Near misses for Canadian speedskaters Chicago Cubs loaded, ready for World Series title defence
PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — Canadian speedskaters Ivanie Blondin and Ted-Jan Bloemen finished just outside the medals on the opening day of the world single distance championships.
Ottawa’s Blondin was fourth in the women’s 3,000 metres and Calgary’s Bloemen fifth in the men’s 5,000 on Thursday.
The long-track championships at the Gangneung Oval are also a test event for the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Sven Kramer of the Netherlands claimed the eighth 5,000-metre title of his career. He beat countryman and runner-up Jorrit Bergsma by 2.51 seconds in their pairing. Peter Michael of New Zealand was third.
Dutchwoman Irene Wust wrested the 3,000 world title away from runner-up Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic. They were the only two women to go under four minutes with Wust stopping the clock at 3:59.05 and Sablikova at 3:59.65.
Antoinette de Jong of the Netherlands took bronze in 4:01.99 ahead of Blondin in 4:02.45. Blondin, whose specialty is Sunday’s mass start, said her result was an improvement on her 17th-place result last year.
“I made one mistake and I think that’s what cost me a medal today,” Blondin said. “I would have loved to bring home a medal this year in the three thousand metres, but at the same time there is a positive in the fact that I finished fourth.”
Ottawa’s Isabelle Weidemann was ninth in a career-best time of 4:04.54.
Wust won the 3,000 previously in 2011 and 2013. Sablikova took it in 2007, 2012, 2015, and 2016.
Their battle for the gold medal will be one of the highlights of next year’s Winter Games. Sablikova prevailed in 2010, but Wust was the winner in 2006 and 2014.
Bloemen, a transplanted Dutchman now skating for Canada, won the 5,000 at the most recent World Cup in Berlin.
The world record-holder in the 10,000 metres was fastest at the halfway point Thursday, but faded to cross the line almost eight seconds slower than Kramer.
“I’m not too happy about how I finished, but I went for it,” Bloemen said. “My first half of the race appeared to be a little bit too much for me. I’m a little bit disappointed about that.
“Next time, I’ll go a little bit slower and finish a little bit faster and maybe end up on the podium. I’m in really good shape. I just need to control my speed a bit better.”
Toronto’s Jordan Belchos was eighth in a personal-best time despite illness during his preparation.
“I’ve been feeling a little sick the past few days but today, I just went out and skated,” Belchos said. “The times just kept coming in and I was really into the race.”
Kramer won the 5,000-metre Olympic gold in both 2010 and 2014. With Pyeongchang a year away, he indicated four medals are in his plans.
“Of course, it’s my goal, not only the 5,000, but also the 10,000, the team pursuit and maybe a bonus 1,500,” Kramer said.
The men’s and women’s 500 metres and team pursuits are scheduled for Friday. The event concludes Sunday. The Associated Press
JAY COHEN
CHICAGO — Kris Bryant is back. Same for Anthony Rizzo and Jon Lester, too. Even 1908 is back in the picture.
That was the last time the Chicago Cubs won the World Series before Bryant and company ended the drought last November, beating the Cleveland Indians in a Game 7 classic. Now 1908 is the last time the franchise repeated as champions — and the goal beginning next week when the Cubs’ pitchers and catchers report to spring training.
“I think we have the right group here that guys will just be able to realize what we did and how special it was, but just to realize how much better it would be to sustain that success and do it again the next year,” Bryant said. “I think we’re hungrier than ever and we would love to be that team that goes back to back and I think we all have the right mindset.”
No major league team has won consecutive championships since the New York Yankees from 19982000. But the Cubs return a loaded lineup, led by sluggers Bryant and Rizzo, and solid pitching staff, with Lester fronting one of the majors’ best rotations. Kyle Schwarber and his compact lefty swing could put together a big year if he can stay healthy, and the refurbished bullpen includes Wade Davis and Koji Uehara after a pair of off-season moves.
Perhaps most important, no more questions about famous curses, and the Cubs begin this year with the experience of a championship run.
“I think you gain sort of an inner confidence,” president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said, “a default belief that you and your teammates know how to win and through hard times you just have a faith in getting back to what got you there, knowing that you’re good enough not only to compete, but to win, and to win the whole thing. That kind of confidence is hard to create.”
Here are a few more things to watch at Cubs camp Arizona: in Mesa,
Davis is expected to take over at closer for Aroldis Chapman, who returned to the New York Yankees for an $86 million, fiveyear contract during free agency. Davis was acquired in a December trade with Kansas City for outfielder Jorge Soler. The 31-yearold right-hander had 27 saves and a 1.87 ERA for the Royals, but also spent time on the disabled list with a forearm injury and was limited to 431/3 innings.
If Davis falters or gets hurt again, manager Joe Maddon could turn to Uehara or Hector Rondon. Uehara, who turns 42 on April 3 and was sidelined by a strained right pectoral muscle for part of his final season with Boston, has 93 career saves, and Rondon closed for Chicago before it traded for Chapman last year.
Not a lot of room for rookies on the Cubs right now, but Eloy Jimenez and Ian Happ will at least begin spring training with the big league club. The 20-year-old Jimenez hit .329 with 14 homers and 81 RBIs at Class A South Bend last year. Happ, a first-round pick in 2015, batted .279 with 15 homers and 73 RBIs over two minor league stops last season, finishing the year at Double-A Tennessee. He could make his major league debut at some point this year.
With Addison Russell, Ben Zobrist and Javier Baez, the Cubs have an enviable group of middle infielders. But they also have to find room for everyone. Zobrist likely will see time at the corner outfield spots, and Baez could play all over the infield once again.
The No. 5 slot in the rotation is up for grabs after the Cubs declined Jason Hammel’s $12-million option. Mike Montgomery, who was acquired in a July trade with Seattle and got the final out of the World Series, is the favourite for the job, but veteran lefthander Brett Anderson, righthander Eddie Butler and lefty Rob Zastryzny also could pitch their way into the mix.
Schwarber made a surprising return for the World Series after hurting his left knee last April. But he hasn’t played the field in a game since the injury. How the Cubs use him in camp — he appears ticketed for left, but he came up as a catcher and still likes the position — is worth watching this spring.