Medal Count: How Norwegian failure emphasizes Dutch domination
There are several different ways we might go about expressing just how phenomenal the Sochi Olympics have been for the Dutch speed skating team.
- The Netherlands have won two-thirds of all the medals handed out for speed skating at the Sochi Olympics.
- The next highest nation has won two medals.
- The Dutch won more speed skating medals than any other nation four years ago in Vancouver - seven from 12 events.
- Four years before that, they won nine medals from a dozen events in Turin, again the most of any participating country.
- In Sochi, Dutch skaters have won 16 medals from only eight events.
- The Netherlands are favorites in all four of the remaining speed skating events.
It's all amazing and incredible and worthy of breaking out the thesaurus for new ways of describing the same thing.
However, the most impressive aspect of the Dutch domination of the speed track oval can be found in the overall medal count.
| Rank | Country | G | S | B | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netherlands | 5 | 5 | 7 | 17 |
| 2 | Russian Federation | 4 | 7 | 5 | 16 |
| 3 | United States of America | 4 | 4 | 8 | 16 |
| 4 | Norway | 5 | 3 | 6 | 14 |
| 5 | Canada | 4 | 6 | 4 | 14 |
| 6 | Germany | 7 | 3 | 2 | 12 |
| 7 | Sweden | 2 | 5 | 2 | 9 |
| 8 | Switzerland | 5 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 9 | Austria | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| 10 | France | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
The Netherlands have won more medals than any other nation. 16 of its 17 podium ascensions have been because of long track speed skating, while the sole other medal was won on the short track speed skating course, because of course it was.
This is not what anyone expected, least of all Norway.
The Norwegians were supposed to monopolize the medal count by controlling the cross-country skiing events, but have only won seven medals after eight events. This came to the forefront over the weekend when the Norwegians failed to reach the podium in both the men's and women's relay races.
Adding to the disappointment has been surprisingly lethargic performances of Martin Johnsrud Sundby. Yes, Sundby won the bronze medal in the skiathlon last Sunday, but for a skier who seemingly couldn't lose for a year ahead of these Winter Games, it's not enough.
To try to understand what it would be like for a Norwegian following along with Sundby's 15th-placed finish in Friday's 15km classic, you have to imagine a Canadian watching Sidney Crosby score on his own team, or an American observing Shaun White forget how to snowboard.
Even Sundby's own mother was outraged by his performance. Watching on live television in Norway, she hollered at the television screen, "You're the worst Norwegian. You should go home."
The newspapers and television coverage in Norway hasn't been much kinder.
@alexander_wolff NOR tied for 1st in medal count..and still a national crisis. 5 largest new sites in Norway now: pic.twitter.com/ouxUGeNE50
— MR Z 2 U SON (@mrZ2uSON) February 15, 2014
Heads up! Hot Norwegian sports takes coming through! #xcountryskiing pic.twitter.com/1mdedNBDqm
— SportsPickle (@sportspickle) February 15, 2014
Not to take anything away from the Netherlands, and their incredible run on the long track in Sochi, but it's a positive outlier made to seem more extreme by Norway's negative.
Even with everything going to plan in the four remaining speed skating events, it's incredibly unlikely that the Dutch will have won the most medals in Sochi by the time the Olympics are over. However, Norway's problems may have cleared the path for the host nation or the United States to take the medal title - of course, that depends on your credentials for the medal standings.
The unexpected is almost always a welcome addition to a sporting event, just ask the Netheralnds. But as Norway knows all too well, the welcoming only lasts as long as the surprise doesn't negatively affect your team.