Local

Photo finish creates speed skating confusion

SOCHI, Russia — After Jan Smeekens crossed the finish line in the men's 500m speed skating final, he thought he was a gold medalist - and for good reason.

The scoreboard initially showed a "1" next to his name, one spot in front of teammate Michel Mulder, who had already turned in a total time of 69.312.

Unbeknownst to Smeekens, and everyone else in Adler Arena, a timing error had taken place and his total time was changed to 69.324.

After plenty of confusion and emotional rollercoaster riding, Mulder was confirmed as the gold medalist while his disappointed teammate earned the silver.

To see the entire video, visit NBCOlympics.com.