0:24:11 > 0:24:18moment he has a gap of more than one minute on the chase group that
0:24:18 > 0:24:22contained two Norwegians and the Russian and the man from Canada. The
0:24:22 > 0:24:28question here is how helpful was the change of skis? Is the improved grip
0:24:28 > 0:24:33on the snow worth the 11 seconds that it cost Iivo Niskanen to make
0:24:33 > 0:24:38that pit stop? I think with the naked eye he is closing the gap.
0:24:38 > 0:24:46That could be significant. Here come the chasers. You have the likes of
0:24:46 > 0:24:51Andrei Lobkov, followed by Alex Harvey, Hans Christer Holund and
0:24:51 > 0:24:54Martin Johnsrud Sundby. These guys are good enough that on a different
0:24:54 > 0:24:57race on a different day this was always sprint for gold and silver
0:24:57 > 0:25:01and bronze but we have three very, very bold men who have gone
0:25:01 > 0:25:07extremely barred extremely early and they are not closing either on
0:25:07 > 0:25:11Alexey Poltoranin or Iivo Niskanen or Alexander Bolshunov. Fourth and
0:25:11 > 0:25:17fifth and sixth and seventh could be all they get in that quarter.That
0:25:17 > 0:25:20shows how perfect the timing was from Iivo Niskanen. The only thing
0:25:20 > 0:25:25that has gone wrong, and may not have been permanently wrong, what
0:25:25 > 0:25:29Alexander Bolshunov could stay with him and has now moved ahead because
0:25:29 > 0:25:34of the pit stop. Iivo Niskanen 's timing and the way he broke apart
0:25:34 > 0:25:39the field has proved over the ensuing almost one hour since he did
0:25:39 > 0:25:46it, to have been a perfect decision in terms of taking out, well, Dario
0:25:46 > 0:25:49Cologna is already more than a minute back in the Norwegian
0:25:49 > 0:25:52challenge has completely disappeared and show no sign of life and Alex
0:25:52 > 0:25:58Harvey is wrapped up in that as well and Alexey Chervotkin has also been
0:25:58 > 0:26:01dropped by the chasing pack a long time ago and only Bolshunov was able
0:26:01 > 0:26:06to keep up with this man and a gap is now down to six seconds and Iivo
0:26:06 > 0:26:11Niskanen through a switch of skis is now reeling back in the Russian and
0:26:11 > 0:26:17we really are going to have an amazing finish.It could be very,
0:26:17 > 0:26:22very exciting as they head towards the business end of the race. All
0:26:22 > 0:26:26credit to Iivo Niskanen, not just in terms of the tactics of changing
0:26:26 > 0:26:32skis, but also not folding mentally after seeing the 21-year-old Russian
0:26:32 > 0:26:36close down the huge lead that he had worked so hard to generate.
0:26:36 > 0:26:43Bolshunov is still in front of course. Niskanen is trying to make
0:26:43 > 0:26:49his way back up onto the shoulder of the new leader and with every push
0:26:49 > 0:26:57and every drive he is closing. The gap is only now for seconds. Alexey
0:26:57 > 0:27:02Poltoranin is miles behind, the Kazakhstan is in third. This is
0:27:02 > 0:27:07two-way battle for Olympic glory here on the stunning tracks of
0:27:07 > 0:27:12Pyeongchang.You can see how the conditions are deteriorating out on
0:27:12 > 0:27:18the course as well, the Herald has played such a huge part in this
0:27:18 > 0:27:29whole Olympics. Every race that Hill is been used to the advantage. Will
0:27:29 > 0:27:33it be Bolshunov or Niskanen that has enough left to use that hell as they
0:27:33 > 0:27:42get closer and closer to it in the final stages of this race?I think
0:27:42 > 0:27:45the dynamic between the two groups their shows you for the very first
0:27:45 > 0:27:49time that these two are tired. They will not be caught by the chase
0:27:49 > 0:27:55group who are over two minutes behind but these two are tired,
0:27:55 > 0:28:00mentally and physically. They are almost a spent force but one of them
0:28:00 > 0:28:04is going to find something here in the very closing stages that will be
0:28:04 > 0:28:12remembered forever. Alexander Bolshunov, the 21-year-old from
0:28:12 > 0:28:16Russia, has skied a brilliant tactical race. He has not gone with
0:28:16 > 0:28:20the early pace of Enniskillen and he worked his way back here to the
