Apolo Anton Ohno wins 1,000 at short track speedskating nationals

Ohno gets first victory at short track nationals

MARQUETTE, Mich. — Apolo Anton Ohno was fastest of all for the first time in five events at the U.S. short track speedskating national championships on Friday night.

The five-time Olympic medalist held off Travis Jayner at the finish of the 1,000 meters on the hockey rink at Northern Michigan University. He was timed in 1:29.963 to 1:29.998 for Jayner.

Ohno raised both arms in triumph, having beaten overall points leader J.R. Celski, whom he has trailed since the meet began Tuesday. Celski was third in 1:30.075, ahead of Jordan Malone in 1:30.226. Anthony Lobello Jr. was last.

The lead in the nine-lap race was traded back and forth before Ohno sneaked inside Celski to go in front for good with four laps remaining.

Ohno had finished second in the 500 and 1,500 individual events and in the nine-lap time trial and was fourth in the four-lap time trial. He came into the third night of competition trailing Celski in the overall point standings. The top five skaters earn Olympic berths for Vancouver.

Later, the men were set to skate the second of two 1,500 finals at the meet.

On the women’s side, Katherine Reutter made an outside pass with two laps remaining and zipped from third to first in the 1,000. She was timed in 1:31.606.

The 21-year-old skater from Champaign, Ill., increased her lead in the overall standings with her third victory. She is bidding to make her first Olympic team.

Reutter earlier won the first of two 1,500 finals and the nine-lap time trial.

Kimberly Derrick finished second, but was disqualified for impeding. That moved Alyson Dudek up to second, with two-time Olympian Allison Baver third and Lana Gehring fourth.