Speed skating and cross-country skiing

It's marathon Saturday at the Olympics, with women's team pursuit speed skating and women's cross-country skiing. The two top announcing tandems are in action as well -- Al Trautwig and Chad Salmela, and Dan Hicks and Dan Jansen.

U.S. women lost to Germany in the pursuit, Germans were up the whole way but their third skater got really tired, fell, and literally swam across the finish line, .2 seconds ahead of the U.S. Americans now go for bronze against Poland.

In 30K skiing, favored Polish and Norwegian skiers are 1-2, 3 miles to go. Norway's men's team has kindof flamed-out here, up to the women to pull through. 1.9 second lead for Norwegian at the moment, Bjoergen; Kowalczyk just drafting off her, both deliberate, neither all-out yet. "Out in the woods, it's just the two of them," Al says.

Seems like the bigger Pole is just biding her time. Saarnen of Finland was in a dogfight for third, stopped to change her skis, made up the time and is now pulling away.

Less than a mile away, Pole has now pulled in front, starting to sprint, she looks determined and in good shape, Norwegian looks desperate, she already has three golds and a bronze!

Total sprint at the finish, Norwegian is closing the gap, Pol still in front, Norwgian pulls past, side-by-side, total photo finish, but the Pole wins, Norwegian changed her stroke at the last moment, but wasn't enough. First ever-Polish woman to win gold! Kowalczyk, by .3! Sarrinen finishes third, about a minute behind. Wow!

American, who's a sprint specialist, finishes 24th. They show the skis of first and second crossing the line, it's starkly beautiful; white background, first one set then another set of red skis silently cross.

55 women started the marathon race; NBC stays with it, we watch the final ones power across the lines. Bjoergen totally carried the Norwegians, she had five medals, the rest of the team eight.

Hmmm, Americans both lost in snowboard parallel giant slalom, too bad.

Tom Brokaw does a long special report on the people of Gander, Newfoundland and how on 9/11 more than hundred planes were forced to land there, bringing 6,000 people to a town of under 10,000. It's an emotional, well-crafted piece; the best of people on one of the worst of days.

Back to speed skating, U.S. vs. Poland for bronze. Two huge Polish women, one small one. Poles keeping it close over the favored Americans. U.S. stretching out their lead a little, adding slightly to it each lap. Small Pole looks to be weakening; third American though falling waaaay back, Poles staying tight -- and the U.S. loses, ugh; all three Poles cross before even two Americans.

Germans vs. Japan for gold now. Japan all in gold, look like a machine, totally in synch. Germans bigger, bit more gangly. 2 laps left, Japan's lead is growing, nearly 2 seconds. Hmmmm, this would be a pretty big upset. Last lap, lead shrinking, still over a second... wow, Germans win by .03! Huge final lap.