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Finding Inner Strength - New York Times
SUMNER, Wash. — Melanie Roach is a former gymnast who owns a gymnastics facility. Her husband is a state legislator. At 33, she is the mother of three young children, including 5-year-old Drew, who is autistic. And she can lift 238 pounds over her head.
All of which makes her one of America’s most unlikely Olympic hopefuls.
For a start, Roach, who is 5 feet 1 inch and 117 pounds, looks nothing like a weight lifter. She was a gymnast until 10 years ago, when she left behind a middling career, took up weight lifting and in 1998 set an unofficial world record by lifting twice her body weight, a first for an American woman.
But she hyperextended her right elbow four months before the world championships in 1999 and had a herniated disk in her back eight weeks before the Olympic trials in 2000. She attempted to compete despite the injury, only to end up crying in the stands.
The back injury bothered her for seven years — through three pregnancies and three times as many comeback attempts.
“She rose to greatness so quickly, and then all of a sudden it was over,” said Roach’s training partner Alexis Reed. “You almost asked yourself, a year or two later, ‘Did that really happen?’ ”
The problems she encountered in competition were nothing compared with the challenge she confronted with Drew after his autism was diagnosed in 2005. Roach said she was preoccupied with everything he would never be able to do — school dances, church missions, college classes. He did not have bad days; he had bad weeks, bad months, filled with relentless tantrums.
“It was literally in a week my life changed,” Roach said. “I went into depression. I went through a mourning process. Almost like I lost a child.”
She said she would kneel at his bedside every night, praying he would get better.
In December 2005, Roach, a Mormon, went to see her bishop. “This is not what I signed up for,” she said.
“This is exactly what you signed up for,” he replied. That message not only changed her outlook about Drew, it changed her outlook about weight lifting.
“She learned that no matter how much money and time she put into it, she couldn’t change the outcome,” said her husband, Dan. “That has really helped with lifting. In the end, it’s the same concept.”
The family spent $25,000 on specialized therapy for Drew, and he has shown improvement. The family developed routines and safeguards. Every door, pantry and bedroom in their house is locked, even from the inside. They cut gluten from his diet, calming his demeanor and increasing his comprehension.
They do not watch television in the morning, so Drew can get ready for school without distraction. From 1 a.m. to 4 a.m., Dan takes care of Drew, when he often throws what the family calls parties, jumping on the bed, opening and shutting the bedroom door 20 times, breaking into fits of giggles.
“Still, Drew isn’t able to come up and tell me how his day is,” Roach said. “There will always be a part of him I cannot get to.”
Each morning when Drew boards the bus, Roach looks him in the eye and says goodbye. She makes eye contact and says, “I’m waiting.” “I love you,” Drew says back.
As much as Drew helped his mother learn to enjoy weight lifting, the constant movement of the complex family helps him, too. Drew used to throw fits when confronted with new environments, like when they turned left at a certain stoplight instead of right toward his grandmother’s house.
But autism is a challenge they will always confront, long after the Olympics. While cleaning out Dan’s office last month, Drew lay on the ground. “No tantrums,” his mother said firmly.
“No tantrums! No tantrums!” Drew screamed.
“Drew’s disability grounds them for life with other people who have challenges that are insurmountable,” Dan’s mother, Pam Roach, said. “You can’t surmount autism. You can learn to live with it.”
Roach trains for the Olympics in her gymnastics facility, a converted day-care center now filled with a symphony of barbell clangs and grunts. She made the transition from gymnastics into weight lifting in quick fashion. Guided by a coach, John Thrush, who trained elite prospects in his garage, Roach, then Melanie Kosoff, won her first national championship in 1997.
She met Dan in September 1998, and they married six months later. During the courtship, they traveled to Finland for the world championships. Melanie needed to complete one lift for a bronze medal, but “bombed out” on the platform, the pressure of meeting expectations heavier than the weight itself. After she lost, Dan told her that he lost his first election by 300 votes, or one-half of 1 percent.
On the streets of Finland, they wondered where everything went wrong. “And it didn’t get better, unfortunately,” Melanie said. “That was the beginning of the snowball effect.”
The first comeback, in 2003, lasted seven months before the back pain returned. She describes it as “way past 10,” worse than childbirth, and she notes she had her three kids naturally, at home.
“The best way to put it is as volatile as you can imagine,” said Greg Summers, Roach’s chiropractor. “I see four to five herniated disks a week, and hers is the worst I have ever seen.”
During long evenings Roach spent icing in the bathtub, she and Dan talked often about retiring for good. Even when she returned to the national team, she considered giving up her spot.
Unable to stand up straight, spending days at a time in bed, she called Summers in desperation.
Other doctors told her she risked serious injury, said that she could end up in a wheelchair. “Most orthopedic surgeons would cringe at the fact she was doing anything, let alone weight lifting,” Summers said.
At the world championships in October 2006, Roach finally told the team doctor about the herniated disk and three fragments imbedded in the nerve. The doctor recommended a surgeon in Los Angeles.
Five days after surgery, Roach was lifting weights without bending her back. Seven months later, she won her seventh national championship.
She later won a bronze medal at the Pan American Games and regained her No. 1 ranking among United States lifters.
“Amazing,” Dan Roach said. “We literally went from the world championships to the operating table and back in less than a year.”
But when would Melanie Roach enjoy it?
Back in the gym, with a poster from the Finland flameout and a Beijing T-shirt hanging from the wall, Roach lifted bars bent with colored plates while the song “Under Pressure” by Queen and David Bowie blasted through her earphones.
“Weight lifting is the easiest part of my day,” she said.
Thrush can tell immediately how well Roach is balancing the complexities of her life. He said he knew Roach was struggling with the pressure at the national championships in March, when she successfully lifted only two of six attempts. To qualify for Beijing, she must finish fourth or better in the 53-kilogram weight class at the Olympic trials in Atlanta on May 17.
“You’ll have an opportunity to be an average, everyday woman after August,” Thrush said he tells Roach when she seems distracted. “You need to be selfish now.”
Team Roach marches on through a life that Dan Roach described as “organized chaos.” Bonnie Kosoff, Melanie’s mother, moved in recently to take care of the children. Summers and Thrush travel to events.
“You know how they say it takes a village to raise a child?” Kosoff said. “Well, it takes a village to get someone to the Olympics, too.”
The changed outlook remains. Had Roach gone to the Olympics in 2000, she said, she would not have three kids or the business. Had there been no Drew, she may never have learned what Thrush tried to teach her all along — the concept of slow and small but steady and incremental progress.
But the biggest change that Drew inspired was in Roach, the athlete. She now enjoys the Olympic quest, 14 years after it started.
Summers, the chiropractor, said he first noticed the difference at an airport recently. Roach had been stopped by security and told she could not proceed with the fingernail polish in her carry-on. She stopped, smiled, propped up her feet and applied a fresh coat.
Lipscomb Takes Gold at World Cup Snowboard Finals - (Youtube: Watch Crispin's Gold Medal World Cup Win Here!)
Sunday March 16; Valmalenco, Italy: It's been quite a month for the Canadian Snowboard Team. Though its race schedule during that period would make even an air attendant's travel itinerary look pedestrian by comparison - six events, five countries, three continents and 20 hours of time change in four weeks - the team revealed a new-and-improved version of itself in the concluding races of the 2007-08 season by posting its best run of World Cup results ever.