0:28:20 > 0:28:26Flying Finn who now taxes every move and talk about history, has no Finn
0:28:26 > 0:28:35has won this title since 1960. The weight of history is on Evo Niskanen
0:28:35 > 0:28:40shoulders and a nation will be tuning in life to watch their young
0:28:40 > 0:28:46hero from back home. He is quite a character Antico owns a racehorse
0:28:46 > 0:28:51and his sister is an Olympic medallist and Iivo Niskanen himself
0:28:51 > 0:28:54took the gold in the team sprint but this is different and this gold
0:28:54 > 0:28:58would be his and his alone and it would be an amazing slice of Winter
0:28:58 > 0:29:01Olympic history of something that has not been done by a Finn in
0:29:01 > 0:29:11almost 50 years.They're behind, that front duo, we have potentially
0:29:11 > 0:29:15a bronze medallist in there somewhere. You will note that we
0:29:15 > 0:29:20have no Alexey Poltoranin in that shot. It looks like it is now a
0:29:20 > 0:29:29straight four way battle between Sundby in for. Alex Harvey, Andrey
0:29:29 > 0:29:33Larkov and Hans Christer Holund. Somewhere in that is your bronze
0:29:33 > 0:29:37medallist and here are your gold and silver medallists. It is just a case
0:29:37 > 0:29:42of which way it will be. Wearing eight, Iivo Niskanen, a man whose
0:29:42 > 0:29:46life's work and even the last four years work has been to get this
0:29:46 > 0:29:51Olympic gold. None of the other Olympic golds, this Olympic gold. In
0:29:51 > 0:29:55front of him at 21-year-old in Alexander Bolshunov who has a whole
0:29:55 > 0:30:00career out of him but has exploded onto the scene at this Olympics with
0:30:00 > 0:30:07a series of impressive performances and he is
0:30:11 > 0:30:13and he is already home with three medals, but none of them are gold.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16One of these two will win an Olympic title for the first time in their
0:30:16 > 0:30:20career and we are just about to find out who.If you have never watched
0:30:20 > 0:30:24cross-country skiing before it does not matter. What is there not to
0:30:24 > 0:30:31admire about two young men putting years and years of their life on the
0:30:31 > 0:30:37line for a chance to make history? Iivo Niskanen has blown this entire
0:30:37 > 0:30:44field apart. He has been so gutsy and Zoe Ball C and determined that
0:30:44 > 0:30:50this slice of history is his but he has not been able to get rid of the
0:30:50 > 0:30:54maroon shadow who we can just about see in these gloomy conditions in
0:30:54 > 0:31:00Pyeongchang, Alexander Bolshunov, three times he has been on the
0:31:00 > 0:31:04podium here in Pyeongchang but this is one that he wants. He has a
0:31:04 > 0:31:08chance, the 21 year but it is just too close to call at the moment and
0:31:08 > 0:31:13will it come down to that massive hill for the finish? These other
0:31:13 > 0:31:17four men battling for the bronze, with Andrey Larkov leading at the
0:31:17 > 0:31:22moment and Sundby tucked in behind him.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25These four are coming through. Sundby will not have his individual
0:31:25 > 0:31:29Olympic title. We watch now. Niskanen pulling away. He has that
0:31:29 > 0:31:34team sprint from four years ago. He wants an Olympic gold for himself on
0:31:34 > 0:31:41his own. He's going now.This is so gutsy from Iivo Niskanen. But that's
0:31:41 > 0:31:48how he skied this entire race. He went to the front, right at the
0:31:48 > 0:31:54start and after seeing his lead erode, after changing skis, he's
0:31:54 > 0:31:57maintained his focus and his tactical composure. He's gone early
0:31:57 > 0:32:04here. He's gone hard.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07here. He's gone hard.The Olympic Athletes from Russia Alexander
0:32:07 > 0:32:11Bolshunov is slipping a bit.He's trying to hold on. He got the
0:32:11 > 0:32:14individual wro bronze in the sprint. He's quick. But this man is being
0:32:14 > 0:32:20driven on by a nation and by the weight of history. No Finn has taken
0:32:20 > 0:32:23this title in over half a century. He's broken Bolshunov. Bolshunov
0:32:23 > 0:32:32sits up. He knows he has been beaten in this battle for the gold medal.
