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Fredricks cruises to men's 500 speedskating title

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Tucker Fredricks was embarrassed by the way he skated in Turin. He's determined to have a much better showing in Vancouver.

Fredricks got off to a good start with a dominating win in the 500 meters at the U.S. speedskating trials Wednesday night, the first step on the road to the Olympics. Elli Ochowicz, the daughter of three-time Olympic medalist Sheila Young Ochowicz, won the women's 500.

Shani Davis, who hasn't decided whether to add the 500 to his two strongest events, finished third to at least give himself the option of racing the closest thing to an all-out sprint on the long track.

"I just have to listen to my body more than anything," said Davis, who holds the world records in the 1,000 and 1,500. "As much as I want this to be an event for the Olympics, if my body is telling me, 'No,' there's nothing I can really do about it. After these races, I'm kind of in the middle right now. This is not a good feeling. It's a very demanding race."

Fredricks made it look easy. Only 5-foot-6, he burst off the line in the second heat and was already going about 24 mph as he dove into the first turn, having covered the opening straightway in a blistering 9.66 seconds.

He crossed the line in 35.01, only about a tenth of a second off the track record at the Pettit National Ice Center, and finished with a two-heat total of 1 minute, 10.21 seconds. He also had the fastest time (35.20) of the opening round.

"Right now, it's all about winning," Fredricks said.