"What most impresses me about these results" sans Canadian Team head coach Jim Miller, "is how broad-based they are. Doesn't matter what discipline. Doesn't matter the age of the athlete. Doesn't even matter whether they are coach or rider, service person or physiotherapist. Everyone on this team is dedicated to one thing: delivering high performance results on demand."
The final World Cup event of the 2008 season, the halfpipe contest (completed earlier today), clearly underscores Miller's contention that his young charges are not afraid to compete at the highest levels now. Consider Crispin Lipscomb's s ride to victory today.
After all, it was only a year ago that Lipscomb was sitting on the sidelines, healing a broken collarborne and wondering when he'd ever be able to get back to high-level competition. And when he was finally cleared to compete again just in time for this last, highly-concentrated month of World Cup contests, the winner of the 2006 World Cup Finals struggled.
From a promising 10th place ride in his first event back in Korea, his performances tumbled over the next few weeks until it was amply apparent to everyone that things couldn't keep going the way they were going. "It wasn't the comeback I expected," admits Lipscomb. "I was really fighting myself in the pipe."
Embarrassed and frustrated by a less-than-stellar showing in Calgary - a modest 24th -- Lipscomb took advantage of the new, more flexible program put in place by discipline head coach, Tom Hutchinson this year and went back home to Whistler to regroup. "It was a real judgment call for me," he explains. "I could have gone to Quebec and braved the weather and conditions and hope to turn things around. Or I could go home --get a little training in; do a little snowmobiling -- and head for Italy refreshed and ready to win again. I'm really glad the coaches and the program gave me enough leeway to choose the latter."
No question. Competing before a raucous crowd of knowledgeable - and highly appreciative - Italian spectators, Lipscomb put down the kind of run in the finals that had his coaches raving for more! "His winning run was a thing of beauty," said Hutchinson. "It was perfect. He made every move, every jump, look easy. There didn't seem to be any effort there - he was just floating from lip-to-lip. And that's what the judges usually want to see."
Indeed. For the second time in three seasons, the young Whistler local was awarded the gold in the final event of the World Cup circuit. And as he says: "It was exactly the same weather and conditions as two years ago. And I took full advantage of that fact."
But that doesn't explain going from 24th to first in two weeks. What happened? "I just got my feeling back," he says. "I just needed a little time on my own to fine-tune some things. And you know what - it feels great to be back!"
Explains Lipscomb of his victorious ride: "It was just a super clean run. Nothing complicated or overly fancy. I went front backside air, to front 9, to backside 5, to front 7 and finished with a cab 7. I just think I put a lot of style into it today. I felt really strong and confident -- finally. And I knew it from the moment I got in the pipe this morning."
Roach Wins 8th National Championships - Columbus, Ohio, February 29, 2008 – America’s #1 ranked weightlifter, Melanie Roach (Bonney Lake, WA) took one more critical step toward Beijing, China and the 2008 Olympic Games today as she secured her 8th US National Champion title at the USA National Weightlifting Championships held as part of the 2008 Arnold Sports Festival.
In front of a capacity crowd, and as the final athlete to take the stage, Roach dominated the field of 14 competitors from around the country winning the snatch event, the clean-and-jerk and the overall National Championship.
“My first two lifts in the snatch didn’t go according to plan so that turned up the pressure on the last lift. But, I learned a long time ago that I’ve got to stay focused on the lift I’m about to do rather than any I made or missed earlier in the competition. The huge crowd, and the whole event was great training for Beijing and to come away with the win knowing that I can still do better is a great position to be in,” said Roach.
Two missed lifts in the snatch at 78kilos (171.6 lbs) pushed Roach’s back to the wall to complete the lift on her final attempt or be eliminated from the competition. She delivered, then went on to clean and jerk 105kilos, (231 lbs.) over double her own bodyweight, to the delight of the crowd.
“I could definitely feel the crowd’s energy today. It’s great to have that support. I know I’m the one who’s got to lift the weight, but there are so many people doing so many things behind the scenes to help me be at my best that I just feel like I have this great team, like I have the best team, and that feeling makes the lifting part just a bit easier”
In 2000 Roach reigned as one of America’s standout lifters and was poised to fulfill her lifelong dream at the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. Tragically, weeks before, she suffered what appeared to be a career ending back injury. Today, eight years later, with her husband, three children and dedicated team of family, coaches and fans she inched closer to fulfilling that dream.
Roach’s final step to the Olympics Games will take place in May, in Atlanta, GA at the US Olympic Weightlifing Trials. The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games begin August 8th.
Hamar, Norway, January 27, 2008 - America's Chad Hedrick, Olympic gold, silver and bronze medalist, has spent some time in the shadows over the last year, conspicuously absent from his previously familiar position on the medals podium of speedskating's international World Cup circuit. That all changed yesterday as the big Texan took the silver medal in the grueling 10,000m event in 13:11.20, just 1.59 seconds behind Norwegian winner Harvard Bokko. An errant cross-over exchange with Dutchman Bob de Jong late in the race appeared that it may cost Hedrick a podium appearance but he recovered, rallied back and narrowly missed the gold medal.
ST. MORITZ, Switzerland— Zach Lund (Salt Lake City, Utah) and Eric Bernotas (Avondale, Pa.) won silver and bronze, respectively, at the men’s skeleton World Cup in St. Moritz, Switzerland today.
“They are both very strong sliders, and they have proven that they are the ones to beat,” said Martin Rettl, U.S. skeleton driving coach and 2002 Olympic silver medalist.
Lund captured silver today, despite having fractured his rib in a crash out of Horseshoe corner during a training run on Wednesday.
“Zach should be very proud of himself,” Rettl said. “He showed what kind of competitor he is today. He was a little behind in the start because of his injury, but he still had the fastest time of all in the second run, and was once again standing on the podium.”
Lund struggled at the start, pushing a time of 5.31 seconds, 20th best of the heat, before driving himself up 17 positions into third with a first run time of 1:10.53 seconds. Bettering his first heat effort, Lund pushed a tenth of a second faster in the second heat with a start time of 5.21 seconds, piloting his sled to the fastest time of the second run, a 1:10.04. Lund sped to the finish with the highest speed of the competition, 132.2 km/h, for a combined time of 2:20.57 to claim silver.
Bernotas slid two consistent runs of 1:10.37 and 1:10.30, second and third fastest of the competition, respectively, for a two-run total of 2:20.67. Bernotas finished just 0.10 seconds from his teammate for the bronze medal.
Both Americans medaled at the 2007 World Championships held in St. Moritz last season, where Bernotas claimed silver and Lund took bronze.
Kristan Bromley from Great Britain claimed gold today with a combined time of 2:20.22 after sliding runs of 1:09.89, fastest of the day, and 1:10.33. Today marked Bromley’s first win since 2004.
U.S. National Champion Caleb Smith (Lake Placid, N.Y.) had his World Cup season-best finish today, placing eighth. Smith slid runs of 1:10.66 and 1:10.61, both sixth fastest of the competition, for a combined time of 2:21.27.
“During training he had a time of 1:08.53, which is the fastest time this year on the track,” Rettl said. “He was a little back in the push, but his driving was great. He made a great race.”
After today’s victory, Bromley has claimed the overall World Cup lead with 1197 points. Lund is only 17 points behind with 1180 points, followed by teammate Bernotas in third with 1179.
“Zach and Eric will be fighting for the title this year,” Rettl said. “It will be a very tight race for the overall Championship this year.”