0:32:32 > 0:32:36You don't often see an athlete giving way like that. I think it
0:32:36 > 0:32:40shows you just how much it had taken out of Bolshunov to close that gap
0:32:40 > 0:32:46in the first place.We see Niskanen moving up this hill. We this might
0:32:46 > 0:32:51be where Bolshunov would be broken. Bolshunov behind him now renews the
0:32:51 > 0:32:55attack. The gap is there now. Niskanen accelerated. As Rob says,
0:32:55 > 0:33:01so unusual to see an athlete simply say, I can't match that. That is it.
0:33:01 > 0:33:06After 48 kilometers I have not got what it takes to stay with that man.
0:33:06 > 0:33:10Niskanen goes up this hill for a final time at this Olympic Games.
0:33:10 > 0:33:15Take as look behind him. Now the dissent into the the arena towards a
0:33:15 > 0:33:23gold medal.Niskanen takes that sharp left hander. Takes it
0:33:23 > 0:33:28carefully. Wants to stay on his feet. Wants to saviour the moment of
0:33:28 > 0:33:34a lifetime. He took a gold in the Team Sprint four years ago. Before
0:33:34 > 0:33:40these Games began, he said - this is the title that every Winter Olympic
0:33:40 > 0:33:44cross-country skier wants. This is the event that's been in the Winter
0:33:44 > 0:33:49Olympic programme since 1924. That's why they've got the flags with his
0:33:49 > 0:33:55face on it. This will be massive for Finnish sport. An absolutely superb
0:33:55 > 0:34:03performance from the Flying Finn. Iivo Niskanen pulling away from
0:34:03 > 0:34:10Bolshunov. He had the heart, the desire and mental strength and self
0:34:10 > 0:34:14belief to pull away from a huge field before halfway. Despite
0:34:14 > 0:34:19Bolshunov putting him under pressure it will be Iivo Niskanen's day. The
0:34:19 > 0:34:24crowning moment of a glittering career so far. He's orchestrating
0:34:24 > 0:34:31the crowd over 50 years of history. Finally, a Finn is back on top in
0:34:31 > 0:34:38this most gruelling of vents. Iivo Niskanen writes his name in the
0:34:38 > 0:34:43all-time Winter Olympic greats in this event. All credit to Alexander
0:34:43 > 0:34:48Bolshunov, he is absolutely shattered. He looks disappointed. He
0:34:48 > 0:34:52was the only man in the entire field who could do anything to put
0:34:52 > 0:34:57Niskanen under pressure. There's no disgrace with yet another silver for
0:34:57 > 0:35:02him because it's all gold for Niskanen.We cut back now to our
0:35:02 > 0:35:10race for the bronze medal, led by Larkov. We will see in just a few
0:35:10 > 0:35:15seconds' time how that turns out. We take another look back at Niskanen.
0:35:15 > 0:35:20Niskanen owned this entire race. Niskanen delivered absolutely
0:35:20 > 0:35:26everything that has made this race a spectacle. He deserves that gold.
