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March 18, 2005
Sonia's banquet photos (and more!) from China
Sonia is still in China (Hong Kong) but she found a way to send us photos!
The boys in bronze!
Bronze-medal winning U.S. men's relay team: Jordan Malone, Shani Davis, Apolo Ohno, Alex Izykowski
Posted by noelle at 10:07 PM | Comments (25)
Historic photo - USA and Korean teams at the banquet!
The wonderful Kevin, Korea's new women's team coach, wanted very much to gather these 2 teams together for a photo opportunity in Budapest. It didn't work out, but looks like he got them together for us in Beijing! I can't wait to hear the story behind this shot. That's Kevin in green, next to Apolo.
click to enlarge
bottom row: Brigid Farrell, Allison Baver, World Champion Sun-yu Jin
2nd row: Hyo-jung Kim, Carly Wilson, ??, Yun-mi Kang
3rd row: Coach Kevin, Apolo Ohno, Jordan Malone, Seung-hoon Lee, Eun-kyung Choi, World Champion Hyun-soo Ahn, and a bunch of people I don't know
back row: Shani Davis, ??, Alex Izykowski, J.P. Kepka, ??, Kyung-taek Song(?), and more people I don't know
Posted by noelle at 9:47 PM | Comments (27)
Relay awards at the banquet
Sonia captured a 'moment' among Alex Izy, Jordan Malone and Apolo! (click for full image)
Posted by noelle at 9:39 PM | Comments (3)
Top 6 men in Beijing
Jiajun Li, Seung-hoon Lee, Charles Hamelin, Francois-Louis Tremblay, Apolo Anton Ohno, Hyun-soo Ahn
Posted by noelle at 9:36 PM | Comments (14)
J.P. Kepka and Apolo Ohno
Posted by noelle at 9:29 PM | Comments (2)
Apolo signs autographs for Chinese fans
Posted by noelle at 9:28 PM | Comments (3)
Watching from the sidelines
Posted by noelle at 9:26 PM | Comments (4)
Men's overall podium medal ceremony
Apolo Ohno - silver, Hyun-soo Ahn - gold, Francois-Louis Tremblay - bronze
Posted by noelle at 9:24 PM | Comments (1)
March 17, 2005
Resuming the Milwaukee photo-fest
Apolo's 1000m quarterfinal
Posted by noelle at 8:48 PM | Comments (3)
Apolo Ohno, Mike Kooreman and Jeff Simon
Posted by noelle at 8:47 PM | Comments (0)
Apolo at warmups Sunday in Milwaukee
Posted by noelle at 8:46 PM | Comments (1)
Posted by noelle at 8:46 PM | Comments (0)
March 16, 2005
Plus ça change...
Here's something interesting I accidentally came across via Google:
Washington Post | Controversial Turner Disqualified From 1,000
(Feb. 27, 1994 - Lillehammer Olympic Games)
also: Turner Wins Short Track Gold; Zhang Claims Foul
It's pretty fascinating. First of all, I had no idea they had email back in 1994.
Second of all, wow... was Cathy Turner our Seung-jae Lee? This is gloves-off stuff! And when did everyone in short track change and get so diplomatic? You'd never catch people saying this kind of the thing on the record nowadays. It almost makes some of today's stuff seem like Disneyland.
Posted by noelle at 9:06 PM | Comments (22)
March 15, 2005
More China photos
Canadian and U.S. men on the podium looking somewhat stunned
mouse over each photo for captions - click to enlarge
all photos via gettyimages.com
Posted by noelle at 8:18 PM | Comments (10)
March 14, 2005
Photos from Chinese press
Photos are from Apolo's 1000m victory yesterday and the medal ceremony.
click thumbnails to enlarge
images via sina.com and sports.cn
Posted by noelle at 9:11 PM | Comments (7)
Stop the presses!
Korea Times | Skaters Take Worlds Double
The Korea Times, in reporting on results at Beijing Worlds over the weekend, actually had this to say:
On Sunday, [Hyun-soo] Ahn was second in the 1,000-meters and 3,000-meters event, as [Apolo Anton] Ohno won both. It failed to affect the overall result, however, as the American was disqualified in the 1,500-meters semifinals.
