When Chinese speed skater Wang Manli was speeding through the
finish line, she realized that her life dream of winning an Olympic
gold medal eclipsed at the Turin Winter Olympics on Tuesday.
Wang, China's 16-time world champion, finished the women's 500m
speed skating in second by 0.21 seconds behind arch rival Svetlana
Zhurova of Russia.
"It's a regret to miss the chance to win a gold medal. Now, I
had the mixed feelings. Everybody has pressure but I didn't
transform the pressure to motivation. She (Zhurova) is mentally
stronger than me," she said, tears in eyes.
Wang Manli ranked second after race one in 38.31 seconds, 0.08
seconds behind Zhurova. Their difference was further widened after
race two, in which Wang finished at a time of 38.47 seconds and
Zhurova 38.34.
Started skating at the age of 10. In 2004, Wang was awarded the
Golden Skate by the International Skating Union. Aged at 33, Wang
is one of the oldest among the Chinese athletes in the Turin Winter
Olympic Games. It was widely believed that Turin would be her last
Olympics.
Wang's fellow Chinese Ren Hui settled to the third place in
76.87 seconds. The 23-year-old was on her maiden Olympic journey
and was excited about the bronze medal.
"I never expected this. I have given my all in the second race
and I made it to the podium."
On the 2010 Vancouver Games, Ren, the bronze medalist in 500m in
the 2004 World Championships, said that "I haven't thought about
that. I will start all over again and improve my skills step by
step."
(Xinhua News Agency February 15, 2006)