0:35:26 > 0:35:33It's an incredible victory for him. Larkov on the sprint. Sundby trying
0:35:33 > 0:35:39to match him. Harvey out of it on the right. Holund too far back.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43Between Sundby and Larkov. Sundby on the inside line. It looks like
0:35:43 > 0:35:46Larkov has too much. Larkov will reach the top of this hill in first
0:35:46 > 0:35:51place. Is this going to decide this battle for bronze between these
0:35:51 > 0:35:55four? Will Larkov join Bolshunov on the podium? It's looking like it
0:35:55 > 0:36:02now.That was an unbelievable piece of acceleration up that brutal
0:36:02 > 0:36:11incline. Even the great Sundby, who has taken two gold medals here in
0:36:11 > 0:36:14Pyeonchang could not respond. Niskanen takes the glory, Bolshunov
0:36:14 > 0:36:19the silver. It looks like we will have another Olympic Athletes from
0:36:19 > 0:36:24Russia on the podium. On this last day of action for the men, it looks
0:36:24 > 0:36:27as though, for the first time, we don't have a Norwegian on the
0:36:27 > 0:36:35podium. They have given it everything, Sundby and Harvey of
0:36:35 > 0:36:43Canada, who has had a fine glittering career for the Canadians.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46Not a met medal for him after years of trying. Another Olympic Athletes
0:36:46 > 0:36:51from Russia, it will be a bronze medal for Andrey Larkov to go
0:36:51 > 0:36:59alongside his Relay Silver. For all the publicised reasons the Russians
0:36:59 > 0:37:03turned to young athletes. That is the sprint between Harvey and Sunday
0:37:03 > 0:37:07sun. That is a sprint for fourth. Doesn't that show you how much they
0:37:07 > 0:37:11give to this sport and how much they still care. Harvey took it from
0:37:11 > 0:37:18Sundby by a whisker. A very tired Holund comes across the line.Larkov
0:37:18 > 0:37:25is proud of that bronze. Bolshunov still coming to terms with silver.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27It's gold, a glorious gold for Iivo Niskanen.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30It's gold, a glorious gold for Iivo Niskanen.
0:37:30 > 0:37:32To a brand new Olympic event, and it's the mass
0:37:32 > 0:37:33start speed skating.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35South Korea have two real medal chances here,
0:37:35 > 0:37:38so it's likely to be a brilliant atmosphere in the Ganeung Oval.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41Talking us through this one are Simon Brotherton and Wilf O'Reilly.
0:37:42 > 0:37:47COMMENTATOR: We are getting ready for the women's mass start final. 16
0:37:47 > 0:37:52skaters on the track here going for gold.
0:37:57 > 0:38:06Irene Schouten from the Netherlands. Claudia Pechstein here as well. Nana
0:38:06 > 0:38:10Takagi from Japan has a gold medal in the Team Pursuit. Heather Bergsma
0:38:10 > 0:38:21from the United States. The Olympic final. The women's mass start. The
0:38:21 > 0:38:26inaugural mass start final.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29inaugural mass start final. The world number one ranked skater at
0:38:29 > 0:38:36the front. Based over three World Cups at the moment. They have to
0:38:36 > 0:38:44remain behind her for this first lap of 16 laps. There are three sprints.
0:38:44 > 0:38:49The winner of each sprint gets five points, the second place gets three
0:38:49 > 0:38:54points and the third place gets one point. It's all about the skaters
0:38:54 > 0:39:00that cross the line first, second and third. The winner there gets 60
0:39:00 > 0:39:13points, second, 40 points. Third, 20 points. The race is really on now.
0:39:18 > 0:39:24Is she is going around the outside. She is getting the racing animated
0:39:24 > 0:39:28very early here.It doesn't look like anybody is going after her.
0:39:28 > 0:39:34This could be very interesting indeed.
0:39:36 > 0:39:40indeed.It's Saskia Alusalu. Everyone looks at each other and
0:39:40 > 0:39:45says, I will not chase. Then none do. While they hesitate the person
0:39:45 > 0:39:48who escaped gains considerable ground which is exactly what Saskia
0:39:48 > 0:39:54Alusalu is doing at the moment. They are only coming round now. It's
0:39:54 > 0:40:00almost a length of the straight. First time the event has taken part
0:40:00 > 0:40:02in the Olympic Games. I'm not sure everybody knows what is happening.
0:40:02 > 0:40:07If they allow her to get almost a complete lap, I think it will be
0:40:07 > 0:40:12very... It will be like in sigh cycling, the second group would have
0:40:12 > 0:40:18to work very hard to get that back up eventually to close the gap.
0:40:18 > 0:40:23There's about 200 meters difference at the moment.She is skating really
0:40:23 > 0:40:26well here the 23-year-old. Her first ever event at the Olympic Games.