Nonetheless, the results suggested Ahn still has some work to do to secure world-best status over Ohno. In the previous World Cup series, Ahn swept the second round but was outperformed by Ohno, who won the overall title over the six rounds.
In the past, they've usually chosen to just omit results when Ohno prevailed over Ahn. To this date I have never seen the Korean press report a Korean skater's disqualification.
But as the writer suggests, it really does have the makings of a great rivalry -- Ahn is 3 for 3 with World Championships; Apolo is 2 for 3 with World Cup overall titles.
Evidently the Korean Olympic team will be picked at their national championships later this month.
Posted by noelle at 7:52 PM | Comments (3)
New American record; changes in China
Congratulations to Allison Baver on her new American record of 1:31.572, set in Beijing Sunday in her 1000m quarter final. In setting the new mark, Allison lowered her own personal best time by 2.5 seconds! Nice job. For more on the American skaters' performances in Beijing:
US Speedskating | Baver Sets New U.S. Record; Ohno Claims 1000-Meters Title
The Chinese press reports on challenges the short track program is facing with not enough young talent ready to take the place of aging veterans. The Chinese federation will hold its very first Olympic selection trials later this year, as "the national team opens its door to all the skaters nation wide as it begins to select national team members through more domestic trial than coaches' opinions."
People's Daily Online | Chinese short track speed skating eyes Turin glory
Posted by noelle at 12:41 PM | Comments (10)
March 13, 2005
Proud to be an American
Apolo Ohno watches his country's flag being raised during the 1000m medal ceremony
Copyright 2005 Pablo Galvez, capturedmemories.ca
Used by permission of americanshorttrack.com
I can't thank Denise and Pablo enough for so generously sharing their photos from China this weekend. Check AmericanShortTrack in the coming days for lots more from Beijing!
Posted by noelle at 10:17 AM | Comments (20)
Men's relay podium
Korea - silver, Canada - gold, USA - bronze
Copyright 2005 Pablo Galvez, capturedmemories.ca
Used by permission of americanshorttrack.com
Posted by noelle at 10:15 AM | Comments (26)
On the relay podium
My, what pretty flowers ;)
Copyright 2005 Pablo Galvez, capturedmemories.ca
Used by permission of americanshorttrack.com
Posted by noelle at 10:13 AM | Comments (19)
Canadian men shatter relay world record, USA men earn bronze
[updated Sun. afternoon]: more photos below, and check out comments for eyewitness commentary!
The fastest team on ice
Francois-Louis Tremblay, Steve Robillard, Eric Bedard, Mathieu Turcotte, Charles Hamelin
Copyright 2005 Pablo Galvez, capturedmemories.ca
Used by permission of americanshorttrack.com
Awesome relay. AWESOME! They were on world record pace early on, and kept getting faster and faster. It was close between Korea and Canada, but the Canadian relay machine was not going to be denied... congrats team Canada -- you got the record you've been gunning for! Canada lowered the world mark by nearly 3 seconds to 6:39.990, taking ownership of the WR back from the Koreans.
And how about those U.S. men? Apolo turned on the proverbial jets to pass China for bronze in the last 2 laps. Great job recovering from a fall early on in the race. So sweet to see our guys reach the podium at the Worlds, Congratulations Apolo, Alex, Shani, Jordan and JP!
Congratulations to Canada's gold-medal winning women's relay team also! Nice to see them taking home that hardware. They were upgraded to gold after the Korean and Japanese teams were both disqualified.
For more on the Canadian teams' performances, including that they weren't consciously going for a record this time, see Two more world titles and a world record for Canada at short track speed skating world championships
Canadian men's relay team celebrates
One thing I love about the Canadians is their incredible team spirit. Apart from being awesome individual skaters they seem to have a really special team chemistry that I think is a big part of their relay success.
Love Charles Hamelin's reaction, and Eric Bedard embracing Flou!
click to enlarge
via gettyimages.com
Posted by noelle at 2:42 AM | Comments (14)
Apolo storms back to finish #2 overall in Beijing!
