| | Event type

Sprint (Freestyle), Men

Date	19 February 2002
Status	Olympic
Location	Soldier Hollow, Wasatch Mountain State Park
Participants	71 from 36 countries
Format	Final standings based on time achieved in last round competed in.
Details	Course Length: 1,480 m Height Differential: 32 m Maximum Climb: 14 m Total Climbing: 50 m

The sprint event was new to the Olympic Program in 2002, having first been contested at the 2001 World Championships. It consisted of approximately a 1,500 metre course, with a qualifying round in which the 16 fastest skiers advanced to match racing. Match racing began with four quarter-finals of four racers each, with the top two races in each heat advancing in each round, to get to a final of four racers. The favorites were Italy’s Cristian Zorzi, the leader in the event in the 2001-02 World Cup season and runner-up at the 2001 World Championships, and Norwegian Tor-Arne Hetland, the 2001 World Champion, who had twice finished second to Zorzi in the current World Cup chase. Both qualified easily for match racing, with Zorzi second and Hetland sixth, as the qualifying leader was Norway’s Håvard Bjerkeli. Bjerkeli finished last in his quarter-final, but Zorzi and Hetland both advanced. In the semis, they were matched together, with Zorzi narrowly winning, as both recorded 2:59.9. The final was a close race between the two and Germany’s Peter Schlickenrieder. Hetland sat on their tails for most of the race, but sprinted ahead 100 metres from the line to win the gold medal, Schlickenrieder edging Zorzi for the silver. Zorzi’s nickname was Zorro and he wore a Zorro outfit on the podium for the medal ceremony.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Qualifying	QF	SF	Final
1	–	Tor-Arne Hetland	NOR	2:51.19 (6)	2:57.2 (1 h4)	2:59.9 (2 h2)	2:56.9 (1 h2)	Gold
2	–	Peter Schlickenrieder	GER	2:51.12 (5)	2:55.0 (1 h2)	3:09.9 (1 h1)	2:57.0 (2 h2)	Silver
3	–	Cristian Zorzi	ITA	2:50.34 (2)	2:52.1 (2 h3)	2:59.9 (1 h2)	2:57.2 (3 h2)	Bronze
4	–	Björn Lind	SWE	2:52.17 (9)	3:02.2 (1 h1)	3:10.4 (2 h1)	2:58.1 (4 h2)
5	–	Freddy Schwienbacher	ITA	2:53.03 (11)	2:57.7 (2 h4)	3:00.2 (3 h2)	2:56.1 (1 h1)
6	–	Trond Iversen	NOR	2:51.09 (4)	2:56.8 (2 h2)	3:10.5 (3 h1)	2:56.6 (2 h1)
7	–	Tobias Angerer	GER	2:52.31 (10)	2:51.4 (1 h3)	3:00.4 (4 h2)	2:58.0 (3 h1)
8	–	Hannu Manninen	FIN	2:53.87 (16)	3:02.4 (2 h1)	3:14.1 (4 h1)	2:59.5 (4 h1)
9	–	Janusz Krężelok	POL	2:50.67 (3)	3:00.7 (3 h4)	3:00.6 (5 h2)	–
10	–	Martin Koukal	CZE	2:52.09 (8)	3:02.6 (3 h1)	–	–
11	–	Matej Soklič	SLO	2:53.42 (13)	2:57.1 (3 h2)	–	–
12	–	Markus Hasler	LIE	2:53.74 (15)	2:53.3 (3 h3)	–	–
