Speed Skating: Gooch looks sharp

Nicky Gooch, who won one of Britain's two bronze medals at the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer last month, looked in fine form yesterday as he headed the qualifiers for today's final of the 1,500 metres at the British championships at the Humberside Ice Rink, in Hull. He won his semi-final in 2min 26.47sec, while Wilf O'Reilly, who has been the British champion eight times, was fastest in the other, clocking 2:34.43.