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December 17, 2005
Media roundup, day 5
US Speedskating | Short Track Olympic Team Nominated
Detroit Free Press | Michiganders make Olympic team
They met at the top of the steps, father and son, and wrapped their arms around each other in a long embrace. "I'm so proud of you," Al Izykowski told his son, Alex, Friday night at the U.S. short-track championships. "You worked so hard. You did everything right."
AP | Ohno wins 500, 1,000; Davis fails in short track attempt
No one could catch Ohno at the national championships, which also served as the Olympic trials. He piled up 225 points -- finishing second in the only event he didn't win -- and beat runner-up Smith by a staggering 156½ points.
Apolo is now the eight-time U.S. short track champion, in addition to having won the Olympic trials.
AP | Ohno Older and Wiser, but Still Motivated
"I'll tell you what: We're a lot stronger than we were in Salt Lake City," [Rusty Smith] said. "In every Olympics I've been to, we had the same guys skating every race. Now, we've got three guys skating three different distances (plus Ohno, who will skate all three). The relay team is going to be so much better than it was in 2002, and we just barely missed a medal as it was."
Marquette Mining Journal | Ohno, Kim head team
"Monday morning I was worried about making the top 16," [Alex Izykowski] said, "and I ended up second after the time trial. I wasn't really expecting to do as well as I did. It kind of just happened. I made a couple of changes in the past week as far as skating for the better, and it kind of all just came together this week."
Detroit News | U.S. short-track team has 2 state skaters
Dallas Morning News | Short track hopefuls inspire team
"Jordan [Malone]'s my hero," said Shani Davis. "He's my favorite guy. He taught me that you can overcome just about anything."
Reading Eagle | Baver's next stop: '06 Games
Donga.com | Korean-American Skating Star Emerges
Colorado Springs Gazette | Speedskaters qualify for U.S. Olympic team
Marquette Mining Journal | Speedskaters thrill fans
New York Times | Davis Falls Short in Push for the Short-Track Team
Minneapolis Star Tribune | The daily buzz
This week in out-of-the-way Marquette, Mich. --"What part of Canada are we in?" one speedskating executive asked -- U.S. short-track speedskaters labored in the anonymity almost always reserved for most winter sport athletes.
Washington Post | Davis's Strong Effort Comes Up Short
[Shani] Davis smiled after the race and acknowledged the crowd's cheers as the announcer mystifyingly informed the crowd that "Shani Smith" would represent the United States at the February Olympics in Turin on the long-track team.
Globe and Mail | Reaching for the Top
"[Canada and the U.S.] are two good teams," Eric Bédard said. "We respect each other. It's a good fight. We want to skate against them in the final of the relay at the Olympics, and they want to skate against us, just to prove who is best."
Colorado Springs Gazette | Ohno's real edge: the OTC
Boston Globe | Hallisey makes her third short-track squad for US
AP| Five-time Olympian Peterson fails in bid
[Amy] Peterson, a three-time Olympic medalist, was 16 at her first Olympics in 1988, when short track was a demonstration event. "There have been a lot of changes in equipment, skin suit technology and skate technology," she said. "In '88, molded skates were just starting to come around. Now 12-year-old kids have molded skates."
AP | Star-studded American lineup has big potential
"Every games has its own special moments. It's going to be hard to duplicate what we did in Salt Lake City," [Apolo] Ohno said. "It came at a time when Americans needed something to come together. Everything happens for some kind of reason. A lot of people bonded together to help cheer and support the athletes."
People's Daily | Yang eyes last Olympic win
Yang [Yang A] also said she feels "very lucky" to be an athlete. "The ice rink is a place that is full of dreams," Yang said. "I hope to continue my dream on the ice. Being an athlete is an honourable thing."
Posted by noelle at 2:23 AM | Comments (13)
December 16, 2005
Presenting the 2006 U.S. Short Track Olympic Team
Congratulations to all the skaters on their nominations to the U.S. Olympic Short Track Team for the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino!
back: Apolo Anton Ohno, Alex Izykowski, Anthony Lobello, J.P. Kepka, Rusty Smith
front: Allison Baver, Kimberly Derrick, Hyo-jung Kim, Caroline Hallisey, Maria Garcia
Top 5 Men Overall:
1. Apolo Ohno - 225 points
2. Rusty Smith - 68.5 pts
3. Alex Izykowski - 61.5 pts
4. JP Kepka - 59 pts
5. Anthony Lobello - 50 pts
As Jennifer noted, Apolo's point total is just 14 points shy of the point total of the next 4 men combined!
Top 5 Women Overall:
1. Halie Kim - 191 points
2. Allison Baver - 152 pts
3. Kimberly Derrick - 82 pts
4. Maria Garcia - 62 pts
5. Caroline Hallisey - 45.5 pts
Congratulations as well to every skater who took part this weekend in the trials. We salute all your hard work, sacrifice and determination. "...the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."
