WinterSports2002.com, Friday, February 22, 2002
Finn nears sweep of nordic combined
USA's Lodwick starts 56 seconds behind Lajunen
By Jason Swensen
Deseret News Olympic specialist
UTAH OLYMPIC PARK — Finland's Samppa Lajunen obviously hasn't been in the United States long enough to learn the finer points of All-American trash talking.
Lajunen is just 7.5 kilometers away from sweeping the Olympic nordic combined events. If the speedy Finn can win Friday's cross country segment in the nordic combined sprint competition he'll climb atop the medal podium for the third time during the 2002 Games. He's already won the individual competition and anchored his nation's subsequent team victory. Still Lajunen isn't slinging smack — even after landing the long jump in Thursday's jumping segment on the K120 hill at Utah Olympic Park.
"I'm not really concentrating on medals, just skiing well," said Lajunen, who flew 126.5 meters Thursday in the sprint event's single jumping round.
His superior jump means he'll begin Friday's deciding 7.5-kilometer cross country race 15 seconds in front of his nearest rival, Germany's Ronny Ackermann. Lajunen is probably wise to deflect sweep talk. Ackermann — who jumped 124.5 meters Thursday — is a powerful cross country racer and capable of claiming gold Friday if Lajunen waivers.
Team USA's Todd Lodwick will start 56 seconds behind Lajunen — a sizable deficit in a 7.5-kilometer sprint race — after jumping 115 meters Thursday.
The Colorado native was near tears Sunday after he and his American 'mates finished fourth in the nordic combined team competition, just missing a first-ever Olympic medal in nordic combined.
Still, Lodwick seemed relaxed Thursday after finishing 12th and perhaps out of medal contention. A surprise phone call after the team event from fellow Coloradan John Elway seems to have helped boost Lodwick's spirits.
Plus, Lodwick has a strong history in sprint events at Soldier Hollow. He recorded the field's fastest cross country time in last year's World Cup event at the Olympic venue.
"Miracles have happened; hopefully we can have one tomorrow," Lodwick said.
New York's Billy Demong was the only other Yank to jump into the top 15 Thursday with a leap of 116 meters. Demong plans to ski hard and leave nothing behind on the Soldier Hollow track Friday.
"I'll . . . try to be an animal," he said.
Lajunen's teammate, Jaakko Tallus, continued his strong Olympic jumping, flying 122.5 feet Thursday. Tallus will also be skiing for his third Olympic medal Friday following his team gold and a silver in the individual. Although Tallus' cross country racing has improved, the diminutive Finn does not expect another medal-podium visit.
Defending World Cup champ Felix Gottwald finished 11th Thursday and will start 51 seconds behind the leader. Still, the speedy Austrian — who has also won a pair of Olympic medals in recent days — likes his podium chances.
"Fifty-one seconds is not much," Gottwald said.
E-mail: jswensen@desnews.com
© 2002 Deseret News Publishing Company