13	–	Håvard Bjerkeli	NOR	2:50.07 (1)	3:05.8 (4 h1)	–	–
14	–	Silvio Fauner	ITA	2:51.51 (7)	2:53.9 (4 h3)	–	–
15	–	Trond Einar Elden	NOR	2:53.31 (12)	2:58.1 (4 h2)	–	–
16	–	Sergey Novikov	RUS	2:54.35 (17)	–	–	–
17	–	Thobias Fredriksson	SWE	2:54.45 (18)	–	–	–
18	–	Christoph Eigenmann	SUI	2:54.76 (19)	–	–	–
19	–	René Sommerfeldt	GER	2:54.87 (20)	–	–	–
20	–	Ari Palolahti	FIN	2:55.28 (21)	–	–	–
21	–	Sami Repo	FIN	2:55.47 (22)	–	–	–
22	–	Stephan Kunz	LIE	2:55.91 (23)	–	–	–
23	–	Reinhard Neuner	AUT	2:56.20 (24)	–	–	–
24	–	Jörgen Brink	SWE	2:56.84 (25)	–	–	–
25	–	Keijo Kurttila	FIN	2:56.91 (26)	–	–	–
26	–	Raman Viralaynen	BLR	2:57.48 (27)	–	–	–
27	–	Fulvio Valbusa	ITA	2:57.60 (28)	–	–	–
28	–	Vasily Rochev	RUS	2:57.76 (29)	–	–	–
29	–	Carl Swenson	USA	2:58.56 (30)	–	–	–
30	–	Vitaly Denisov	RUS	2:59.21 (31)	–	–	–
31	–	Dmitry Tishkin	RUS	2:59.40 (32)	–	–	–
32	–	Indrek Tobreluts	EST	3:00.02 (33)	–	–	–
33	–	Nikolay Chebotko	KAZ	3:00.31 (34)	–	–	–
34	–	Pavo Raudsepp	EST	3:01.04 (35)	–	–	–
35	–	Torin Koos	USA	3:01.32 (36)	–	–	–
36	–	Lars Flora	USA	3:01.41 (37)	–	–	–
37	–	Daichi Azegami	JPN	3:01.47 (38)	–	–	–
38	–	Priit Narusk	EST	3:01.75 (39)	–	–	–
39	–	Zoltán Tagscherer	HUN	3:01.90 (40)	–	–	–
40	–	Lefteris Fafalis	GRE	3:01.98 (41)	–	–	–
41	–	Kris Freeman	USA	3:02.68 (42)	–	–	–
42	–	Denis Krivushkin	KAZ	3:02.73 (43)	–	–	–
43	–	Donald Farley	CAN	3:03.02 (44)	–	–	–
44	–	Roman Leibiuk	UKR	3:03.21 (45)	–	–	–
45	–	Zsolt Antal	ROU	3:05.24 (46)	–	–	–
46	–	Masaaki Kozu	JPN	3:05.90 (=47)	–	–	–
47	–	Damir Jurčević	CRO	3:05.90 (=47)	–	–	–
48	–	Imre Tagscherer	HUN	3:05.98 (49)	–	–	–
49	–	Vladimir Bortsov	KAZ	3:06.03 (50)	–	–	–
50	–	Maksim Odnodvortsev	KAZ	3:06.83 (51)	–	–	–
51	–	Han Dawei	CHN	3:07.00 (52)	–	–	–
52	–	Vadim Gusevas	LTU	3:07.25 (=53)	–	–	–
53	–	Vladislavas Zybaila	LTU	3:07.25 (=53)	–	–	–
54	–	Aliaksei Trehubou	BLR	3:08.05 (55)	–	–	–
55	–	Dzianis Varabiou	BLR	3:08.79 (56)	–	–	–
56	–	Shin Doo-Sun	KOR	3:11.89 (57)	–	–	–
57	–	Aliaksandr Shalak	BLR	3:13.63 (58)	–	–	–
58	–	Slavcho Batinkov	BUL	3:14.21 (59)	–	–	–
59	–	Matyás Holló	HUN	3:15.11 (60)	–	–	–
60	–	Sabahattin Oğlago	TUR	3:18.24 (61)	–	–	–
61	–	Ivan Bayrakov	BUL	3:18.97 (62)	–	–	–
62	–	Aram Hadzhiyan	ARM	3:24.89 (63)	–	–	–
63	–	Gjoko Dineski	MKD	3:29.29 (64)	–	–	–
64	–	Philip Boit	KEN	3:51.49 (65)	–	–	–
65	–	Isaac Menyoli	CMR	4:10.07 (66)	–	–	–
66	–	Prawat Nagvajara	THA	4:14.55 (67)	–	–	–
67	–	Arturo Kinch	CRC	4:22.72 (68)	–	–	–
68	–	Paul O'Connor	IRL	4:33.82 (69)	–	–	–
69	–	Jay Khadka	NEP	4:48.42 (70)	–	–	–
DQ	–	Marc Mayer	AUT	[2:54.96] (DQ)	–	–	–		1
DQ	–	Peter Larsson	SWE	2:53.55 (14)	[2:57.7] (DQ h4)	–	–
DNS	–	Axel Teichmann	GER	– (DNS)	–	–	–