Posted by noelle at 11:34 PM | Comments (33)
Men's Olympic Short Track Team
Apolo Anton Ohno, Alex Izykowski, Anthony Lobello, J.P. Kepka, Rusty Smith
Men's Olympic Short Track Team:
1. Apolo Ohno - will skate every individual distance in Torino
2. Rusty Smith - will skate the 1000m
3. Alex Izykowski - will skate the 1500m
4. JP Kepka
5. Anthony Lobello - will skate the 500m
Posted by noelle at 11:31 PM | Comments (5)
Women's Olympic Short Track Team
Allison Baver, Kimberly Derrick, Hyo-jung Kim, Caroline Hallisey, Maria Garcia
Women's Olympic Short Track Team:
1. Halie Kim - will skate every individual distance in Torino
2. Allison Baver - will skate the 1500m and 500m
3. Kimberly Derrick - will skate the 1000m
4. Maria Garcia
5. Caroline Hallisey
Posted by noelle at 11:29 PM | Comments (3)
Shani concedes
Shani Davis and Travis Jayner embrace after Shani's final race. Shani then took a lap around the arena to slap hands with the crowd and took his exit to thunderous cheers and applause
After slipping and finishing 3rd in his semifinal, Shani Davis left the ice and gave a beautiful, classy, moving statement to reporters, acknowledging that he will not be on the short track team in Torino.
First he got off the ice, took his skates off and hugged the skaters who he'd just raced, congratulating Anthony Lobello in particular, who finished 2nd when Shani slipped. Then he faced the gantlet of reporters.
I'm sure portions of his statement will appear in newspaper articles within a few hours. It was extremely moving to hear. Even though the way the week has gone made it likely that this would happen, it was an unforgettable moment of generosity on Shani's part. No feeling sorry for himself, no regrets, but gratitude for having pursued his dreams and a philosophical statement that one door closed and 'now I have to figure what other door has opened' capped off by a passionate declaration of his love for the sport of short track, as well as a 'hats off' to the Olympic team that will be decided moments from now.
Posted by noelle at 9:12 PM | Comments (9)
Apolo wins the 500m A final
Start of the race: Trevor Marsicano, Shani Davis, Apolo Ohno, Misi Toth
Apolo brings it home for the win
Posted by noelle at 8:48 PM | Comments (1)
500 finals - big night for Baver and Davis!
Hats off to Allison Baver, 500m gold medalist. Here's a skater who's been overshadowed all week in the media and in the rink-side buzz by teammate Hyo-jung Kim. Allison has been quietly, consistently skating and racking up significant final points with multiple trips to the podium. Last night Allison became a lock to make the Olympic team by a tiny half-point margin.
Tonight it's fitting to see her get herself on the top step of the podium with her victory in the 500m A final. Way to go Allison, what a well-earned victory!
J.P. Kepka, who had been disqualified earlier in his semi, was again DQ'ed despite finishing first in the men's B final, which Rusty Smith won after Kepka's DQ.
The men's A final was a breathtaking race and Apolo Ohno had the crowd roaring its approval when he made his move to the lead and never looked back. For me it was a big sigh of relief to see him skate clear of the madding crowd... Congratulations to Apolo on another win and with it, a new American record Berry Events Center record for this distance.
Big props to Misi Toth who's had one of the best starts all week long getting himsef those 2nd place final points. Equally big props to Shani Davis who has had more pressure on him that anyone in the glare of the media spotlight here and got himself some valuable A final points that he's been looking for all week.
Updated overall standings
Men:
1. Ohno (191)
2. Izy (61.5)
3. Smith (55.5)
4. Lobello (42)
5. Kepka (38)
6. Davis (24.5)
7. Toth (24)
If Lobello stays in the top 5 overall, he'll join Ohno skating 500m individually in Torino. Otherwise, Kepka would do so if Lobello drops down and Kepka stays in.
Women:
1. Kim (157)
2. Baver (131)
3. Derrick (69)
4. Garcia (57)
5. Hallisey (37.5)
Kim and Baver are now locks to skate the 500m in Torino.
Not much movement in the overall possible for the women. Realistically only Kristen Biondo and/or Amy Peterson are likely to move up with one event to go.
Posted by noelle at 7:57 PM | Comments (10)
500m semis - big implications for Torino
The semis were absolutely crazy and nerveracking. With all the advancements from the heats they were more crowded than normal, on top of everything else that's at stake.
If J.P. Kepka and Rusty Smith are both out of the 500m A final, that's a huge upset considering the 500m is both skaters' race. This is a shock, and with Kepka in 5th overall, he needs to have a good outing in the B final for points.
Kepka was disqualified for impeding on Misi Toth, who is advanced to the A final. Meanwhile, Smith seems to have finished his semi out of the running for the A final spots.
The story of the night at this point is Alex Izykowski. Not typically a 500m skater, he he overcame a loaded field to win his semi and advance to the A final. What a week Izy has had. He's stepped his skating up to the next level at the right time and has done everything right to earn his trip to Torino. Way to go!