0:40:26 > 0:40:32Tenth in the world championship in 2015. 11th in the recent European
0:40:32 > 0:40:37Championship. The first one to get points on the board here in this
0:40:37 > 0:40:44final of the mass sprint with 12 lapse to go. A quarter of the way
0:40:44 > 0:40:50through it second over the line was Li Dan. Third over the line will get
0:40:50 > 0:40:56one point. The chase is on. As you can see.Even though there has been
0:40:56 > 0:41:03five points awarded, it won't have any effect on the final sprint,
0:41:03 > 0:41:09there's still there. If we look at the lap board. There are 11 laps to
0:41:09 > 0:41:20go. Some considerable way to skate. A lot of looking around. That is
0:41:20 > 0:41:26among the main pack here. They are carving out their way at the front,
0:41:26 > 0:41:37Saskia Alusalu. The red, blue and white of the Czech Republic there.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40Keri Morrison just momentarily nudging the Dutch woman who was just
0:41:40 > 0:41:47in front of her there. Irene Schouten the former world champion.
0:41:47 > 0:41:51This is Annouk van der Weijden. Claudia Pechstein from Germany was
0:41:51 > 0:41:58second in line there. 46 now in the autumn of her career. Nine Olympic
0:41:58 > 0:42:03medals to her name. This is the front of the race. Estonia.That is
0:42:03 > 0:42:12right.Look at that. She is half a lap ahead.Still half a lap ahead.
0:42:12 > 0:42:16She will have ten points. We know it's quite important she doesn't win
0:42:16 > 0:42:21the third sprint she would have 15 points. Still that would only
0:42:21 > 0:42:31guarantee her fourth place.She will be time trialing her way around the
0:42:31 > 0:42:36track here now as Li Dan leads the chase, still with the leader coming
0:42:36 > 0:42:43into the finish here now to scoop up maximum points, once more. Roughly
0:42:43 > 0:42:48half a lap advantage over the rest of the field. Halfway through the
0:42:48 > 0:42:53race, Saskia Alusalu has taken maximum points. Here comes the
0:42:53 > 0:43:03chase. Who will take three points. It's Li Dan from China. Luiza
0:43:03 > 0:43:07Zlotkowska gets a point as well. Number 16.Very important Simon that
0:43:07 > 0:43:13now the speed of the remaining chasing group keeps going. If they
0:43:13 > 0:43:19now back off again, allow this skater from Estonia to go through.
0:43:19 > 0:43:24She could be in danger of going away.She might. I imagine she is
0:43:24 > 0:43:28surprised to have gained the advantage she has and be at the
0:43:28 > 0:43:34front this deep into the race here. All she can do is press on now.
0:43:34 > 0:43:39Absolutely. Pechstein on the front of this group here. Not really
0:43:39 > 0:43:43putting any sort of speed into it at all. They need to be very, very
0:43:43 > 0:43:48careful indeed. There are still six laps to go. It's still a
0:43:48 > 0:43:56considerable way.Just tucked in is Heather Bergsma, Number Ten from the
0:43:56 > 0:44:09USA. Tucked in behind her compatriot, Manganello.We could
0:44:09 > 0:44:13have a surprise gold medallists. Wouldn't it be amazing. They aren't
0:44:13 > 0:44:17really going for it. Nobody is taking responsibility here. Nobody
0:44:17 > 0:44:24wants to do the lion's share of the work.Most of the countries have two
0:44:24 > 0:44:29skaters. The skater from Estonia is out there alone.Well, she is
0:44:29 > 0:44:36certainly going to take up the points for the third time in a row
0:44:36 > 0:44:41as Maryna Zuyeva from Belarus Russ has had enough and will lead the
0:44:41 > 0:44:47chase. The race is really on, at last. The Netherlands is right
0:44:47 > 0:44:51behind her. The gap, as you can see, closing down already, but three
0:44:51 > 0:44:57quarters of the way through it another five points. She is up to 15
0:44:57 > 0:45:03now, Saskia Alusalu.
