Defending Olympic champs Uytdehaage

Jochem Uytdehaage and Gerard van Velde will not return to the &to=http://english.pravda.ru/world/20/91/365/16558_Turin.html' target=_blank>Winter Games to defend their speedskating titles, failing to qualify for the Dutch team at the four-day Netherlands Olympic trials.

Van Velde, 34, broke into tears after finishing sixth on Thursday behind Olympic silver medalist Jan Bos, Erben Wennemars and Beorn Nijenhuis in the 1,000 meters. Bos earned spots in three races, capping his week with a victory in the 1,500 on Friday.

"It's painful," Van Velde told Dutch television. "I am down but as a top sportsman, I will come back."

Uytdehaage, defending champ in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters, faded to sixth in the 5,000 on Tuesday before withdrawing from the 10,000 on Thursday.

The Hague-born Carl Verheijen, who set a world record at 10,000 meters earlier this month, won the 5,000 in 6 minutes, 17.58 seconds. World record holder Sven Kramer finished second in 6:18.78, 3.6 seconds ahead of Bob de Jong in third.

The trio also dominated the 10,000 with Verheijen winning, followed by Kramer and De Jong.

With Simon Kuipers injured, Bos dominated the shorter distances.

He won the 500 on Wednesday in 35.37 seconds, .09 seconds ahead of Nijenhuis and .15 seconds ahead of Wennemars. Her returned a day later to take 1,000 in 1:09.08, a half second ahead of Wennemars and 53-hundredths of a second ahead of Nijenhuis.

On Friday, Bos claimed the 1,500 in 1:46.56 with Wennemars second in 1:4.684 and Kramer third in 1:46.88.

On the women's side, 19-year-old Ireen Wust claimed her spot with a time of 1:56.71 in the 1,500 meters ahead of Paulien van Deutekom and Renate Groenewold.