Shani Davis joins Alex in advancing to the A final, the best news he's had all week. This is Davis' first trip to an A final and it's his best chance to keep his Olympic dreams alive for short track.
The outcome of the semis could be pivotal for who skates what in Torino.
Posted by noelle at 6:31 PM | Comments (8)
Nervous!
35 minutes till racing begins and few hours before the Olympic team is determined. I'm nervous as hell! I can't imagine how athletes, coaches and parents are feeling right now. All week I've mainly been excited... till today. Now I feel about the first time I ever saw Apolo skate in person -- excited, but mainly just anxious and jittery.
Best of luck to all the skaters tonight! I'm crossing fingers and toes that things go well for everyone who's about to line up to compete, Olympic team spot or no.
Posted by noelle at 6:06 PM | Comments (2)
Media roundup, day 4
New York Times | Ohno Leaves Competition Behind at the Olympic Trials
"I'm just trying to stay out of trouble," Ohno said. "There's a lot of fighting going on out there. It's dangerous, no matter where you are, in the front, back, middle."
click below for more!
AP | Ohno Clinches Second Olympic Berth
Apolo Anton Ohno could finally smile. The skater who electrified the crowds at the Salt Lake City Games clinched his second straight trip to the Olympics with two victories Thursday night at the U.S. short track championships.
AP | Gaining Speed
Apolo Anton Ohno glanced over his shoulder -- don't worry, no one's even close -- and gave a quick pump of the fist as he coasted across the finish line. Next stop, Turin.
USA Today | Ohno turns on the jets to make Olympic team
Washington Post | Davis's Short Track Hopes Fading
Marquette Mining Journal | Countdown is on! Ohno, Kim still ruling ice
Dallas Morning News | Speed skater Davis seeks rare double
Cleveland Plain Dealer | DQ drops Biondo into sixth place
Boston Globe | Davis appears on short end
Posted by noelle at 12:03 PM | Comments (3)
Apolo's trials
It was a pleasant surprise to run into Stephen Gough Monday night at the time trials. Apolo arranged to bring Stephen here from Canada as his personal coach this week.
Stephen Gough (with hand in pocket) looks on from the coaches' box as Apolo lines up for a 500m race
Before the awards ceremonies on Thursday, I had a chance to chat with Apolo. He explained that with all the national team skaters competing here, the coaching staff would be stretched thin in handling all the skaters' needs -- particularly equipment, which tends to be Apolo's biggest concern. So he arranged to have Stephen come out this week to help him and said that he feels calmer just knowing Stephen is here.
Apolo went on to mention a familiar theme this week -- how crazy the racing has been! He says things are wild out there on the ice and he is trying to steer clear of the chaos. Guys are even out there saying stuff to each other (basically talking trash) in the middle of their races. So much is at stake for everyone and tensions are understandably running high. Apolo needs to keep himself safe as much as anything right now!
I asked if he was disappointed to see his long winning streak (he was unbeaten in U.S. competition since the 2001 Olympic Trials) come to an end the other night in the 500m but he said he wasn't really, that he was mainly just mad that he fell. Someone, I can't remember whom, told me he was shaking as he came off the ice after that race, so he must have got a pretty good adrenaline rush from crashing.
During the day yesterday some of the reporters asked Apolo about his bandana, which was blue with some kind of shiny things threaded into it. He was pretty indignant at the suggestion that it was sequins. The reporter kept asking what the bandana was made from. Apolo was laughing. 'C'mon man, I can't tell you that! It's secret stuff!'
Posted by noelle at 3:07 AM | Comments (7)
December 15, 2005
1500m medalists
Ryan Bedford (bronze), Apolo Ohno (gold), Alex Izykowski (silver)
At one point in the A final, J.P. wiped out and took Alex Izykowski with him. I think Alex went airborne over J.P. but kind of rolled away and back onto his feet and still managed to capture silver! Ryan Bedford was able to capitalize on the mishap and take bronze, giving him a big boost up in the overall rankings from 11th overall on Tuesday to 6th overall today.
Allison Baver (silver), Halie Kim (gold), Maria Garcia (bronze)
1500m results are now complete. Here are the top 5 overall at the distance.
Men
1. Apolo Ohno (85 pts)
2. Alex Izykowski (36.5)
3. Ryan Bedford (22)
4. Rusty Smith (19.5)
5. Mike Kooreman (13)
Apolo Ohno has now locked up his spot to skate the 1500m in Torino. Barring disaster, Alex Izy will get that second spot.
Women
1. Hyo-jung Kim (72)
2. Allison Baver (44.5)
3. Maria Garcia (39.5)
4. Kimberly Derrick (27.5)
5. Kristen Biondo (14.5)
[correction] Likewise, Halie Kim and Allison Baver have both clinched spots on the team and will therefore be one of the two 1500m skaters in Torino.
Congratulations to our new Olympians!