Don’t miss the action LIVE and On-Demand on NBCOlympics.com, courtesy of MediaZone. Check out the races for only $4.99, and find out more about bobsled, skeleton and luge, the fastest sports on ice.
For complete results of today’s race, visit www.bobsleigh.com, the Web site of the Fédération International de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganning (FIBT).
Results:
1. Kristan Bromley (GBR) 2:20.22 (1:09.89, 1:10.33); 2. Zach Lund (USA)
2:20.57 (1:10.53, 1:10.04); 3. Eric Bernotas (USA) 2:20.67 (1:10.37,
1:10.30);…8. Caleb Smith (USA) 2:21.27 (1:10.66, 1:10.61);
LAKE PLACID, N.Y.— Eric Bernotas (Avondale, Pa.) demolished the track record by over three-tenths of a second today for the gold medal in the men’s skeleton World Cup competition at the Olympic Sports Complex in Lake Placid, N.Y. 2007 World Cup Champion Zach Lund (Salt Lake City, Utah) joined his teammate on the podium with a bronze medal finish. “The track is in awesome shape,” Bernotas said. “I felt more g-pressure on the lower part of the track than I have ever felt, so I figured I had to have been going a little faster than I’m used to going.”
Despite snowy conditions, Bernotas, ninth off in the first heat, shocked the competition by smashing the track record set by Matt Antoine in December 2006 by .19 seconds with a first heat time of 54.55.“I was just glad to put down a solid run,” Bernotas said. “I knew I still had a second run to do, so I was feeling good, but I had to look within myself, stay relaxed, and prepare for run number two.”
Bernotas had almost a four-tenth of a second lead over the field entering the second run. The 2007 World Championship silver medalist stayed relaxed, and was able to demolish the track record again with a second run time of 55.43 seconds. At the end of the competition, Bernotas shaved 0.31 seconds off the track record.
“Things are coming together,” Bernotas said. “If we as a team keep supporting one another like we have been, we’ll bring consistency into the second half.”
Lund, who claimed the gold medal last week in Park City, Utah, had a podium finish again today with a bronze medal performance. Despite pushing the slowest start time of the heat with a 5.41 second push due to difficult start groove conditions, Lund drove himself into third position with a time of 55.11 seconds.
“I was first off in the race today, which was a little unlucky with the condition of the groove,” Lund said.Lund improved his second start with a 5.19 push, finishing with the second-fastest run of the second heat, a 54.67. Lund claimed the bronze medal with a combined time of 1:49.78, eight-hundredths of a second from his teammate.
“It wasn’t my best day, but I’m very happy to be where I’m at on the podium,” Lund said.Canadian Jon Montgomery, who won bronze in Calgary, Alberta on his home track, took silver in today’s competition with runs of 54.94 and 54.77 for a combined time of 1:49.71. The North Americans celebrated after the race, eagerly looking forward to the 2009 World Championships that will be held in Lake Placid next year.
“The conditions were perfect during my run, and if I’d had a different draw, maybe my result would have been different,” Bernotas said.“You would have smoked it anyway,” Montgomery responded. “I’m sure my coach was having heart palpitations as I was coming out of corner 12. I had a moment of weightlessness, which leaves a little to be desired. But I feel like I’m getting a solid foundation on this track before World Championships here next year.”
Caleb Smith (Lake Placid, N.Y.) struggled with the snowy conditions today, finishing ninth today after a the eighth and 11th fastest runs of the competition, a 55.34 and 55.22, respectively, for a total time of 1:50.56.
For complete results of today’s race, visit
www.bobsleigh.com, the Web site of the Fédération International de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganning(FIBT).
Results:
1. Eric Bernotas (USA) 1:48.98 (54.55, 54.43); 2. Jon Montgomery (CAN) 1:49.71 (54.94, 54.77); 3. Zach Lund (USA) 1:49.78 (55.11, 54.67);…9. Caleb Smith (USA) 1:50.56 (55.34, 55.22);
Lund and Bernotas Claim Gold and Silver in Men’s Skeleton World Cup Competition in Park City, Utah
PARK CITY, Utah—The U.S. men’s skeleton team responded to Katie Uhlaender’s silver medal performance this morning by claiming the gold and silver medals in today’s competition at the Utah Olympic Park in Park City, Utah. Defending World Cup Champion Zach Lund (Salt Lake City, Utah) claimed the gold, with teammate Eric Bernotas (Avondale, Pa.) twenty-five hundredths of a second behind for the silver medal.
“This really helped my momentum to get back on top,” Lund said. “It feels great to have this victory on my home track with my friends and family here to support me.”
Lund rebounded after a disappointing 11th place finish last week by winning the gold medal on his home track today.
“Last week I wasn’t in the right frame of mind,” Lund said. “I was able to make adjustments this week, and one thing I’ve learned over the years is how to not let mistakes keep me from coming back.”
Zach blasted out a first place run of 48.87 in the first heat after pushing a 4.84, just 0.23 seconds ahead of teammate Bernotas. Bernotas pushed an identical 4.84 start to finish the first heat with a time of 49.10 seconds.
A steady snow began to fall during the second heat, causing unpredictable runs for the sliders. Despite the inconsistent conditions, Lund and Bernotas maintained their first and second positions to claim the top two spots on the medal stand.
“Zach, Caleb and I pushed each other all week, and it paid off,” Bernotas said. “Unfortunately, the snow may have played a role in some of the people’s down times today, but you’ve got to stay focused, and do what you need to do.”
Bernotas stopped the clock in one minute, 38.41 seconds after a second run time of 49.56 for the silver medal. Lund slid a second run time of 49.54 for a total of 1:38.41 to claim the gold medal on his home track.
“Zach showed that he can slide well on this track, and the he is the best,” Bernotas said. “I’m happy for him.”
Caleb Smith (Lake Placid, N.Y.) finished in 16th place today after runs of 49.39 and 50.34 for a total time of 1:39.73.
“There’s not much you can do when conditions are like this,” Smith said. “Next week we’ll be in Lake Placid. Bring it baby.”
The U.S. skeleton team will compete in Lake Placid, N.Y. next Friday, Dec. 14th for the third World Cup stop of the 2007-08 season.
For complete results of today’s race, visit www.bobsleigh.com, the Web site of the Fédération International de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganning (FIBT).
Results:
1. Zach Lund (USA) 1:38.41 (48.87, 49.54); 2. Eric Bernotas (USA) 1:38.66 (49.10, 49.56); 3. Anthony Sawyer (GBR) 1:38.70 (49.13, 49.57);…16. Caleb Smith (USA) 1:39.73 (49.39, 50.34);
About the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation
The United States Bobsled and Skeleton Federation, based in Lake Placid, N.Y., is the national governing body for the sports of bobsled and skeleton in the United States. The USBSF would like to thank its sponsors, suppliers and contributors for their support: Allianz Life, Columbia Sportswear Company, Speedo, CW-X, KBC Helmets, ULU Boots, Racing Electronics, Schenker Logistics, Lumber Liquidators and Whelen Engineering. For more information, please visit the USBSF Web site at www.usbsf.com.
