Speedskater Heather Richardson sad to see Games wrapping up

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Sochi, Russia • Even with all that has happened, speedskater Heather Richardson of West Jordan said she's "kind of sad" that the Sochi Olympics are just about finished after being eliminated from medal contention in the team pursuit Friday.

"I love speedskating and it's definitely a disappointment in my individual races," she said, "but we went out there as a team to have fun, and that's the best placement we're going to get this Olympics, so we'll take it."

The women can finish as high as fifth — no individual finished higher than seventh — in the consolation finals Saturday, even though Richardson was nowhere near the podium in her three individual races. But for better or worse, Richardson is going to get to (or have to) look at a gold medal every day for the rest of her life. Her fiancee, the Netherlands' Jorrit Bergsma, won the men's 10,000 meters in an Olympic-record time after taking bronze in the 5,000.

"I'm just really happy for him," she said. "He really deserved it. It was an amazing race, so I'm glad at least one of us got one."

- Michael C. Lewis