Posted by noelle at 10:56 PM | Comments (20)
Overall ranking after day 3
Ladies' Standings
1. Kim, Hyo Jung 136 pts
2. Baver, Allison 97
3. Derrick, Kimberly 69
4. Garcia, Maria 44
5. Hallisey, Caroline 29.5
6. Biondo, Kristen 28.5
7. Peterson, Amy 12.5
8. Koenig, M. Tina 4.5
9. Farrell, Brigid 4
10. Lang, Sarah 4
11. Fling, Kira 4
12. Wilson, Carly 0.5
Only Kim is a mathematical lock to make the Olympic team and will skate the 1500m in Torino -- but Baver and Derrick should feel pretty comfortable with their chances to make the team, heading into tomorrow's final day of racing. Garcia made a big leap up from 9th overall to 4th with her silver medal effort in the 1500m tonight. She is the new face in the magic top 5, replacing Kristen Biondo, who has dropped to 6th.
Men's Standings
1. Ohno, Apolo 157 pts
2. Izykowski, Alex 53.5
3. Smith, Rusty 52.5
4. Lobello, Anthony 42
5. Kepka, J.P. 38
6. Bedford, Ryan 22
7. Malone, Jordan 18.5
8. Jayner, Travis 15
9. Kooreman, Michael 13
10. Davis, Shani 11.5
11. Toth, Misi 3
12. Gray, Derek 2
13. Marsicano, Trevor 0.5
Ohno is likewise a lock for the Olympic team and to skate the 1500m in Torino. Izykowski regained his 2nd overall ranking that he enjoyed after the first day's time trials, whereas Lobello took a tumble down to 4th. Izy clings to 2nd overall by a single point ahead of Smith in 3rd. Kepka has fallen one notch to 5th from 4th after a rough 1500m final today.
Posted by noelle at 10:52 PM | Comments (3)
Scenes from the men's 1500m A final
Apolo gets ready to skate in his 1500m final
Alex Izy leads followed by JP Kepka, Rusty Smith, Ryan Bedford, Apolo Ohno and Jordan Malone
J.P. spent about a lap and a half getting his skate straightened out
A 'whoa!' moment
Apolo takes command
Posted by noelle at 10:50 PM | Comments (4)
1500m semis
For the most part the usual suspects grasped the top 2 slots in each semifinal that would allow them to advance to the 1500m A final. There were no disqualifications - I don't think any falls or crashes either.
The men's races had a few more surprises, especially semi #1. Jordan Malone had an awesome skate as the person sitting next to me predicted he'll be bringing Olympic medals home in 2010 if not in 2006. Travis Jayner was 2nd in that race, but was disqualifying, allowing his friend Ryan Bedford to be advanced to the A final which should earn him some nice final points.
Travis Jayner and Ryan Bedford console/congratulate one another after their 1500m semi
Apolo won the 3rd semi, with JP Kepka 2nd and Shani Davis 3rd. When he spoke to waiting reporters after getting off the ice, he was asked if it was possible that he might still make the Olympic team with big day tomorrow. Shani just smiled and replied, 'When cows fly.'
The media pressure for him here has been intense and from what I can see he's handling it all very graciously.
Posted by noelle at 9:18 PM | Comments (6)
1000m finals and update on overall standings
Wow wow wow! Kimberly Derrick pulled off a stunning upset tonight by winning the women's 1000m A final, dealing Hyo-jung Kim her only defeat so far this competition. For a while it looked like Allison Baver would be the one to pull off the feat but Derrick passed them both to take the win, with Allison 2nd and Halie 3rd. What a thrilling race!
Kimberly Derrick heads into the last lap with the lead
Same goes for the men's A final. Apolo Ohno showed who's boss by devastating the field. The skaters exchanged leads for the first several laps. Everyone wanted to be out front, but Apolo finally decided he'd had enough of that game and turned on the jets to pull away from the pack. Rusty Smith got some much needed 2nd place points in the race.
Everyone's chasing Apolo
When he got off the ice, Apolo pronounced these trials 'nerve racking', reiterating that all he cares about is finishing in the top 2 for each distance in order to be able to skate individual in all distances in Torino.
The top 5 women remain virtually unchanged, except that Kristen Biondo and Caroline Hallisey have traded position:
1. Kim, 2. Baver, 3. Derrick, 4. Biondo, 5. Hallisey
Top 5 men saw a little more movement, although the names are still the same:
1. Ohno, 2. Izykowski, 3. Lobello, 4. Smith, 5. Kepka
Posted by noelle at 8:31 PM | Comments (4)
1000m heats & semis
I must say I was heartbroken for Misi Toth in semifinal 3. He was in 2nd behind Apolo Ohno for most of the race and was able to hold off Shani Davis the entire time. Misi was on track to qualify in 2nd for the semis when he wiped out just feet from the finish line. He was pretty devastated by that turn of events. His trials may be over now.
The final heat was pretty interesting too with double disqualifications for impeding of Derek Gray and Mike Kooreman. Anthony Lobello is eager to protect his 2nd overall ranking and went out hard in the race. Jordan Malone was stuck in back but picked his way to the front, eventually passing into 2nd to qualify for the semis. The DQ of Kooreman is a bit questionable -- he certainly has no clue why he was disqualified.