| SOELDEN, Austria (Oct. 21) - Hefty
Adam Smith (Bend, OR), riding new equipment and with new confidence,
powered his way to third place Saturday in a World Cup parallel giant
slalom on the Rettenbach Glacier. His first podium outdoors was the first
top-3 for the U.S. men in two seasons. Smith, who received a new Kessler snowboard at midweek, crashed in his first run of the head-to-head semifinal round. But, he nearly made up his automatic 1.5-second deficit against Rok Flander of Slovenia, the eventual winner. Then the 6-foot-2, 225-pound Smith defeated Austrian Benjamin Karl in the two-run, "small final" for third place. His first podium in three seasons is also the third top-3 of Smith's career, but his first in PGS; his other two podiums were on parallel slalom - both on the indoor course at Landgraaf, Netherlands. He won there in 2004 and finished third in '05. Coach: "Awesome to watch..." "It was awesome to watch Adam ride so well," U.S. Snowboarding Head Coach Peter Foley said. "He was on a new board and it made a huge difference. "The conditions were so good. It had snowed a little over the rock-hard glacial ice, so everyone could get a nice edge. And it stayed perfect the whole day," Foley added. "It was super clean. It was mostly sunny, but mostly it was real wintry and that's a nice change, good to feel those real winter conditions." Other U.S. men battled in consistency, the coach said. Former Olympic medalist Chris Klug (Aspen, CO) was the next American, finishing 18th. "They'd have one good run and then things would go a little south for 'em. But, the guys had good training over here and that's important." said Foley. "It's a tight field..." "There isn't much of a margin for mistakes," Foley said. "It's a tight field of riders. And with the qualification system, you just have to be on it both runs. One good run won't get it done for you in getting to the top 16 to reach finals." Sunday, no U.S. woman qualified for finals in PGS. The riders return to the United States and will regroup next month during their traditional November training camp at Copper Mountain, CO. The alpine side of the snowboarding World Cup resumes Dec. 8 with another PGS in Limone Piemonte, Italy. 2007 Snowboarding World Cup Rettenbach Glacier Soelden, AUT - Oct. 21, 2007 Men's Giant Slalom (Top 4 make semifinals) 1. Rok Flander, Slovenia 2. Daniel Biveson, Sweden 3. Adam Smith, Bend, OR 4. Benjamin Karl, Austria - Other U.S. riders: 18. Chris Klug, Aspen, CO 25. Justin Reiter, Steamboat Springs, CO 26. Tyler Jewell, Sudbury, MA 47. Zachary Kay, Mount Shasta, CA -- Oct. 22, 2007 Women's PGS (Top 4 make semifinals) 1. Marion Kreiner, Austria 2. Heidi Neururer, Austria 3. Nicolien Sauerbreij, Netherlands 4. Carmen Ranigler, Italy - 33. Lindsay Lloyd, Centerville, UT - DNF: Erica Mueller, Steamboat Springs, CO For complete results: www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/610.html?sector=SB&competitorid=57214&raceid=7344 |
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LAKE PLACID, N.Y. --- Brian Martin (Palo Alto, Calif.) will look to defend a pair of luge start titles, while Julia Clukey (Augusta, Maine) has her sights set on a third straight women's singles crown during Friday night's, Aug. 17, JetBlue Airways U.S. National Luge Start Championships. The annual race, which begins at 7 p.m., will be held on the indoor, refrigerated start ramps at USA Luge's headquarters in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Martin won last summer's men's singles title by the slimmest of margins... a single thousandth of a second over teammate Tony Benshoof (White Bear Lake, Minn.), who finished second. In the doubles event, he and his teammate, Mark Grimmette (Muskegon, Mich.), won their first title together since 2003.
Clukey and her teammate, Ashley Walden (Westborough, Mass.), are expected to be the top two contending women's singles sleds. While Clukey has come away with consecutive victories over the past two years, and is the track record holder, Walden is a seven-time winner of this event. Erin Hamlin (Remsen, N.Y.), a 2006 Olympian, could also find herself near or on the medal podium.
By HARVEY ARATON
In a little-noticed variation on a widely examined theme, a well-known sports figure stalked the authorities last week as opposed to the other way around. This time, a government played defense while the voice of the people was heard through the mouth of the athlete.
More than 42,000 signatures were delivered to the Chinese Embassy in Washington on behalf of an organization called the Save Darfur Coalition. He went to the front door. Put his finger to the bell.
“Yes?” a voice from the other side said.
“My name is Joey Cheek,” he said. “I am on the U.S. Olympic team. And I am here to deliver petitions that we have collected over the last week imploring China to continue to act strongly to protect the civilians in Darfur.”
That was last Thursday, when Michael Vick was in a Virginia courtroom, beginning his most vital scramble, trying to elude stomach-churning charges brought by federal prosecutors of sponsoring a dogfighting operation that a co-defendant said yesterday was mostly financed by Vick.
Cheek, the American speed skater who won the gold medal in the 500 meters at the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy, was holding his ground that day with a message — stop the slaughter in Sudan — to the host country of next summer’s Olympics in Beijing.
“Only you can come in,” the embassy gatekeeper told Cheek, instructing the coalition members with him, along with a Darfuri refugee named Daoud Hari, to retreat.
Clutching thick binders with signatures collected around the United States, Cheek waited as 5 minutes became 10, 10 became 20, 20 became 30. Just leave them, one of his colleagues suggested.
Not yet, Cheek said, and after more than a half-hour, the front door opened. Into the lobby, to a brief audience with embassy officials, he went to make his drop and propose leading a group of American and Chinese athletes on a trip to Darfur, the violence-racked region of Sudan, a country with which China wields considerable economic clout.
“They didn’t dismiss it,” Cheek said in a telephone interview. “They seemed interested.”
Granted, the timing of his embassy mission wasn’t good, if attention was the desired goal — not in a week when professional sport on so many levels was reeking of malfeasance, from one side of the Atlantic to the other. But shame on us if we can’t take a few moments to applaud Cheek’s patience, conviction and cause.
Today, in this space, the now hounded quarterback Vick, the home run antihero Barry Bonds, the suspected rogue N.B.A. ref, the chemically aided cyclists and even poor, misunderstood Michael Strahan must wait while Cheek explains why mixing politics and sport — specifically the international version — does not violate any sacred, time-honored code.
“The Chinese say, ‘Don’t politicize the Olympics,’ but that’s ridiculous,” Cheek said. “The only reason they wanted it was political, to prove they are a great power on the world stage.”
For the record, he does not support calls to boycott Beijing, only using the Games as leverage to move the Chinese government on Darfur. If his two Olympic experiences have taught him anything, it is that the Games — rampant commercialism and scandals notwithstanding — are as good a stage as any “to fight for an ideal that you believe in.”
More than his medals, Cheek is no doubt remembered for donating his 2006 Olympic prize money to a sport and humanitarian organization championed by Johann Olav Koss, the Norwegian speed-skating legend. For the standard post-Games period, Cheek was the face on the Wheaties box, America’s feel-good Olympian. He became a regular on the corporate speaking circuit, admittedly cashing in to fund a Princeton education he deferred for one year.
Retired from skating, Cheek resumed giving back, formed his own charitable campaign — called it “Where Will We Be?” — to galvanize Olympians and raise money to fund worthy causes.
He began by stepping onto the Darfur soapbox, but the more he learned about displacement and genocide, the more he couldn’t get off it. He spoke at a Washington rally with Barack Obama and Hollywood activists, targeting, in part, Bush Administration policy. He testified before Congress. He traveled to China, Egypt and the troubled area in Chad near its border with Sudan.
He would like to work with Ira Newble, the journeyman basketball player who last spring collected signatures from his Cleveland Cavaliers teammates on a letter to China protesting Darfur — absent, most notably, was the young superstar, LeBron James.