Qualifying Round

Date	19 February 2002 — 9:30
Format	Top 16 finishers advance to quarter-finals.

Pos	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	Håvard Bjerkeli	NOR	2:50.07	Q
2	Cristian Zorzi	ITA	2:50.34	Q
3	Janusz Krężelok	POL	2:50.67	Q
4	Trond Iversen	NOR	2:51.09	Q
5	Peter Schlickenrieder	GER	2:51.12	Q
6	Tor-Arne Hetland	NOR	2:51.19	Q
7	Silvio Fauner	ITA	2:51.51	Q
8	Martin Koukal	CZE	2:52.09	Q
9	Björn Lind	SWE	2:52.17	Q
10	Tobias Angerer	GER	2:52.31	Q
11	Freddy Schwienbacher	ITA	2:53.03	Q
12	Trond Einar Elden	NOR	2:53.31	Q
13	Matej Soklič	SLO	2:53.42	Q
14	Peter Larsson	SWE	2:53.55	Q
15	Markus Hasler	LIE	2:53.74	Q
16	Hannu Manninen	FIN	2:53.87	Q
17	Sergey Novikov	RUS	2:54.35
18	Thobias Fredriksson	SWE	2:54.45
19	Christoph Eigenmann	SUI	2:54.76
20	René Sommerfeldt	GER	2:54.87
21	Ari Palolahti	FIN	2:55.28
22	Sami Repo	FIN	2:55.47
23	Stephan Kunz	LIE	2:55.91
24	Reinhard Neuner	AUT	2:56.20
25	Jörgen Brink	SWE	2:56.84
26	Keijo Kurttila	FIN	2:56.91
27	Raman Viralaynen	BLR	2:57.48
28	Fulvio Valbusa	ITA	2:57.60
29	Vasily Rochev	RUS	2:57.76
30	Carl Swenson	USA	2:58.56
31	Vitaly Denisov	RUS	2:59.21
32	Dmitry Tishkin	RUS	2:59.40
33	Indrek Tobreluts	EST	3:00.02
34	Nikolay Chebotko	KAZ	3:00.31
35	Pavo Raudsepp	EST	3:01.04
36	Torin Koos	USA	3:01.32
37	Lars Flora	USA	3:01.41
38	Daichi Azegami	JPN	3:01.47
39	Priit Narusk	EST	3:01.75
40	Zoltán Tagscherer	HUN	3:01.90
41	Lefteris Fafalis	GRE	3:01.98
42	Kris Freeman	USA	3:02.68
43	Denis Krivushkin	KAZ	3:02.73
44	Donald Farley	CAN	3:03.02
45	Roman Leibiuk	UKR	3:03.21
46	Zsolt Antal	ROU	3:05.24
=47	Masaaki Kozu	JPN	3:05.90
=47	Damir Jurčević	CRO	3:05.90
49	Imre Tagscherer	HUN	3:05.98
50	Vladimir Bortsov	KAZ	3:06.03
51	Maksim Odnodvortsev	KAZ	3:06.83
52	Han Dawei	CHN	3:07.00
=53	Vadim Gusevas	LTU	3:07.25
=53	Vladislavas Zybaila	LTU	3:07.25
55	Aliaksei Trehubou	BLR	3:08.05
56	Dzianis Varabiou	BLR	3:08.79
57	Shin Doo-Sun	KOR	3:11.89
58	Aliaksandr Shalak	BLR	3:13.63
59	Slavcho Batinkov	BUL	3:14.21
60	Matyás Holló	HUN	3:15.11
61	Sabahattin Oğlago	TUR	3:18.24
62	Ivan Bayrakov	BUL	3:18.97
63	Aram Hadzhiyan	ARM	3:24.89
64	Gjoko Dineski	MKD	3:29.29
65	Philip Boit	KEN	3:51.49
66	Isaac Menyoli	CMR	4:10.07
67	Prawat Nagvajara	THA	4:14.55
68	Arturo Kinch	CRC	4:22.72
69	Paul O'Connor	IRL	4:33.82
70	Jay Khadka	NEP	4:48.42
DQ	Marc Mayer	AUT	[2:54.96]		2
DNS	Axel Teichmann	GER	–