More heartbreak befell Bridie Farrell in her semifinal, a skater who deserves some better luck! She slipped and fell fairly hard into the boards; first her back hit, then her head slammed into the board and her helmet cover got thrown off. She seems to be ok, but she was disqualified and will skate in the B final. Bridie's race was otherwise a very exciting one. Kimberly Derrick put on a beautiful acceleration late in the race to pass Allison Baver and take the lead.
Apolo says his prayers prior to skating in his 1000m semi
The men's races were just incredible. The first semi was hard to watch, knowing there were only 2 slots for the skaters to move on to the A final. (Don't get me wrong, they're ALL hard to watch for that reason, but some are harder than others.) Alex Izykowski was simply brilliant in winning, as was Jordan Malone in getting himself that 2nd spot in the A final. Travis Jayner skated extremely well also and got edged out for that spot but it could have easily been his.
The 2nd semifinal was quite a show, with the top guns of U.S. short track competing head to head. I'm not too sure why J.P. Kepka didn't finish the race. Apolo Ohno started from the back and didn't waste time moving up, but no one wanted to let him lead for long. Rusty Smith had an excellent trip and never let go of Apolo's heel once Apolo took the lead for good. Shani Davis was really looking for an A final here but unfortunately he didn't get that qualifying spot.
Posted by noelle at 7:11 PM | Comments (4)
Choosing the Olympic team
How a skater qualifies for the Olympic team
It's very simple: A skater has to be ranked in the top 5 overall at the end of the week, as determined by adding up all the points won in each event through the course of the week. Bottom line: Finishing the week in the top 5 overall gets you onto the team.
How a skater qualifies to skate individually in Torino
The U.S. earned spots for 2 women and 2 men to skate each of the individual distances in Torino (500, 1000, 1500). For a skater to get one of those coveted spots, he or she must be ranked in the top 2 within an individual distance.
How the top 2 skaters are picked for each distance
First, they take the top 5 overall skaters, then they rank those 5 by each distance. So if #5 overall is ranked #2 in the 500m, he would get to skate that distance in Torino.
Example: Each distance is being skated twice this week in Marquette. To decide rankings for the 500m, they combine points each skater earned in the 444m time trial with results from both 500m. To rank skaters in the 1000m and 1500m, they combine points each skater earned in the 1000m time trial with their results from both 1000m and 1500m.
Remember that to make the team, skaters must first of all rank within the top 5 overall, and from those 5 they see which two out of five have the most points in each distance.
Posted by noelle at 3:03 PM | Comments (5)
Where things stand after 2 days of competition
Now that we've reviewed team selection, how do things stand? I've done a little number-crunching. For the most part, things are still wide open -- especially in the 1000m where skaters so far have points from the time trial only.
I've not checked what follows with anyone yet, and my math skills aren't the best, so consider all of it very tentative and unofficial!
Right now Apolo Ohno is #1 overall by an overwhelming margin. He's guaranteed to finish in the top 5 no matter what happens. (Mathematically, as best I can tell, Apolo can do no worse than 4th overall.)
Apolo is also #1 at each distance, even the 500m, despite his 2nd place finish in 500m#1 on Tuesday. That's because he won the 444m time trial, which earned him 17 points. Combine that with 21 points for his 2nd in the 500m A final #1 and he's got a total of 38 points in the 500m.
Anthony Lobello is a close 2nd in the 500m with 36.5 points (2.5 from the 444m time trial and 34 for his win in the A final).
500m top 5 men: Ohno (38 pts), Lobello (36.5), Kepka (23.5), Smith (12), Davis (5.5)
If Rusty Smith wants to skate the 500m in Torino, he needs to win the A final on Friday, or have one of the skaters ranked ahead of him drop out of the top 5 overall.
1500m top 5 men: Ohno (51 pts), Izykowski (31.5), Kooreman (13), Jayner (9.5), Kepka and Smith (tied at 6.5)
Right now Apolo has a virtual lock on skating the 1500m in Torino. Mathematically I don't think there is any way he would fail to qualify for an individual spot in the 1500m -- the only way would be if he were to drop out of the top 5.
On the other hand, Kepka and Smith have the best shot of overtaking Alex Izy as things currently stand because they are ranked in the top 5 overall and Kooreman and Jayner so far are not.
1000m rankings aren't worth discussing as they haven't yet skated that distance and have points only from the time trial so far.
On the ladies side, no one is likely to take Hyo-jung Kim off the top spot, overall or in individual distances. She has so far earned 102 points, the maximum possible. Allison Baver appears secure in 2nd overall and has finished 2nd in each distance. However, there is more room in theory for another skater to catch up to her. (Mathematically, Kim can finish no worse than 2nd overall.)