“Most Olympians are nowhere near that level of fame,” Cheek said. “But if it’s a choice between standing up for something I believe in or not because I’m worried about celebrity or money, it’s a no-brainer.”
If only that were the rule, not the exception, a breath of fresh air in the dog days of an uncommonly depressing sports summer.
The entire hearing can be watched online at: (http://nationalsecurity.oversight.house.gov).
Cheek will discuss his Olympic experiences, his travels to the region and his ongoing efforts to end the crisis in Darfur. To follow are Joey Cheek's opening remarks:
"It is my sincere privilege to address this august committee. I would
like to thank the Chairman, Congressman Tierney, all of the members
and the congressional staff for extending the invitation to speak on
my experiences as an Olympic athlete and a concerned citizen who
continues to fight for the protection of the millions of innocent
civilians residing in Darfur, Sudan.
I would like to thank the committee for calling this hearing and for
drawing attention to the crisis in Darfur as well as exploring options
that we Olympians have for positively motivating the international
community to swiftly and effectively improve the lives of the millions
that are suffering.
Throughout my life I have been incredibly blessed. After years of
hard work, training, exhaustive preparations, and the sacrifice of my
family, friends, and community, I have had the privilege to compete in
two Olympic Games representing the United States as Speedskater. From
those two competitions I brought home three medals, a bronze medal in
the 2002 Olympic Games and gold and silver medals in the 2006 Olympic
Games in Turin, Italy.
Winning Olympic medals is a great personal thrill, but I brought home
lessons and experiences from those two games that I participated in
that are worth much more than mere athletic awards. These lessons are
best illustrated by a story that I feel encapsulates the true spirit
of Olympic competition and goes strait to the heart of the crisis in
Darfur that we are addressing here today.
Within the Olympic Village, an area only a handful of people
throughout the world are ever permitted to see, the greatest athletes
on Earth live and complete their final preparations for the most
important competition of their lives. Success means immortality in
the annuls of Olympic history and falling short of the goal of
athletic perfection means that although your name may not be mentioned
alongside the greats, you are still part of a rarefied club, the
holder of a shared experience of excellence. The media loves to tout
this aspect of the games: the thrill of victory, that agony of defeat.
However seeing only the competitive part alone shows a tiny fraction
of the true beauty of the Olympic Games.
I believe that the true Olympic Spirit can be demonstrated by this
example: Inside the Village all of the athletes eat together. I know
that may seem trivial, but as you walk inside the dining hall your
gaze drifts up to the rafters where all of the flags of the competing
nations hang then drifts back down to the long tables where all of the
athletes proudly wear the colors of their nations draped on their
backs the true glory of this otherwise ordinary act is played out.
Athletes from the Americas sit and break bread next to athletes from
Africa. The athletes from the many nations of Europe, whose
grandfathers lives were devastated by a war that encompassed the
world, now laugh and embrace each other like brothers inside this
shared space. It was in this enclave that I realized that I may have
more in common with an athlete born in communist China, through our
shared love of our sport and experience on the field of play, than I
have with some of my own native born countrymen. This is the true
magnificence of the Olympic Games. We can fight like hell on the
athletic field and return to live in peace.
It was with this spirit in mind that I made a decision that has
altered the course of my life. After winning a gold and silver medal
in the 2006 Olympic Games I donated all of the money I received as a
medal bonus, $40,000, to an organization to aid refugees from the
region of Darfur. I have been asked many times why I choose that
conflict at that time and my answer is simple. I believed that no
where else on earth was there a crisis affecting so many people that
had such an inverse level of international attention and power focused
on bringing it to an end. Although the level of attention focused on
this conflict has improved over the last sixteen months or so since I
made this announcement, there are still thousands of people being
killed or raped and millions more who have been driven from their
homes.
I have spent the last year as an unofficial ambassador of sorts,
traveling the country educating young people on the crisis and what
they can do to help end it, and traveling the world speaking with
leaders in other countries imploring them to do more. Just a few
months ago I traveled to Chad, where I visited refugee camps populated
by tens of thousands of Darfuri citizens and heard firsthand of the
tales of systemic murder, rape, villages being razed to the ground,
and families being forced to flee for their lives. The images from
those camps continue to haunt me. I am filled with rage when I think
of the level of depravity to which some people can sink. Complacency
in the face of such evil is indeed very hard to justify. It is, in
fact, the opposite of what the Olympics were created to celebrate,
which is why this topic is so relevant here today.
As the glow of games in Turin fade the light of a new games begins to
shine. China, the most populated (???) nation on earth will be
hosting the grandest sporting event on earth, the 2008 summer
Olympics. China, with its economy growing faster than almost any
other nation, looks at these games as their coronation on the worlds
stage, proving that they are indeed a force that will shape history in
this century. By hosting an Olympic Games, a nation becomes the torch
bearer for the Olympic ideals, as well as the host of a sporting
event. In this crisis China plays an especially important role
because it is the top economic partner of Sudan. China purchases two
thirds of Sudan's oil exports, China has invested hundreds of millions
of dollars in Sudan's economy and China sits on the UN Security
council wielding veto power over any international effort to protect
innocents in darfur from these murderous elements. By hosting an
event that professes peace over conflict, China has laid claim to a
higher moral ground. It is now up to them to fulfill that obligation.
China is not alone however, as the sole bearer of the Olympic ideal
that all citizens are entitled to the rights of a safe and protected
life. Every nation completing in these games has an obligation to
fight the injustice of mass atrocities. That is why I have formed a
new organization, an international coalition of athletes, titled
"Where Will We B?". I seek over the next year to bring in athletes
not just from the United States, but every country in the world
competing in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing to stand up and say that we
believe that the Olympic games should be more than just a sporting
competition. We believe that no matter what nation in which you were
born you deserve the same chance to fulfill their dreams as the great
athletes competing at the Olympics. We believe that China, as host
nation and a nation with extraordinary leverage, should take a
leadership role in ending the atrocities for the people of Darfur.
And we believe, that as athletes, we are leaders and role models in
our community, and we will do all that we can to make all people aware
of this crisis and that it can be stopped.
Thank you again to all the members of this committee and thank you for
giving me the opportunity to speak about what makes my Olympic
experience truly meaningful. Thank your for hosting a hearing on this
critical issue, which could ultimately mean the difference of life and
death for millions of people. I know that the eyes of the world will
be on Beijing on 8-8-08, but I implore all of us to wonder where the
citizens of Darfur will be at that time. Thank You."
ADIDAS AND RIGHT TO PLAY KICK OFF RED BALL MOVEMENT
Using The Power of Sport and Play to Create a Healthier and Safer World
PORTLAND, Ore.,
The mini ball is a world cup-style redesign of Right to Play’s longstanding symbol and will retail for 10 dollars in the US. As a primary driver for the awareness initiative, adidas retail employees will act as Right to Play ambassadors and the stores will be transformed to showcase the work that Right to Play is doing in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. All proceeds from the sale of the mini ball will go to support Right to Play’s projects around the world.
“In the communities where we work, Right to Play’s red ball is recognized as a symbol of hope, health and happiness,” said Olympic legend and Right To Play President and CEO Johann Koss. “By buying this special mini ball, children in this country can give the gift of laughter, hope and health to children in need around the world.”