Quarter-Finals

Date	19 February 2002 — 12:55
Format	Top 2 finishers in each heat advance to semi-finals.

Heat #1

Time	12:55

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	9	Björn Lind	SWE	3:02.2	Q
2	16	Hannu Manninen	FIN	3:02.4	Q
3	8	Martin Koukal	CZE	3:02.6
4	1	Håvard Bjerkeli	NOR	3:05.8

Heat #2

Time	13:00

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	5	Peter Schlickenrieder	GER	2:55.0	Q
2	4	Trond Iversen	NOR	2:56.8	Q
3	13	Matej Soklič	SLO	2:57.1
4	12	Trond Einar Elden	NOR	2:58.1

Heat #3

Time	13:05

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	10	Tobias Angerer	GER	2:51.4	Q
2	2	Cristian Zorzi	ITA	2:52.1	Q
3	15	Markus Hasler	LIE	2:53.3
4	7	Silvio Fauner	ITA	2:53.9

Heat #4

Time	13:10

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	6	Tor-Arne Hetland	NOR	2:57.2	Q
2	3	Freddy Schwienbacher	ITA	2:57.7	Q
3	11	Janusz Krężelok	POL	3:00.7	ADV
DQ	14	Peter Larsson	SWE	[2:57.7]

Semi-Finals

Date	19 February 2002 — 13:35
Format	Top 2 finishers in each heat advance to final. Next two finishers advance to B final.

Heat #1

Time	13:35

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	5	Peter Schlickenrieder	GER	3:09.9	Q
2	9	Björn Lind	SWE	3:10.4	Q
3	4	Trond Iversen	NOR	3:10.5	QB
4	16	Hannu Manninen	FIN	3:14.1	QB

Heat #2

Time	13:40

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	2	Cristian Zorzi	ITA	2:59.9	Q
2	6	Tor-Arne Hetland	NOR	2:59.9	Q
3	11	Freddy Schwienbacher	ITA	3:00.2	QB
4	10	Tobias Angerer	GER	3:00.4	QB
5	3	Janusz Krężelok	POL	3:00.6

Final Round

Date	19 February 2002 — 14:00

Final B

Time	14:07

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	11	Freddy Schwienbacher	ITA	2:56.1
2	4	Trond Iversen	NOR	2:56.6
3	10	Tobias Angerer	GER	2:58.0
4	16	Hannu Manninen	FIN	2:59.5

Final A

Time	14:15

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Time
1	6	Tor-Arne Hetland	NOR	2:56.9
2	5	Peter Schlickenrieder	GER	2:57.0
3	2	Cristian Zorzi	ITA	2:57.2
4	9	Björn Lind	SWE	2:58.1