0:45:06 > 0:45:10They are starting to close in. Of course it does take a lot of energy
0:45:10 > 0:45:17to do that. Now the race is really on now.Manganello of the USA really
0:45:17 > 0:45:23closing down with what is it just about three laps to go.As they come
0:45:23 > 0:45:28to the three laps to go mark Alusalu is about to be overtaken here. The
0:45:28 > 0:45:31junction will be made. Manganello leading the chase here. The
0:45:31 > 0:45:38American. Here they come. Up towards Alusalu. Also Schouten is well up
0:45:38 > 0:45:43there for the Netherlands as well, at the front of the race. This is a
0:45:43 > 0:45:46powerful turn on the front by Manganello. Bergsma from the United
0:45:46 > 0:45:51States is in this race as well. It's splitting up now. Manganello, strong
0:45:51 > 0:45:56and powerful. Leading the way. Looking very comfortable in second
0:45:56 > 0:45:59place is Schouten from the Netherlands.Very comfortable. She
0:45:59 > 0:46:03has been really going through the turns with two arms up her back.
0:46:03 > 0:46:07She's conserving a lot of energy there. The ideal position, number
0:46:07 > 0:46:13two at the moment.
0:46:13 > 0:46:18two at the moment.I The world champion is in there for Korea. Kim
0:46:18 > 0:46:24Bo-Reum is in a fine position now. In third place is Irene Schouten.
0:46:24 > 0:46:29The 2015 world champion, strides for home. Nana Takagi is in second
0:46:29 > 0:46:33place. On her shoulder is Number Eleven, Kim Bo-Reum the world
0:46:33 > 0:46:39champion from Korea. Italy can't hold the piece pace of the three in
0:46:39 > 0:46:43the front. Into the finishing straight. The sprint is on. Nana
0:46:43 > 0:46:47Takagi from Japan will get it. Takagi on the line. Takagi take it
0:46:47 > 0:46:54is for Japan. Kim Bo-Reum finishes I think in second place. It's a photo
0:46:54 > 0:46:59between Kim Bo-Reum and Irene Schouten of the Netherlands. Nana
0:46:59 > 0:47:07Takagi has her second gold of the Games. What a spectacular sprint for
0:47:07 > 0:47:12the line that was.
0:47:13 > 0:47:18the line that was. Takagi from Japan is the gold medallists. Kim Bo-Reum
0:47:18 > 0:47:23from Korea takes the silver. Irene Schouten from the Netherlands with
0:47:23 > 0:47:29the bronze.The speed that these girls can finish with, it's amazing.
0:47:29 > 0:47:36You saw there, Irene Schouten really having a long sprint. She started
0:47:36 > 0:47:41with about 250, 300 meters to go. You can see Takagi, as they come
0:47:41 > 0:47:47into the final 100 meters, makes a small slip there.That cost her,
0:47:47 > 0:47:53didn't it?Yep. Takagi I think was in the best place there.More than a
0:47:53 > 0:47:58lap to go. She was right behind Schouten. Confirmation then of the
0:47:58 > 0:48:08result.
0:48:08 > 0:48:14There we go with the last Olympic final in the speed skating in the
0:48:14 > 0:48:20Ganeung Oval. What a final it pros promises to be the inall August
0:48:20 > 0:48:27rallying mass start. The Olympic title up for grabs. Will it go to a
0:48:27 > 0:48:36sprinter here at the end of this race. Linus Heidegger will lead them
0:48:36 > 0:48:42out and Andrea Giovannini from Italy, third in line.None of the
0:48:42 > 0:48:51other skaters in this first lap of the 16 laps are allowed to pass the
0:48:51 > 0:48:56Austrian, Heidegger. This helps to set an order and helps the race to
0:48:56 > 0:49:00settle down rather than being a mad scramble from the gun? That's
0:49:00 > 0:49:08correct. Looking at the two semi-finals to come into the final.
0:49:08 > 0:49:15If there is a skater who can go to the front and stay there all day you
0:49:15 > 0:49:20would
0:49:20 > 0:49:24would think it would be Sven Kramer. If it comes to the wire he doesn't
0:49:24 > 0:49:28have the fire power to kick in.He will need to go for a long one,
0:49:28 > 0:49:37isn't he, Kramer?Yes. What impressed me with Bart Swings coming
0:49:37 > 0:49:41from in-line skating, multiple world champion she was impressive in the
0:49:41 > 0:49:49semi-finals.He did.