In conjunction with the mini ball initiative, the Adi Dassler Fund will provide over 100,000 full size red balls for use in the more than 20 countries where Right to Play has programs. The red ball embodies Right to Play’s values – the best values of sport including cooperation, respect, inclusion, integrity and fair play. Written on the red ball are the words “Look after yourself, look after one another.” This is the philosophy that guides Right to Play’s work. Through its programs, the organization strives to empower individuals to look after themselves and look after their communities.
Additionally, legendary soccer phenom, Zinedine Zidane, who retired from international competition last year, is now devoting much of his time to working with children and will partner with the Adi Dassler Fund to be a key driver of the Right to Play initiative. Over the course of the year, Zidane will travel to one of the countries participating in Right to Play programs and lending his voice to the movement.
“I know firsthand the positive impact sport can have on your life and the skills and values sport can teach like leadership, team work, confidence and perseverance,” explained Zidane. “Together with Right To Play and the Adi Dassler Fund, I hope to have the opportunity to share my love of sports with children around the world and to help them grow and learn through the power of sport and play.”
Later in July, adidas and Right to Play will expand the initiative with Major League Soccer bringing the program to life in-stadium and reaching MLS athletes and fans nationwide.
“Sport for Development is still a relatively new area in terms of global recognition, but with adidas and Zidane on board we will encourage people everywhere to join this important movement,” explained Koss.
Right To Play
Right To Play uses specially-designed sport and play programmes to improve health, build life skills, and foster peace for children and communities affected by war, poverty, disease. Working in both the humanitarian and development contexts, Right To Play has projects in more than 20 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
Right To Play is the only global-scale implementer of Sport for Development and Peace programmes and takes an active role in driving research and policy development in this area.
Right To Play was founded by four-time Olympic gold medalist Johann Olav Koss.
Adi Dassler Fund
The Adi Dassler Fund was formed to give structure and focus in realizing the adidas brand vision to make the world a better place through our passion for sport. It is a non-profit organization separate from the adidas brand, but receives aid in the form of financial and product contributions, employee volunteerism, sponsored-athlete support and marketing assistance. The Adi Dassler Fund is a tool that helps employees to channel their goodwill.
Joey Cheek Update - May 2007 - Olympic champion, humanitarian and Darfur activist Joey Cheek will be officially recognized as the US Olympic Committee's 2006 Sportsman of the Year later this week in Washington, DC. Cheek will join the prestigious company of past winners including Lance Armstrong, Pete Sampras, Carl Lewis and Eric Heiden. In addition, Cheek was also a finalist for the Amateur Athletic Association's Athlete of the Year, Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year as well as the inaugural recipient of the Heisman Humanitarian Award. Joey Cheek has continued to enjoy his time in the spotlight with gold, silver and bronze medals opening plenty of doors. Last week he debuted on MTV Networks 'mtvU Campus Invastion Tour' as a guest on-air personality interviewing bands the likes of The Shins, Shiny Toy Guns and Dashboard Confessional at tour stops in Austin, Atlanta and Philadelphia. The current edition of GQ Magazine features a well dressed Cheek showing readers how to look like an Olympic Champion without having to spend a lot of gold. Joey will also be appearing on the Today Show tomorrow morning (May 4) as well as returning to Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People gala in NY City next week where he was honored for the first time last year. Cheek has continued his work as a spokesperson for
The existence of fate, or destiny, is unprovable, but those looking for evidence have a reason to believe in Eric Bernotas.
It's hard to hear the 1989 Malvern Prep graduate explain how he, a stonemason at age 30 who had never even heard of the sport of skeleton, is at age 35 the four-time defending national champion and an Olympic medal contender without thinking that perhaps there is a little more at work here than just dumb luck.
The little-known sport of skeleton is similar to the bobsled or luge, with racers gaining a running head start before plunging down a tunnel of ice.
Skeleton racers fly head-first down the same tracks as the other sports, hitting speeds up to 80 m.p.h. as they negotiate the 15 to 20 turns on a small slab of fiberglass before crossing the finish line.
Potential is a central theme when talking with Bernotas. It was an innate potential that he always felt growing up in Malvern that fueled him, once he graduated from West Virginia University in 1994, to train for... well, he wasn't quite sure what.
"I was preparing for the opportunity," said Bernotas. "I wanted an opportunity to play sports at a high level, so I trained. If it didn't work out, well, that was fine. I was improving my life in the meantime."
The opportunity to tap this potential presented itself when, on a road trip to Vermont in January 2002, Bernotas and his girlfriend got lost and ended up in, of all places, Lake Placid, N.Y. It was there that Bernotas met his destiny.
"The first time I went off the top of the track I didn't know if I wanted to do it again," said Bernotas, who had signed up for a spot in a training camp after meeting skeleton officials in Lake Placid. "I figured that I should stick it out, and soon I started believing that I could be pretty good."
Emboldened by early success, Bernotas quit his job as a stonemason, and started training full-time. Skeleton, though far more popular in Europe - where Bernotas is currently competing - than in the U.S. is not a sport that fills your bank account. The limited sponsorships cover only some of the many costs of racing.
"This is enough money for me to get by and pay my bills, and do what I need to do to continue pursuing my goals," said Bernotas, adding, "I'm doing it for the love of the sport."
His breakthrough performance came at the 2004 U.S. national championships in Lake Placid. Bernotas held a slight lead over Chris Soule, a 2002 Olympian, heading in to their final runs. Soule set a new track record (he had owned the previous record as well) with his 54.97-second run.
Soule's record lasted barely 10 minutes. Bernotas slid past the finish line in 54.79 seconds, setting a new record and clinching the championship.
"It really hit home to me after that race that he was good enough to not only to compete, but to beat these guys," said Al Bernotas of Avondale, Eric's father. "I fell in love with it [skeleton] after that," said Al.
Bernotas entered the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino as the three-time defending U.S. champion, ranked third internationally. He left without a medal, placing sixth, but with something much more important: his health.
NBC, which was broadcasting the Olympics, arranged for a sledding race between the U.S. skeleton and luge teams. Bernotas landed awkwardly off a jump, suffering a slight stress fracture in his neck. Teammate Kevin Ellis came hurtling down the same hill moments after Bernotas, and had an even worse landing, breaking a vertebra in his back.
"It turns out that being in the cold and the snow probably saved him from being paralyzed, because it kept the swelling down," said Bernotas.
Ellis has not raced since, and is still recovering. Bernotas just completed another successful racing season, winning his fourth straight U.S. championship, and earning a silver medal at the World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland. His eyes are on Vancouver, the site of the 2010 Olympics.
"I think the whole journey has been me just following where I am supposed to be," said Bernotas when asked what role he thought fate may have played in his whirlwind career. "I'm following a passion, a dream. I didn't follow it a normal way, but in this atmosphere I feel like I thrive, not just as an athlete, but as a human being."
More on Bernotas
For more information on Eric Bernotas, visit his Web site at http://slidingsport.com.
For his race results, and for other information on skeleton, visit http://fibt.com.
Bernotas Claims Silver in Men’s Skeleton World Championships
St. Moritz, Switzerland— Eric Bernotas (Avondale, Pa.) won the silver medal after the final heats of the men’s skeleton World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Current World Cup leader Zach Lund (Salt Lake City, Utah) finished just 0.13 behind his teammate, taking the bronze. The track record was broken three times during the final two heats of the race today.
“This whole season has been building, and I’m feeling more and more confident as I carry momentum into each race,” Bernotas said. “The silver today was just another boost. I did what I had to do.”
