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From the Olympics Toward Tomorrow
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Lazutina snares elusive Olympic individual gold
 Larissa Lazutina |
9:00- Start
Russia's Larissa Lazutina thanked her ''bad attitude'' for the elusive Olympic gold medal she won Tuesday at the 18th Olympic Winter Games in Nagano.
Lazutina won her first Olympic gold medal in an individual cross country skiing event, streaking home over the final stretch of the Snow Harp course in Hakuba to win the women's 5-kilometer classical event in 17 minutes, 37.9 seconds.
The gold medal was the culmination of her stellar skiing career that includes two Olympic gold medals in the relay events in Albertville and Lillehammer, the World Cup crown in 1990 and four championships from the 1995 world meet in Thunder Bay, Canada.
Like Russian teammate Elena Vaelbe, the only medal missing from Lazutina's collection was the Olympic gold. Many, including her daughter, expected it would be Vaelbe -- and not Lazutina -- to win the gold in Nagano.
The sports instructor from Odinzovo, Russia, told reporters that before coming to Japan, her 8-year-old daughter said ''Mother, you'll be second in Nagano. Auntie Elena will be first.''
But, Vaelbe, who won all five women's titles last year in the Nordic world championships, was hampered by the flu in Sunday's 15-km classical and decided to sit out Tuesday's sprint.
Lazutina, for her part, struggled in last year's championships in Trondheim, Norway, and this led to clashes with her coach and a decision that she did not want to compete anymore. She later resumed training by herself.
She told reports that it was ''probably because of my bad attitude'' that she was having difficulties with her coach, but added later that it was her ''bad attitude that helped me win.''
After watching Russian teammate Olga Danilova edge her for the gold medal in Sunday's 15-km race, Lazutina found herself again at the finish line Tuesday with the best time but waiting for some formidable foes come home.
The Czech Republic's Katerina Neumannova had the best chance to eclipse her time, but came in with a 17:42.7 for the silver medal. World Cup leader Bente Martinsen of Norway was already in with a 17:49.4 for bronze.
Sumiko Yokoyama posted the best finish for the host country in 18:55.1 and 25th place, while Japan's top skier for the last five years, Fumiko Aoki, was a disappointing 31st in 19:04.8.
''Because of (Aoki's) performance here last year (two fifths in a World Cup meet), she probably felt too strongly that she had to do even better in the Olympics,'' Japan head coach Tatsuo Kitamura said. (Kyodo News)
Official results of cross country skiing women's 5-kilometer classical Tuesday in the 18th Olympic Winter Games at Snow Harp, Hakuba, Nagano Prefecture:
1. Larissa Lazutina, Russia 17 minutes, 37.9 seconds
2. Katerina Neumannova, Czech Rep. 17:42.7
3. Bente Martinsen, Norway 17:49.4
4. Nina Gavryliouk, Russia 17:50.3
5. Olga Danilova, Russia 17:51.3
6. Marit Mikkelsplass, Norway 17:53.5
7. Anita Moen-Guidon, Norway 18:04.4
8. Trude Dybendahl Hartz, Norway 18:08.0
9. Gabriella Paruzzi, Italy 18:14.7
10. Brigitte Albrecht, Switzerland 18:16.5
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25. Sumiko Yokoyama, Japan 18:55.1
27. Oxana Yatskaya, Kazakstan 18:57.3
31. Fumiko Aoki, Japan 19:04.8
35. Svetlana Shishkina, Kazakstan 19:10.7
44. Svetlana Deshevykh, Kazakstan 19:25.3
46. Tomomi Otaka, Japan 19:28.8
50. Kumiko Yokoyama, Japan 19:34.5
66. Olga Selezneva, Kazakstan 20:27.7
68. Luan Zhengrong, China 20:30.0
72. Guo Dongling, China 20:58.0
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Copyright 1998 The Shinano Mainichi Shimbun