Men’s 1000m semi-final, heat #2: Steve Armitage: Apolo Anton Ohno, getting set for the second semi-final of the men’s 1000. He is joined by Arian Nachbar, of Germany; Jean-Francois Monette, of Canada – who has a silver in the 1500 here in Bormio; and Suk-Woo Song, of Korea. There’s Apolo Anton Ohno – gold in the 1500 here in Bormio… and there is Song of Korea. 9 laps, top two joining [Eric] Bedard and [Hyun-Soo] Ahn in the final, and a chance to skate for the medals. [Race starts – Apolo takes the early lead, Monette second, Song third] Susan Auch: Apolo Ohno was second at the last World Cup in Russia, did not do the first two, so he doesn’t have a high ranking, but he has a lot of experience and a lot of confidence. [8 laps to go - Song passes Monette and Apolo on the inside] Armitage: Song takes the lead. Followed by Ohno, and then it’s Monette, and Nachbar of Germany. [Apolo retakes the lead with a graceful outside pass] Again, the early part of this 1000 just a little slower, as they begin to pick up the pace now with 7 laps to go. [Excitement building…] And it is Monette with a nice move to slide in front of Apolo Ohno. Auch: Monette made a move very early in the race, wanted to get out of congestion I’m sure. Sitting out in front with Apolo Ohno, that’s not bad company. [5 laps to go] Armitage: But look at the way Ohno is conserving his energy against Monette, and now just sliiiides neatly [little laugh] in front with a good move there, to take over the lead from Monette. And now a challenge from Song! But that is denied.  Ohno stays in front, Monette in second place. Song in third. Nachbar in fourth. 3 laps to go. Auch: There is so much jockeying going on in this race, but Monette has kept his composure very well for someone so inexperienced. [less than 2 laps to go] Armitage: Ohno stays in front. They will come up and hear the bell! Now, less than a lap to go on this second semi-final of the men’s 1000! Barring a major disaster here, Ohno is going to win it easily… and Monette will take second place. Third place to Song of Korea, but that won’t cut it for the Korean; he won’t qualify for the final. But Monette and Apolo Ohno will join Bedard and Ahn, and skate for the medals, in the 1000 meters. Auch: [Slow motion replay of one of the last turns] And look at this amazing lean from Apolo Ohno around the turn, he’s almost lying down on the ice. His edges are just gripping into the ice, that’s experience. He feels very comfortable on his skates. Monette had some trouble here coming out of the corner, but managed to hang on, to keep ahead of Song, to the finish line. Armitage: So it will be the two Canadians in the final of the 1000: Bedard and Monette, skating for World Cup Medals against Korea’s Ahn, and the Olympic silver medalist in the 1000, Apolo Anton Ohno. Men’s 1000m final: Armitage: We’re set now for the men’s 1000 meter final, and this involves two Canadians: [Camera pans down line of skaters] Jean-Francois Monette; and there is Eric Bedard – bronze in the 1000 at the ’98 Olympics; next to him is Ahn, of Korea; and the great Apolo Anton Ohno. Gold in the 1500 here in Bormio for Ohno, silver in the 1000 at the Olympics in Salt Lake City… [race starts]… and the two Canadians waste no time in going into the lead. [Ahn starts in third, Apolo fourth – but Apolo promptly moves past Ahn on the inside after the first turn] Auch: Very good start by both Monette and Bedard. You don’t want to necessarily be out in front, but this is such a loaded final that you want to be near the front to be able to react to any movement. [Ahn swings wide from fourth to move all the way to the front; Apolo simultaneously moves past Monette to stay in third] [7 laps to go] Armitage: Hyun-Soo Ahn, of Korea, with the lead. Eric Bedard of Canada sitting in second place, and then it’s Apolo Anton Ohno. And the great thing about Ohno is he can attack from almost any position. He’s a great skater at the front, [Apolo attempts an outside pass on Bedard, but they end up side-by-side through the turn] but he can also come from behind with lightning speed. [Coming out of the turn, Bedard’s right skate starts to skid - just as Apolo is getting by. Apolo is put slightly off balance, but recovers quickly.] And that is Eric Bedard who is down for Canada!! So it is Ahn in front, Ohno in second, and Monette in third place. [5 laps to go] Auch: And Monette just never seems to get rattled in these races. He keeps his composure very, very well. Very similar to Ohno. [Apolo passes Ahn on the outside] [4 laps to go] Armitage: And Ohno has decided, enough of this fooling around, [laughs] I’m gonna take command and control of this final in the 1000. Ohno in front, followed by Ahn, and then it is Jean-Francois Monette. Bedard is down and not a factor in this race. [2 laps to go] Armitage: [Apolo steadily widens his lead] They are gonna be hard pressed to catch Ohno, once he gets it into high gear, he is very, very difficult to catch. The bell goes! Less than a lap now, in the final of this men’s 1000. And the gold is going to go to the American, Apolo Anton Ohno. Ahn takes the silver, and Monette picks up the bronze. Another solid race from Apolo Anton Ohno. [Replay of Bedard going down in slow motion] Auch: A critical slip here for Eric Bedard. Unfortunately, it looks like his blade got caught in the ice somehow. There are ruts by this time in the race, and his blade just lost it and he slipped and went out to the boards. [Slow motion replay of Apolo late in the race] Auch: Ohno is just so powerful, and so strong at the end of the race. He looks so comfortable looking down at his blades, finishing the race… feeling good, looking around… Relaxed. Armitage: A second gold medal for Ohno here at the Ice Palace in Bormio. He wins the 1500 and 1000. Monette gets a bronze to go with his silver in the 1500 meters.