Witty's career may be over
American veteran, and world record holder, has second poor showing
TURIN, Italy -- What a contrast it was: Chris Witty gliding slowly along the ice, hands on her knees, huffing and puffing as the scoreboard flashed up a time that was nearly five seconds slower than the greatest race of her life.
In what may have been the final Olympic race for one of America's most acclaimed speedskaters, Witty chugged around the oval for 21/2 excruciating laps on Sunday, looking as though she might have forgotten to sharpen her blades, or maybe tucked a few rocks inside that skintight suit.
"I went out there and put out my best effort," she said. "That's all you can ever hope for."
Her best wasn't nearly good enough in the 1,000 meters.
Witty, 30, managed a time of 1 minutes, 18.70 seconds, more than 21/2 seconds behind gold medalist Marianne Timmer of the Netherlands and 27th among the 35 skaters who finished.
Witty's world record is 1:13.83, which was good for gold in Salt Lake City.
Witty captured silver and bronze medals at Nagano in 1998, then completed the set with gold four years later. For good measure, she's one of only nine Americans to take part in both the Winter and Summer Games, competing in trick cycling at Sydney in 2000.
Witty has qualified for Wednesday's 1,500, but she may cede her spot to teammate Maggie Crowley, a 19-year-old skating in her first Olympics and next on the list should one of the four Americans drop out.