500m top 5 women: Kim (51), Baver (31.5), Hallisey (13), Peterson (10.5), Derrick (7.5)
In theory, anything can still happen but Amy Peterson needs to move up a spot into the top 5 overall AND have a great final 500m on Friday. Right now Hallisey and Derrick are slightly better positioned but Kim and Baver have comfortable margins to work with.
1500m top 5 women: Kim (51 pts), Baver (31.5), Derrick (19.5), Biondo (12), Hallisey (6.5)
Again, Kim and Baver have a comfortable margin, but Baver's margin is a bit narrower, and the top 5 in this distance are the current top 5 overall also.
Posted by noelle at 3:01 PM | Comments (5)
Media roundup, day 3
Detroit News | Ohno is all business on speed-skating track
Washington Post | On Short Track, It's Been a Long Process for Kim
This article is an especially heartwarming portrait of Halie and her teammates.
New York Times | Only the Ice Is the Same
While her coaches marvel at her work ethic, developed in the South Korean system, [Hyo-jung] Kim appreciates being free from the harsh coaching style prevalent in South Korea. She said she was frequently sick when she was younger and had her gallbladder removed when she was 7. But coaches were not sympathetic to her illnesses.
When Kim arrived in the United States, she had a painful shin injury, which she said South Korean coaches would have expected her to train through. The Olympic training center staff took a much more cautious approach.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Malone still competing despite shattered bone
Halfway through the four-day competition - the skaters had the day off Wednesday - Malone was in 10th place among the 16 men fighting for five spots on the Olympic team. "I still say I'm not out of it," he said. "But if all else fails at these trials, I think I'll be back with a vengeance for the World Championships (March 31 and April 1 in Minneapolis)."
That Malone is even competing here is amazing, considering he broke his ankle while training Nov. 8.
Posted by noelle at 12:31 PM | Comments (3)
December 14, 2005
Media roundup day 2
New York Times | Ohno (Despite Collision) and Kim Hold Lead at Short-Track Trials
"I was in the lead and I thought I was safe," Ohno said. "I got pushed pretty hard from behind. Whoever bumped me should have been disqualified."
Washington Post | Ohno Remains Dominant; Davis Keeps Hopes Alive
AP | Ohno, Kim Excel at U.S Short Track
Photos from AP News here.
Minneapolis Star Tribune | Peterson in hunt after skating through jams
NY Times | A Long-Track Speedskater Embraces a New Turn
Cleveland Plain Dealer | Biondo goes forth in fifth
USA Today | Davis takes an early double dip
USA Today | Speedskater Kim gliding to victory at U.S. short-track
There were plenty of crashes and mishaps at the Northern Michigan University hockey rink, which Ohno attributed to "dirty" ice. "A lot of guys are losing edges," he said. "It's kind of unfortunate."
In the 1,500, Ohno darted to the lead with four laps to go and pulled away on his final trip around the course, beating Izykowski by close to 30 feet in a sport where the margin of victory is often just an inch or two.
Detroit Free Press | Ohno in command at Olympic trials
Izykowski started strong, placing second to Ohno in the 1,500 final. Though he didn't advance to the semifinals of the 500, he left no question that he was pleased with his performance in the 1,500.
"One of the best races I've ever had," Izykowski said. "It felt really solid the entire race. I was happy to be able to pull that off."
Marquette Mining Journal | Kim, Ohno hold leads
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Getting a little off track
“I don’t know what happened,†Ohno said. “A lot of bumps and stuff. Whoever bumped me should have been disqualified and it wasn’t Rusty. Luckily, I’m not hurt. I was in the lead and I thought I was safe. I just got pushed really hard from behind. This is the Olympic trials and guys are willing to do anything to make it through. They don’t care... You’ve got to go into every single race prepared for that.â€
Marquette Mining Journal | No place like home: Davis shines in his adopted community
Midland Daily News | Now in 11th place, Bedford a long shot to make USA team
[update]
Detroit News | The fast and the furious
CBS Sportsline | Far from Korea, teenager Kim tears up U.S. short track skating
USA Today | U.S. speedskaters making ageless quest
Hyo-Jung Kim was born the year after Amy Peterson first made the U.S. short-track speedskating team, in 1987. Their significance to U.S. women's short track is different.
Posted by noelle at 4:20 PM | Comments (7)
December 13, 2005
Overall ranking after day 2
Top 10 men
1. Apolo Ohno (89 pts) - has won all but one event and enjoys a commanding lead of 50 points
2. Anthony Lobello (39) - Had a fabulous day when his victory in the 500m A final propelled him from 5th to 2nd overall
3. Alex Izykowski (35.5) - dropped down one rung but had another strong day, finishing 2nd to Apolo in the men's 1500m A final
4. J.P. Kepka (30) - fell 2 notches. Disqualification in the 1500m A final partially neutralized by 3rd place points in the 500m A final.
5. Rusty Smith (18.5) - Rusty wasn't penalized too badly in the overall standings after a rough outing in which he was DQ'ed in the 500m DQ and eliminated in 1500m semis -- he drops only 1 notch but has a points gap to make up
6. Travis Jayner (14) - Skated a really strong 1500m semi and picked up valuable final points in the A final but eliminated in 500m semis after a fall. No change in overall ranking.