0:49:49 > 0:49:55Two Dutchmen there. Kramer on the front.Some of the countries have
0:49:55 > 0:50:00two skaters. The Netherlands have two skaters.Korea.Korea have two
0:50:00 > 0:50:07skaters. There could be a bit of team tactics as well.Mikhailau
0:50:07 > 0:50:13decides he's had enough of that and looking at each other. Moved to the
0:50:13 > 0:50:19front for the bell for the first lap. 400 meters to the first points
0:50:19 > 0:50:28on the line. Linus Heidegger from Austria has gone with him.
0:50:30 > 0:50:33Austria has gone with him.They get five points for these sprints.
0:50:33 > 0:50:38Because the third placed skater gets 20 points. Sometimes they allow the
0:50:38 > 0:50:45leading group, as we can see, to get away.
0:50:47 > 0:50:50away.The points in the order of five, three and one. It quickly
0:50:50 > 0:50:57opened up a gap for them. On the front of the main field it looks to
0:50:57 > 0:51:08me as if that is Chung Jaewon. Kramer third in line.
0:51:08 > 0:51:14Kramer third in line. Peter Michael. The Koreans may be talking about
0:51:14 > 0:51:18team helping their team, team skating. Chung is on the front. He's
0:51:18 > 0:51:30not allowing the other three skaters to skate away.For Korea you would
0:51:30 > 0:51:34think Lee Seung-Hoon would be their big threat. The leading trio to be
0:51:34 > 0:51:39overtaken. Wenger could sense the dangeror. The danger provided by
0:51:39 > 0:51:45Thorup. 13th in the world. Championship last year, from
0:51:45 > 0:51:49Denmark, Viktor Hald Thorup. He has an eye on this sprint and taking the
0:51:49 > 0:51:52sting from some of the legs out there.Sven Kramer will like this.
0:51:52 > 0:51:57If the pace is quick all the way. It will be really fatiguing some of the
0:51:57 > 0:52:07sprinters.The sort of race that Sven Kramer would be hoping for.
0:52:10 > 0:52:16Guam gap back to Mikhailau from Belarus.
0:52:16 > 0:52:21Mikhailau, bringing them round. That looks like Linus Heidegger from
0:52:21 > 0:52:25Austria still at the front of the main pack, in second place. Here we
0:52:25 > 0:52:29are at the front of the race.
0:52:32 > 0:52:36Thorup from Denmark the instigator of the attack.Five points awarded
0:52:36 > 0:52:44to him, of course. I think third was there.Heidegger.Heidegger.Thorup,
0:52:44 > 0:52:48Wenger and Heidegger. Five, three and one.Interesting now what will
0:52:48 > 0:52:56happen. Chung from Korea on that second group.Chung with Bart Swings
0:52:56 > 0:53:03tucked in behind him from Belgium. Michael there with number two on his
0:53:03 > 0:53:14helmet. Then we have Stefan Due Schmidt second Dane. Kramer is a
0:53:14 > 0:53:19long way back.
0:53:20 > 0:53:23long way back.Olivier Jean back. Coming from short track, good
0:53:23 > 0:53:28sprinter. He would be somebody that we have to keep an eye on.Keeping
0:53:28 > 0:53:32his powder dry towards the end. The leading duo cross the line. The
0:53:32 > 0:53:37advantage is far from an insurmountable one. We have half a
0:53:37 > 0:53:41dozen lapse to go here. This is the chase group. There is Kramer. A long
0:53:41 > 0:53:48way back in the line. I tell you who else we haven't seen much, number
0:53:48 > 0:53:5216, Joey Mantia of the United States, the world champion. He's in
0:53:52 > 0:53:59the main field keeping his powder dry at the moment. One lap to go
0:53:59 > 0:54:04until the next intermediat sprint. This race is disappearing rapidly.
0:54:04 > 0:54:10Chung has done an awful lot of work on the front. Really it seems to be
0:54:10 > 0:54:21clear the Koreans are setting it up for Lee of Korea.Mantia the world
0:54:21 > 0:54:26champion tucked in behind Contin of France. Wenger ahead of Thorup. Five
0:54:26 > 0:54:32and three for those two. Third over the line is Chung Jaewon from Korea.