For Lund, this race was about more than a title, but an opportunity to prove himself. Lund was informed of the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s ruling to suspend him for one year for the banned substance finasteride, a masking agent found in his hair-restoration medication, as he was walking to the Opening Ceremonies of the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy. Lund was the World Cup leader before his suspension.
“It feels great to have placed third today,” Lund said. “I feel no different than I did last year, when I was first overall. I could have medalled at the Olympics in Torino, so it’s nice to come out this year and prove that this is for real, and it wasn’t just a fluke.”
Staehli’s streak of first-place runs ended with the third fastest time in the third heat of 1:08.91. Taking advantage of his opportunity to surpass Staehli, Bernotas smashed the track record with a 1:08.79.
Moments later, Austria’s Markus Penz was eager to climb from sixth position, breaking Bernotas’ record by only two one-hundredths of a second with a time of 1:08.76, moving him into fourth. Lund had the fourth best time in the third heat with a 1:09.02.
The fourth and final heat of the race was equally as exciting. Staehli was eager to reclaim the World title he’d won thirteen years ago, obliterating the track record set just minutes earlier by both Bernotas and Penz with a time of 1:08.20, solidifying his victory.
Bernotas had a push time of 5.25 and a final run of 1:09.28 after his sled popped out of the start grooves during his push.
“I have been around these sports for ten years now and I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone keep their composure as well as Eric did on his fourth heat,” U.S. skeleton assistant coach Greg Sand said. “Eric blew the groove on his forth heat, and fought to keep his sled straight. You could see the determination in his eyes, and he had a beautiful trip the rest of the way down. Unbelievable.”
Bernotas still managed to have the sixth best time of the heat, claiming the silver with a combined time of 4:37.84.
“Staehli was a half second ahead of me, and I knew that I needed to just go for it,” Bernotas said. “The fans here are awesome, and I was ready to go, but then I popped the groove in the second run. I was fortunate to have maintained my standing.”
Lund finished with a combined time of 4:37.97 after a run of 1:09.02, identical to his third heat, to take the bronze.
“My big goal for this year has been the overall World Cup title, and the World Cup race in Torino,” Lund said. “This race honestly wasn’t my main focus, but I am so happy about the result.”
Penz finished in fourth with a total time of 4:38.16 and a fourth heat run of 1:08.77. Russia’s Alexander Tretiakov had the third fastest time of the heat with a 1:08.86 after tying his push record of 4.82 that he set in the race yesterday, placing him in fifth.
Caleb Smith (Lake Placid, N.Y.) placed twelfth, just two-tenths of a second from a top ten finish, with a combined time of 4:40.63 after runs of 1:10.25 and 1:09.31 today.
Placing twentieth was Chris Hedquist (Salt Lake City, Utah) with runs of 1:10.15 and 1:09.87 for a total of 4:41.46.
Between the men and women, the U.S. claimed four of the six medals in the skeleton World Championships. The other two medals, a gold and silver, went to Switzerland’s home track competitors, Staehli and Maya Pederson, respectively.
The World Championship race in St. Moritz will be broadcast on SPEED Channel this Sunday, Jan. 28 from 12-2 p.m. Women’s and men’s skeleton races will be televised from 12-1 p.m, while the two-man bobsled competition will air from 1-2 p.m. All times listed are in Eastern Standard Time.
For complete results of the race, please visit www.bobsleigh.com, the Web site of the Fédération International de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganning (FIBT).
Results:
1. Gregor Staehli (SUI) 4:36.26 (1.09.59, 1:09.56, 1:08.91, 1:08.20); 2. Eric Bernotas (USA) 4:37.97 (1:09.75, 1:10.02, 1:08.79, 1:09.28); 3. Zach Lund (USA) 4:37.97 (1:09.94, 1:09.99, 1:09.02, 1:09.02); 4. Markus Penz (AUT) 4:38.16 (1:10.35, 1:10.28, 1:08.76, 1:08.77); 5. Alexander Tretiakov (RUS) 4:39.38 (1:10.14, 1:10.60, 1:09.78, 1:08.86); 6. Martins Dukers (LAT) 4:39.61 (1:10.61, 1:09.79, 1:09.56, 1:09.65);…12. Caleb Smith (USA) 4:40.63 (1:10.26, 1:10.81, 1:10.25, 1:09.31);…20. Chris Hedquist (USA) 4:41.46 (1:10.67, 1:10.77, 1:10.15, 1:09.87);
About the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation
The United States Bobsled and Skeleton Federation, based in Lake Placid,
N.Y., is the national governing body for the sports of bobsled and skeleton
in the United States. The USBSF would like to thank its sponsors, suppliers
and contributors for their support: Allianz Life, Columbia Sportswear
Company, CW-X, KBC Helmets, Schenker Logistics, Speedo and Whelen
Engineering. For more information, please visit the USBSF Web site at
www.usbsf.com.
###
Bernotas sets Nagano track record in win
Nagano, Japan—Eric Bernotas (Avondale, Pa.) broke the track record during his first run of the World Cup men’s skeleton race in Nagano, Japan to claim his third-career World Cup victory today. In second was teammate Zach Lund (Salt Lake City, Utah), who finished only 0.32 behind Bernotas to win his third medal this season.
“The weather played a small factor in the races, as there were intermittent snow showers,” U.S. skeleton team assistant coach Greg Sands said. “It lightened up just enough a few sleds before Zach and Eric and they both put two solid heats together despite the weather.”
In his first run, Bernotas crossed the finish line with a time of 54.74, breaking the Nagano track record. Only 0.07 behind was Adam Pengilly from Great Britain with a time of 54.81. Lund finished his first run in third with a time of 54.89 seconds. Two-tenths of a second separated the top four competitors, leading to a tight race for the podium in the second heat.
U.S. competitors Chris Hedquist (Salt Lake City, Utah) and Caleb Smith (Lake Placid, N.Y.) had first run times of 55.34 and 55.53 respectively, placing them in ninth and 11th after the first heat.
“There was heavier snow fall for about ten minutes during the race,” Sands said. “Caleb and Chris took their runs during that time, so they were affected by the snow.”
Japanese slider Masaru Inada slid the fastest run of the second heat with a 55.44, moving him up seven places in the standings from his first heat position of tenth into third. Inada’s improved second heat wasn’t enough to catch the Americans Lund and Bernotas. Lund finished with a combined time of 1:50.96 to claim the silver, while Bernotas finished with a total 1:50.64 to take the gold medal.
Hedquist maintained his ninth position, finishing with a combined time of 1:51.65 (55.34, 56.31). Struggling with the snow in his second heat, Smith finished in thirteenth position with a total time of 1:52.09 (55.52, 56.57).
“Our goal was to come to Nagano and have a great performance so that we could relax a bit next week in Igls,” said Sands. “Once again, it was a strong showing for team USA.”
After today’s results, Bernotas has moved into second overall World Cup standings, while Lund continues to lead.
The team will travel to Igls, Austria tomorrow for the next stop on the World Cup tour.
For complete results of today’s race, please visit www.bobsleigh.com, the Web site of the Fédération International de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganning (FIBT).