7. Mike Kooreman (13) - Makes a big move up to 7th overall owing to a 3rd place showing in the 1500m A final, after finishing day 1 with no final points
8. Shani Davis (8.5) - Drops down one notch after bad luck with a stripped edge forced him out of contention for the 500m A final but demonstrating grit and consistency in winning both of today's B finals. Coach later reported some skaters having problems with dirt on the ice.
9. Misi Toth (3) - Also drops down 1 on the overall ranking. Had an impressive outing in his 500m quarter final
10. Jordan Malone (2.5) - Skated a phenomenal 1500m semifinal but suffered from a DQ in the A final followed by elimination in the 500m quarters.
11. Ryan Bedford (1) - Picked up a point today with a 2nd place in the 500m B final.
12. Trevor Marsicano (0.5) - No change from yesterday points-wise, but drops from 9th overall to 12th.
13. Eric Lee, Joey Lindsey, Derek Gray, Chris Weaver (0)
Top 10 women
1. Hyo-jung Kim (102) - Halie continues to be a model of consistency, winning both today's A finals (the 500m by a huge margin) and on track to sweep all the events this weekend if she continues her winning ways.
2. Allison Baver (63) - Another model of consistency, having finished a strong 2nd in every event thus far.
3. Kimberly Derrick (27) - The revelation of the women's team this season has finished 3rd in all A finals except for today's 500m.
4. Caroline Hallisey (19.5) - Makes a big move up from 8th after day 1 having collecting valuable final points in both of today's A finals.
5. Kristen Biondo (18) - Falls one notch but also collected valuable final points by skating in both of the A finals today.
6. Amy Peterson (10.5) - The veteran skater moves up one notch on the day after picking up A final points in the 500m.
7. Maria Garcia (10) - Fell a notch but picked up 6 valuable points on the day.
8. Tina Koenig (4.5) - Dropped from 5th place after day 1 after failing to reach any finals today.
9. Kira Fling (3) - Ranking unchanged since yesterday
10. Sarah Lang (2) - Picked up her first final points by winning the 1500m B final.
11. Brigid Farrell (1) - Also picked up her first final point with a 2nd place finish in the 1500m B final. Bridie reports on her blog for USA Today that she is skating with considerable pain right now.
12. Carly Wilson (0.5) - Fell two spots on the overall.
13. Jade Wheeler, Cherise Wilkins, Sophia Milan, Lezleigh Jaworski (0)
Posted by noelle at 11:58 PM | Comments (3)
Men's 500m A final
As all of those watching the web cast noticed, the men's A final was a little wild! Derrick Campbell deconstructed it afterwards in a press conference.
J.P. Kepka, who was 3rd off the line, saw an opportunity to move into 2nd. Contact between him and Rusty Smith caused J.P. to slow down and lose ground, and Apolo to skate wide, but opened the door for Anthony Lobello to move from last into 2nd. Apolo found himself in 3rd but passed J.P. to move back into 2nd. Then, coming into the last lap, Apolo fell - an event that's always a shock as it's so rare.
Rusty was disqualified for impeding on J.P. and in one of those classic 'that's short track' moments, Lobello got the win in the 500m A final with Apolo finishing 2nd. This is huge for Anthony, moving him up to 2nd overall from 5th after yesterday's time trials.
[update 1] I received the following correction/explanation of the race:
When JP made his attempt to pass into 2nd, he accidentally slammed into Apolo, causing Apolo to go wide and nearly fall (as you can see in the first photo below). Overall, JP miscalculated on his pass attempt and impeded on Apolo as well as Rusty, so probably JP should have received the DQ instead of Rusty.
[update 2] On the other hand, some people see Rusty having flung his arm into JP's path, which caused JP to bump Apolo, which would mean the DQ of Rusty was the right call. I don't see it myself, but I'm sure glad I'm not a ref!
Apolo looks like he's struggling to stay up here, but this is a lap or so before his fall, after he and J.P. made contact
All is still well here, but Apolo knows he's about to fall. Anthony Lobello, Apolo Ohno, Rusty Smith
Apolo falls, apparently after hitting a block
Trivia buffs - when is the last time Apolo didn't win a race at a domestic event? Last season, I think we concluded that it was at the previous Olympic trials. So tonight was certainly an unusual result for him and he actually doesn't quite know what caused his fall and planned to review it on tape to see what happened. (Reviewing on MediaZone, it looks like Apolo probably hit a block.)
Posted by noelle at 10:27 PM | Comments (18)
Men's 1500m A final
We've seen some exciting racing tonight, in particular the men's 1500m semifinals were awesome. Apolo is looking nice and relaxed out there as you can see by the photo below!
