« November 7, 2004 - November 13, 2004 | Main | November 21, 2004 - November 27, 2004 »
November 17, 2004
Apparent resolution to the Korean short track scandal
Korea Times | New Coaches Appointed to Short Track Team
The Korea Skating Union (KSU) announced on Monday it had hired new coaches for the women’s short track national team while accepting the resignations of the previous two coaches, who have been criticized for physically abusing the athletes.
The KSU picked former national team skaters Park Se-woo and Jeon Jae-mok as the replacements for Choi Kwang-bok and Kim So-hee. Choi and Kim handed in letters of resignation on Nov. 8 after the scandal emerged earlier this month.
Park, 32, was a coach of the Korea National Sport University team, where national team ace Choi Eun-kyung is also a member, and Jeon, 31, has been teaching skating in the United States.
All the national team members resumed regular training yesterday but the squad will skip the third and fourth World Cup series as planned, the KSU said.
On the same day the organization also presented some new policies to prevent same kind of abuses from taking place again.
It is planning to introduce a ``three-strike policy,’’ in which athletes will receive three warnings before being banned from the Taereung Training Center in Seoul, due to reasons like negligence or disobedience, as well as anti-corporal punishment education for coaches. In addition, a hotline between athletes and KSU officials is to be set up soon.
Posted by noelle at 9:04 PM | Comments (7)
Ron Judd on the USA-China Sports Summit
Seattle Times | USA-China Sports Summit 7 months away
Seven months before the USA-China Sports Summit, organizers are scrambling to put the final pieces in place for a unique gathering of thousands of athletes, fans and medical, government, arts and business officials from around the Pacific Rim.
It's becoming much more than a simple meet of elite amateur athletes from the U.S. and China: The Summit is shaping up as a mini Olympics, stocked with some of the best athletes on the globe.
The short-track competition, to be at the Everett Events Center, likely would be a major draw: It would pit the world's best skaters from Asia against an American team led by Seattle Olympic hero Apolo Anton Ohno, who would be competing for the first time on hometown ice.
Posted by noelle at 8:59 PM | Comments (5)
November 16, 2004
Bay City Times | Izykowski earns spot on U.S. world team
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Olympic hopeful Alex Izykowski has earned a chance to make a world of difference in speedskating.
The 20-year-old Bay Cityan, with two third places and two fourths in the America Cup 1 Short Track Team competition over the weekend, has been tabbed to represent the United States in the next two World Cup competitions. The first will be held Nov. 26-28 in Madison, Wis. The other is set for Dec. 3-5 in Saguenay, Canada.
"It's been a long journey on a roller-coaster, but Alex has finally made the ultimate," said Alex's father, Al, who watched the two-day competition.
"I didn't feel too good going into the competition," said Alex, who trains at the U.S. training facilities in Colorado Springs, Colo. "But after the first couple of rounds, I was feeling really good."
Izykowski quickly made his presence felt in the 1,500 meters, where he owns the junior American record. He finished third in 2:26.93 seconds. Olympian Rusty Smith was first in 2:26.48, followed by Shani Davis, Chicago, Ill.
The same trio duplicated the feat in the 500, with Smith winning in 44.14, followed by Davis (44.21) and Izykowski (44.41). Izykowski caught a break in his semi when the favorite J.P. Kepka, of St. Louis, Mo., fell down.
"I don't know what happened in the 500. It's not usually my event," said Izykowski. "J.P. would have made things a little different.
"I made a nice pass in the semis to advance and the final was uneventful. It was Rusty, Shani and I and no passes."
Izykowski picked up a fourth in the 1,000 behind Smith (1:33.92), Davis and Misi Toth and needed either a fourth or better in the 3,000 finale and have Smith or Davis win it to become one of seven skaters to join teammate Apolo Anton Ohno (Seattle, Wash.) in the next two World Cups.
In the men's 3,000 meters event, Davis took first in a time of 5:26.68, Midland's Travis Jayner finished second (5:26.93) and Smith finished third in a time of 5:27.82 just ahead of Izykowski.
"I was exhausted. Three people could have won the race and gotten that last spot, but Shani did it so I was home free," said Izykowski, who finished seventh overall in last year's World Cup qualifying in Cleveland, Ohio.
Izykowski, who missed out of the World Cup 1 and 2 action in China last month, is looking forward to the World Cups 3 and 4 in the next couple of weeks.
"I kind of knew more or less what to expect and I was better prepared this time," said Izykowski.
In the men's overall classification, Smith took the overall title, with Davis second and Izykowski third. The three men will join Ohno who pre-qualified in the World Cup 1 and 2 competitions.
In the ladies' overall standings, Hyo-Jung Kim (Fullerton, Calif.) placed first, Allison Baver (Sinking Spring, Pa.) was second and Jade Wheeler (Los Alamitos, Calif.) took third. Brigid Farrell (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) rounds out the top four to complete the World Cup 3 and 4 Team.
