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Shelley Osterloh ReportingTeam USA added three more to the medals count today. American women took gold and silver in the snowboard half pipe. And the US speedskating team won gold in the 500 meter sprint race.
Part of what makes the Olympics so powerful is witnessing the sheer joy of victory and tears of disappointment. And it was all at the men's 500 meter speedskate tonight.
In the 500 meters, skaters compete in two races -- the winner has the fastest of two combined times.
Utah resident Joey Cheek had the lead after the first race and was still on top after the second. He was the only one to break the 35 second mark, and he did it on both races, in front of friends and family.
Joey Cheek, Gold Medalist: "For them to be here and experience this, and see me skate and see me winning, I'm just thrilled, stunned."
Casey FitzRandolph, the returning Olympic gold medalist from 2002, missed a step right out of the gate and lost so much time on the first race that his strong second just couldn't make up it.
Casey FitzRandolph, US Speedskater: "Seeing the times the other guys posted and how I felt in the second race and how I went there, there's no doubt I probably would have been-- probably not competing with Joey for gold-- but certainly in there for some sort of hardware."
Like FitzRandolph, Kip Carpenter had a fast second race, but not good enough to make up the time from a backward start on the first. Carpenter, a bronze medalist from 2002, says he'll likely retired from skating.
Kip Carpenter, US Speedskater: "I think the second run is worst just because I know I had it. I'm like, 'Man, I could have had a shot here,' you know. Just to go out and have a second race and feel like I got robbed. The first is just hard to deal with, certainly hard to stomach."
21-year-old Tucker Fredricks in his first Olympics was also dissappointed, but already planning for the next games.
Tucker Fredricks, US Speedskater: "I've got to work a lot harder. That's what I learned. I have to work a lot harder."
Shelley Osterloh: "Tough competition out there."
Tucker Fredricks: "Yea."
FitzRandolph finished 12th. Fredricks was 25th and Carpenter 26th.