0:54:32 > 0:54:37We are into the last four lapse of this race now. As you can see, the
0:54:37 > 0:54:42race is really on. Chung Jaewon at the front. Sven Kramer starts to
0:54:42 > 0:54:45stretch his legs on the front. Opening it up. Kramer is taking this
0:54:45 > 0:54:50race on. The only way I think he knows how.That's right.
0:54:50 > 0:54:56He needs to throw the gauntlet down having a look at the lap board. How
0:54:56 > 0:55:02many laps to go. Closing the gap considerably. The Koreans go after A
0:55:02 > 0:55:04frightening thought him.For the rest of the field. Especially the
0:55:04 > 0:55:09sprinters. He could draw this one out. Has he
0:55:09 > 0:55:14got a long sprint and a long purposeful effort here that just
0:55:14 > 0:55:19blunt the speed of the real fast men here in this race? Kramer now at the
0:55:19 > 0:55:24front of the race with two laps to go. The chase is on. The Dutchman
0:55:24 > 0:55:32leads, down the back straight.Bart Swings moving around the outside.
0:55:32 > 0:55:38Lee of Korea tucked in behind him. Lee has got himself in a good
0:55:38 > 0:55:44position here. The Korean. They take the bell. Kramer overtaken. Swings
0:55:44 > 0:55:50goes to the front. Lee Seung-Hoon from Korea, Verweij for the
0:55:50 > 0:55:52Netherlands. They grit their teeth down the back
0:55:52 > 0:55:57straight they go. Hitting the front now is Lee Seung-Hoon for Korea.
0:55:57 > 0:56:01He's got his eye on gold. He comes round the bend for the last time.
0:56:01 > 0:56:06The sprint for the line here. It's going to be a home win. The first
0:56:06 > 0:56:13Olympic champion in the mass sprint is a Korean. It's Lee Seung-Hoon the
0:56:13 > 0:56:172016 world champion. The World Cup number one is now the Olympic
0:56:17 > 0:56:21champion. Lee Seung-Hoon takes the gold gold. Bart Swings of Belgium
0:56:21 > 0:56:28wins the silver. Koen Verweij of the Netherlands takes the bronze.Again,
0:56:28 > 0:56:37that is excitement. This event has really opened this, the medal tally.
0:56:37 > 0:56:44Sven Kramer really set the race up for Koen Verweij. Early sprint, but
0:56:44 > 0:56:49Lee here of Korea has taken the gold. His team-mate there, you can
0:56:49 > 0:56:56see him, it was all set up for this lad to win the gold medal.What a
0:56:56 > 0:56:59tremendous amount of work his compatriot did for him there. Good
0:56:59 > 0:57:07to see. It's being acknowledged. The 16-year-old, what a work horse.Let
0:57:07 > 0:57:10us look at it. The final lap again. Kramer had done his bit on the front
0:57:10 > 0:57:14to draw the race out. Swings found himself in a good position at the
0:57:14 > 0:57:18front. All the way through you are looking at the Korean right behind
0:57:18 > 0:57:23him thinking, he is exactly where he wants to be.You can see him coming
0:57:23 > 0:57:28down the last 100 meters there. The accelerating speed power. What they
0:57:28 > 0:57:32learnt really has children, in short track, you see it there. Really
0:57:32 > 0:57:37hugging the tightness of that bend. Hip completely in. Verweij in third
0:57:37 > 0:57:43place, really struggling. As he comes down to the final ten meters.
0:57:43 > 0:57:48As he skates across the line.Really close. Swings almost got it on the
0:57:48 > 0:57:53line, not quite. Didn't quite have that finishing burst.
0:57:56 > 0:58:01Confirmation of the results. The final gold medal of the games in
0:58:01 > 0:58:06speed skating going to Lee Seung-Hoon of Korea ahead of Bart
0:58:06 > 0:58:08Swings from Belgium with Koen Verweij of the Netherlands taking
0:58:08 > 0:58:12the bronze.
0:58:12 > 0:58:20Thanks so much for joining us here on BBC Four over the last 15 days.
0:58:20 > 0:58:22I'll be back tonight on BBC One at 11.55pm
0:58:22 > 0:58:24with live coverage of the Women's Curling final.