Results:
1. Eric Bernotas (USA) 1:50.64 (54.74, 55.90); 2. Zach Lund (USA) 1:50.96 (54.89, 56.07); 3. Masaru Inada (JPN) 1:51.04 (55.44, 55.60); 4. Anthony Sawyer (GBR) 1:51.10 (54.94, 56.16); 5. Adam Pengilly (GBR) 1:51.24 (54.81, 56.43); 6. Kazuhiro Koshi (JPN) 1:51.26 (54.99, 56.27);…9. Chris Hedquist (USA) 1:51.65 (55.34, 56.31);…13. Caleb Smith (USA) 1:52.09 (55.52, 56.57);
Uhlaender and Bernotas win U.S. Skeleton National Championships
PARK CITY, Utah- Current World Cup leader Katie Uhlaender (Breckenridge, Colo.) and World Cup slider Eric Bernotas (Avondale, Pa.) each won their fourth U.S. Skeleton National Championship title this morning at the Utah Olympic Park in Park City, Utah. Snowing consistently throughout the day, six inches covered the ground causing slow start times in the first heat.
Uhlaender and 2005 World Cup Champion Noelle Pikus-Pace (Orem, Utah) were tied in the first heat with a time of 54.02, making the second run a race for the title. Pikus-Pace slid a second run of 52.78, for a total of 1:46.80. Uhlaender finished her second run with a 52.43, giving her a combined time of 1:46.45, winning the title by 0.35 seconds over a 16 competitor women's field.
In third was Rebecca Sorensen (Fort Collins, Colo.) with a 1:48.04 (54.88, 53.16), with World Cup slider Courtney Yamada (Boise, Idaho) in fourth with a 1:48.21 (55.19, 53.02).
On the men's side, Bernotas won the competition with a combined time of 1:42.80 (51.71, 51.09), easily finishing in first place with a 0.39 second lead over the 17 competitors in the men's field. Despite the snowy conditions, Bernotas was able to find a clear line down the track to claim the title.
"First run I knew I had to go with it, be smart, and take a chance. It worked out for me, " Bernotas said. "I had great vision on the second run, and I was able to see where I needed to go."
Finishing in second with a total of 1:43.19 (52.19, 51.00) was current World Cup leader Zach Lund (Salt Lake City, Utah), who won the gold medal in the Park City World Cup in December. America's Cup slider Matt Antoine (Prairie du Chien, Wis.) won a bronze medal with times of 51.08 and 51.78 for a combined time of 1:43.58.
John Daly (Smithtown, N.Y.) had two fourth-place runs of 52.78 and 51.78 for a total of 1:44.55, earning him a fourth place finish in the competition. In fifth was Adam Donahoo (Sandy, Utah) with a 1:44.71 (52.84, 51.87). Rounding out the top six was World Cup slider Chris Hedquist (Salt Lake City, Utah), with a combined time of 1:44.94 (53.47, 51.47).
RESULTS:
Women:
1. Katie Uhlaender 1:46.45 (54.02, 52.43); 2. Noelle Pikus-Pace 1:46.80 (54.02,
52.78); 3. Rebecca Sorensen 1:48.04 (54.88, 53.16); 4. Courtney Yamada 1:48.21
(55.19, 53.02); 5. Annie O'Shea 1:48.64 (55.56, 53.08); 6. Keslie Tomlinson
1:48.75 (54.44, 54.31); 7. Katie Koczynski (Nyack, N.Y.) 1:49.09 (55.35, 55.74);
8. Linda Cise (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1:49.39 (55.52, 53.87); 9. Jessica Palmer
(Roy, Utah) 1:49.52 (55.31, 54.21); 10. Leah Ford (Sterling, N.Y.) 1:49.61
(54.95, 54.66); 11. Felicia Canfield (Park City, Utah) 1:50.05 (55.44, 54.62);
12. Cassie Revelli 1:50.70 (56.35, 54.35); 13. Kimber Gabrysak (Park City, Utah)
1:52.10 (57.10, 55.00); 14. Sarah Moffit (Park City, Utah) 1:52.96 (57.61,
55.35); 15. Joan Andrews (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1:54.76 (59.00, 55.76); 16.
Angie Stakus (Mendon, Mass.), 1:58.03 (1:00.58, 57.45);
Men:
1. Eric Bernotas 1:42.80 (51.71, 51.09); 2. Zach Lund 1:43.19 (52.19, 51.00); 3.
Matt Antoine 1:43.58 (51.80, 51.78); 4. John Daly 1:44.56 (52.78, 51.78); 5.
Adam Donahoo 1:44.71 (52.84, 51.87); 6. Chris Hedquist 1:44.94 (53.47, 51.47);
7. Stokes Aitken (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1:44.96 (52.91, 52.05); 8. Kyle Tress
(Trenton, N.J.) 1:45.23 (53.02, 52.21); 9. Matt Revelli (Highland, Utah) 1:44.40
(53.05, 52.35); 10. Chris Burgess (Glen Gardner, N.J.) 1:45.56 (53.14, 52.42);
11. Steve Mayer (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1:46.04 (52.70, 52.34); 12. Brad Stewart
(Park City, Utah) 1:47.33 (54.49, 52.84); 13. Dakota Hyde (Ogden, Utah) 1:48.61
(55.46, 53.15); 14. Chris Nurre ( Seven Hills, Ohio) 1:48.69 (55.13, 53.56);
15. Ryan Wrisley (Plattsburgh, N.Y.) 1:50.34 (56.34, 54.00); 16. Allen Blackwell
(Jackson Miss.) 1:51.03 (57.20, 53.83); 17. Phillip Goodwin (Plattsburgh, N.Y.)
(58.67, DNS);
Inaugural Heisman Trophy Humanitarian Award Presented to U.S. Olympic Speedskater Joey Cheek
Colorado Springs, Colo. & New York, N.Y. – The Heisman Trophy Trust and United States Olympic Committee announced today that two-time Olympian and 2006 Olympic gold and silver medalist Joey Cheek (Greensboro, N.C.) has been named the recipient of the inaugural Heisman Humanitarian Award. Cheek will be presented with the award on Dec. 11 at the Heisman Awards Dinner at the Hilton Hotel in New York, N.Y. in conjunction with the award presentation of the 72nd Annual Heisman Memorial Trophy.
After winning gold in the 500m and a silver in the 1000m in long track speedskating at the XX Olympic Winter Games in February 2006, Cheek selflessly donated his $40,000 in performance earnings ($25,000 for gold and $15,000 for silver) to the organization, Right To Play, earmarked for Darfurian refugees. Right To Play is a non-governmental humanitarian organization that uses sport and play to aid in the development of children in disadvantaged areas of the world.
“We are both proud and pleased to name Joey Cheek the recipient of the first Heisman Humanitarian Award, and to make a $25,000 contribution in Joey’s name to Right to Play. This contribution will be specifically earmarked to assist Joey’s mission,” said William Dockery, President of The Heisman Trophy Trust. “The Heisman feels a sense of pride and satisfaction for the role it has recently assumed in providing opportunities to underserved and underrepresented youth. One Hundred (100%) percent of the net proceeds from the Trust's endeavors are dedicated to charitable purposes. The Heisman goal is to symbolize, and thereby encourage, a sense of community responsibility and service to those less fortunate and/or afflicted.”
Cheek’s generosity inspired others to contribute thousands of dollars to the organization. As a result of his humanitarianism and exemplary behavior, he was elected by his peers to carry the American flag during the Closing Ceremony of the 2006 Olympic Winter Games. His actions and challenge to corporations around the globe to provide assistance has generated more than $500,000 for Darfur. Cheek has gone on to form his own non-profit organization, ‘Where Will We Be?’ (www.wherewillwebe.org) whose mission is to assist those in the Darfur region of Sudan.