While the women's 500-meter speed skating race brought unexpected joy to Japan's Beijing Olympic Games captain Miho Takagi on Sunday, it was a bitter disappointment for teammate and defending champion Nao Kodaira.
Crossing the line just 0.08 second behind gold medalist Erin Jackson of the United States, Takagi won her second silver of the games in an event not considered one of her strongest among the five she is racing in Beijing.
Kodaira, meanwhile, finished far off the pace in 17th place after losing her footing near the starting line at the National Speed Skating Oval.
The anticlimactic ending to her title defense was a stark turnaround from four years ago in Pyeongchang, South Korea, when she provided one of Japan's most celebrated Winter Olympic moments.
Then, Kodaira flew around the Gangneung Oval in Olympic record time to dethrone South Korea's two-time defending champion Lee Sang Hwa in front of her home fans. The two longtime friends and rivals afterward skated the track arm-in-arm for a memorable victory lap.
But in the unforgiving world of sprint races, even the smallest misstep can spell disaster, as was the case for Kodaira at Beijing's "Ice Ribbon" on Sunday.
"My left foot got a little caught on my first step and I couldn't recover, and after that I had the feeling of falling further and further behind," the 35-year-old said.
"My mind went blank and it felt as though all I could do was just grit my teeth and finish the race."
Lee, who was in the venue commentating for South Korean television, told reporters after the race Kodaira is an "eternal champion" and said she understands the pressure her former foe was facing.
"It must have been hard facing the pressure as champion," the three-time world champion said. "I applaud her for just trying to defend her title."
Kodaira, Japan's Olympic team captain in 2018, will have a chance at redemption on Thursday, when she competes in the women's 1,000.
She took silver in the event in Pyeongchang and won her sixth World Cup race over the distance last December in Calgary.
Takagi, who claimed 1,000 bronze four years ago, will also contest the race in Beijing.
The 27-year-old will look to increase her medal haul in Beijing, having already taken silver in her pet event, the women's 1,500.
She started her Beijing Games schedule with sixth place in the 3,000 and will continue bidding for a second straight Olympic title for Japan with her teammates in the women's team pursuit.
Related coverage:
Olympics: Takagi wins silver in 500 as Kodaira's defense falls short