Strong performances by Ohno and Kepka earn the USA the right to send 3 men to Worlds next year
Men's overall podium in Beijing: Apolo Ohno (silver), Hyun-soo Ahn (gold), Francois-Louis Tremblay (bronze)
Copyright 2005 Pablo Galvez, capturedmemories.ca
Used by permission of americanshorttrack.com
Congratulations, Apolo! He's really thrilled us tonight with his awesome comeback from 2 difficult days in Beijing. Gold in the 1000 and in the 3000 gives Apolo silver overall on the weekend, with 68 points to victor Hyun-soo Ahn's 89 and Francois-Louis Tremblay's 60. It's certainly a bittersweet bronze for Flou, when the overall title was in sight for him, but he also has much to be proud of. And yes, I'll admit it's true that Ahn proved his chops with his victory this weekend, if there were any doubters left.
But the story for us has to be Apolo's. It's been an amazing rise for him. He started the day at #12 in the overall standings, and rose all the way to #2 at the conclusion, matching his #2 overall showing at the 2001 Worlds. Very impressive!
A World title would have been sweet, and Apolo was certainly capable of winning it this weekend, but Apolo proved his mettle in a dramatic way -- it's the stuff champions are made of. Apolo may not be THE champion but he IS a champion, in every sense of the word.
Overall men: 1. Hyun-soo Ahn (KOR - 89 pts), 2. Apolo Anton Ohno (USA - 68 pts), 3. Francois-Louis Tremblay (CAN - 60 pts), 4. Charles Hamelin (CAN - 42 pts), 5. Seung-hoon Lee (KOR - 26 pts), 6. Jiajun Li (CHN - 23 pts), 7. Takafumi Nishitani (JPN - 11 pts), 8. J.P. Kepka (USA - 6 pts)
Overall women: 1. Sun-yu Jin (KOR - 76 pts), 2. Eun-kyung Choi (KOR - 63 pts), 3. Yun-mi Kang (KOR - 60 pts), 4. Meng Wang (CHN - 52 pts), 5. Yang Yang A (34 pts), 11. Hyo-jung Kim (USA), 23. Allison Baver (USA)
Posted by noelle at 2:09 AM | Comments (15)
Apolo in the 1000m final
United State's Apolo Anton Ohno, competes against China's Li Jiajun and Canada's Charles Hamelin in the men's 1000m event at the world short track speed skating championships held in Beijing, China, Sunday, March 13, 2005. Ohno won with a time of one minute 30.006 seconds. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Posted by noelle at 1:35 AM | Comments (0)
Apolo is back - gold in the 1000m!
Apolo just showed the world what he's made of in winning the 1000m final. So proud of this comeback performance. Not much else I feel like saying right now -- except I knew he would do it this time. Way to go, Apolo! Congratulations on your gold medal.
JP will join Apolo in the 3000. Uh, theoretically I think Apolo could still win the title this weekend but Ahn would have to get DQed or finish last or something. Since that's unlikely, let's hope Apolo, Tremblay and Hamelin come out on top in the 3k, because the world champion is going to be decided in this race!
Here's one awesome development from this weekend. Thanks to our guys' performances, we're gonna get to send THREE men to skate individual in Worlds next year. I think that's the rule.
People Daily Online | Olympic champion Ohno win his first title in short track worlds
"After taking over the lead two laps from the finish line, Ohno... never gave his rivals any chance on Sunday."
Posted by noelle at 1:28 AM | Comments (16)
1000m semifinals in Beijing
Wow... those were some nerve racking races. Thanks to a wild semifinal in which Yang Yang A fell and was disqualified, 3rd place finisher Amanda Overland advances to the ladies' final.
And on the men's side, Apolo Ohno won his loaded 5-man heat in convincing fashion -- more than a second ahead of 2nd place Jiajun Li. Tragically, overall leader Francois-Louis Tremblay finished 4th and won't skate in the final, which probably means goodbye to his hopes to win the title this weekend. (Sorry for tempting fate.) Mathieu Turcotte finished last in the race.
Charles Hamelin won the other semi, breathing life into his own hopes to win the world championship this weekend. Unfortunately Hyun-soo Ahn has his own ambition to successfully defend his title, and he'll be going to the 1000m final looking to do just that as he is currently second in the overall. JP Kepka finished 4th and won't move on.
This is a great lineup for the final. Ahn can count on no help if he wants to win this thing. There's 1 American, 1 Canadian, 1 Korean, 1 Chinese. Very nice.
Yay for Apolo going to his first final this weekend. Great way to mount a comeback!
Posted by noelle at 1:05 AM | Comments (2)