BEIJING — Closer than close.
That's one way to describe Joey Mantia's fourth-place finish in the men's speedskating mass start final Saturday. The 0.002-second margin and photo finish between Mantia (7:47.206) and bronze medalist Seung Hoon Lee (7:47.204) also does his heartbreak justice.
After leading the men's pursuit team to bronze on Tuesday, it would have been Mantia's second medal in Beijing. Instead, he left disappointed. In a way, he felt cheated, saying after the race that Lee pulled ahead at the final (milli)second by slightly pulling Mantia's arm back.
"It looked like my blade was in front of his right before the line, and his came back in front of mine," Mantia said.