U.S. Speedskating national team coach Li Yan was happy with the skaters who will represent the USA.
"The national team that competed in World Cups 1 and 2 did a very good job to recover and perform to re-qualify at this competition," said Yan.
U.S. Speedskating coach Jimmy Jang felt that qualification of Izykowski, Wheeler and Farrell for the World Cup 3 and 4 would give them an opportunity to hone their skating skills.
"It's good for the U.S. Team to develop new skaters and give them international experience," Jang said.
Smith, Davis, Baver and Kim all skated in the World Cup 1 and 2 competitions.
Three other Bay County Speedskaters, Megan Chartier, Morgan Izykowski and Elizabeth Mitchell also got their first taste of America Cup competition, which drew 95 participants. None, however, got to the A finals.
"They're just beginning the process," said Al Izykowski.
Posted by noelle at 2:59 PM | Comments (5)
November 15, 2004
Scenes and faces from American Cup 1
Posted in chronological order.
Friends and teammates: Keturah Bachwansky and Lezleigh Jaworski
500m quarterfinal chain reaction crash at the first turn (they were called back to restart the race): Rusty Smith, Eric Lee, Derek Gray, Jordan Malone
1000m A final; skating in the order of their standings are Rusty Smith, Shani Davis and Alex Izykowski
Ryan Bedford's nose appears to meet Ryan Cox's hand in a 1000m heat
One to watch: 14 year old Austin Yun from SoCal
Anthony Lobello
1000m A final featuring the four women who ultimately finished in the top 4: Bridie Farrell, Hyo-jung Kim, Allison Baver, Jade Wheeler
Posted by noelle at 9:51 PM | Comments (3)
More scenes and faces from American Cup 1
Cherise Wilkins, the smiliest skater of all
The lovely Wilma Boomstra from SoCal
The inimitible Jerry Search
Izy Pop (Al Izykowski)!
Allison Baver skates in back but in first place after lapping the pack in the women's 3000m A final
l-r: Alice Kim, Kristen Biondo, Cherise Wilkins, Tina Koenig, Allison Baver
Rusty Smith enjoying himself hugely during the men's 3000m A final
l-r: Shani Davis, Rusty, Anthony Lobello, Travis Jayner, Paul Dyrud
Posted by noelle at 9:41 PM | Comments (6)
American Cup 1 Results
US Speedskating | Short Track Skaters Vie for World Cup 3 & 4 Team
More detailed results on day 2 in Saratoga Springs are available in the US Speedskating press release which includes remarks from coaches Li Yan and Jimmy Jang.
Also, complete event results are now available online on the Saratoga Winter Club's web site.
Posted by noelle at 2:48 PM | Comments (0)
November 14, 2004
Introducing the team for World Cups 3 and 4
Congratulations to the skaters who will represent the USA at the upcoming North American World Cups in Madison and Saguenay!
Rusty Smith, Hyo-jung Kim, Allison Baver, Jade Wheeler
Jade Wheeler, Bridie Farrell, Alex Izykowski
(Of course, Jade has one spot, not two!) Not pictured: Apolo Ohno, Shani Davis
Here are the American Cup 1 overall standings, with points (World Cup team members in bold):
Women
1. Hyo-jung Kim - 3080 pts
2. Allison Baver - 2450 pts
3. Jade Wheeler - 1404 pts
4. Brigid Farrell - 1290 pts
7. Kristen Biondo
12. Marin Austin
Men
1. Rusty Smith - 3400 pts
2. Shani Davis - 2800 pts
3. Alex Izykowski - 1300 pts
4. Travis Jayner - 940 pts
5. Anthony Lobello - 605 pts
6. Misi Toth - 525 pts
10. Derek Gray
13. J.P. Kepka
J.P. was healthy enough to skate today. The good news is that he did not reinjure his ankle, but he apparently suffered a concussion in his fall yesterday in the 500m. Best wishes to J.P., Mike Kooreman, Maria Garcia and all the other skaters recovering from injuries!
Travis Jayner seemingly came out of nowhere to finish 4th overall. I was under the impression that Travis was Canadian, but I'm told he's an American. He was representing the Midland (MI) club this weekend, though he wore the skinsuit of a Montreal club where I'm told he and Ryan Bedford both train. No doubt we'll be seeing more of him in the future!
Shani and Rusty enjoyed their own private conversation in the middle of the men's 3000m A final (Travis Jayner in foreground)
Tony Goskowicz and Derrick Campbell watch the 3000m races
Derrick Campbell, outgoing coach Scott Koons and USOEC program coach Jimmy Jang watch the 3000m races
Posted by noelle at 2:49 PM | Comments (15)