Grotheer has big lead at midpoint of Olympic men’s skeleton

By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Sports Writer

BEIJING (AP) — Martins Dukurs of Latvia and Christopheer Grotheer of Germany have a slight difference of opinion at the midpoint of the men’s skeleton race at the Beijing Olympics. Dukurs says Grotheer cannot be caught. Grotheer politely disagrees. The standings after two runs suggest Dukurs might be right. Grotheer was the fastest in both heats Thursday at the Yanqing Sliding Center. He leads fellow German slider Axel Jungk by seven-tenths of a second going into Friday’s final two slides. Grotheer’s time was 2 minutes, 0.33 seconds. Jungk finished in 2:01.03 and Yan Wengang of China was third in 2:01.08.