Kramer 'likely' to skip 1,500 and focus on 10K

Kramer 'likely' to skip 1,500 and focus on 10K

SOCHI, Russia (AP) Speedskater Sven Kramer says he will ''likely'' skip the 1,500 meters next Saturday to fully center on the 10,000 instead for his second gold of the games.

The Dutchman, who already won the 5,000 meters during the opening weekend of the Olympics, said Monday that the middle-distance would likely be too much of a distraction during his preparation for the longer race on Feb. 18, which he is bent on winning after his blunder at the 2010 Vancouver Games.

Four years ago, gold was seemingly assured when his coach sent him into the wrong lane on a crossover and got him disqualified.

Kramer said that even if his coach said he could take 1,500 gold too, ''it is the 10K I want to win. That is why I came here.''