Apolo stops to take a call during the laps early races while J.P. Kepka, Travis Jayner and the pack skate on
Mike Kooreman, Travis Jayner, Jordan Malone, Apolo Ohno
Travis Jayner, Alex Izykowski, Apolo Ohno's eye, Mike Kooreman, J.P. Kepka and Jordan Malone
Posted by noelle at 8:30 PM | Comments (8)
Women's 1500m A final
Kristen Biondo, Allison Baver, Hyo-jung Kim, Kimberly Derrick
Kim leads Baver and Biondo as the pace picks up
Posted by noelle at 8:25 PM | Comments (4)
Media roundup day 1
Marquette Mining Journal | Ohno, Kim lead after first night
Washington Post | A Long Road on the Short Track
"It's the Olympic trials," said Ohno, who set a U.S. record in the 500-meter time trial (37.156 seconds). "Everybody's nervous. The ones who deal with it are the ones who come out on top."
USA Today | Speedskater Malone competes for Olympic spot despite injury
AP | Ohno Off to Quick Start in Short Track
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Staying on track: Ohno doesn't let celebrity affect Olympic training
Ohno remains a target on the ice and often has to overcome team skating tactics when he finds himself in a race with two or more athletes from Asian countries. Team skating, when skaters from the same country work together to box out another skater, is illegal in short-track. But it's difficult to prove and hard for judges to police.
"If you go over to Asia and say 'team skating,' they have no idea what you're talking about," Ohno said. "They're, like, 'Oh, that's illegal? Really? That's interesting.' I'm, like, 'Well, yeah, actually it is.'"
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Getting off to a flying start
Boston Globe | Natick's Hallisey not one to take shortcuts
''There were multiple times last year when I was asking myself. 'Is this worth it? Should I do this?' " confesses the Natick native.
Dallas Morning News | Denton skater keeps bid alive
Malone, who switched from inline racing to ice less than two years ago, broke a bone in his right ankle during short track training Nov. 8. When he first returned to the ice 10 days ago, the ankle's extreme swelling required that his skate be removed with a heat gun.
Minneapolis Star Tribune | Amy Peterson wants one more Olympics
If Peterson [qualifies for the Olympic team], the girl from Atlantic Street in St. Paul would have the distinction of making more Olympic teams than any U.S. winter sport athlete in history. And she'd tie with fencer Janice Lee as the U.S. woman on the most Olympic teams, summer or winter, period.
Cleveland Plain Dealer | Another Biondo aims for Olympics
Posted by noelle at 4:52 PM | Comments (2)
December 12, 2005
Double gold medalists
The AP photographer requested a photo op of Halie and Apolo posing together after the medal ceremonies ended. Nice idea!
photo courtesy Joanne Izykowski
Posted by noelle at 11:33 PM | Comments (4)
Men's time trial medalists
Rusty congratulates Alex as he is called to the medal stand
photo courtesy Joanne Izykowski
Alex Izy with his flowers
Apolo with his flowers
Someone yelled at them to smile. Each complied in his own way!
Rusty Smith (bronze), Apolo Ohno (gold), Alex Izykowski (silver)
Posted by noelle at 11:24 PM | Comments (10)
Women's time trial medalists
1000m time trial
Kimberly Derrick (bronze), Hyo-jung Kim (gold), Allison Baver (silver)
Kimberly Derrick (bronze), Hyo-jung Kim (gold), Allison Baver (silver)
444m time trial
Kimberly Derrick (bronze), Hyo-jung Kim (gold), Allison Baver (silver)
photo courtesy Joanne Izykowski
Posted by noelle at 11:13 PM | Comments (3)
Media roundup
KING 5 | Speed skating's Apolo Ohno prepared for Olympic pressure
Article and 4-minute video clip from Seattle NBC affiliate.
KOAA | The Dream Starts Here: Allison Baver
Really nice news video segment on Allison's work at Home Depot.
WLUCTV6.com | Officials Prepare for 2006 U.S.Speedskating Championships
Detroit News | Davis pursues spots on two skating teams
Posted by noelle at 11:10 PM | Comments (4)
Overall ranking after day 1
Top five skaters in the overall rankings based on combined results from the 1000m and 444m time trials:
Men
1. Apolo Ohno (34 pts)
2. J.P. Kepka and Alex Izykowski (14.5)
4. Rusty Smith (13)
5. Anthony Lobello (5)
6. Travis Jayner (3)
7. Shani Davis (1.5)
8. Misi Toth (1)
9. Trevor Marsicano (0.5)
Women
1. Hyo-jung Kim (34)
2. Allison Baver (21)
3. Kimberly Derrick (13)
4. Kristen Biondo (5)
5. Tina Koenig (4.5)
6. Maria Garcia (4)
7. Amy Peterson (2.5)
8. Caroline Hallisey (1.5)
9. Kira Fling (1)
10. Carly Wilson (.5)
Posted by noelle at 11:02 PM | Comments (1)
444m time trials
The 4-lap time trials are much easier to take since they're so fast. Some of the photographers here in Marquette expressed disappointment in short track and I told them not to judge it by what they saw today. It's true, time trials are pretty dull!
The only other falls of the day were in the pairing of Mike Kooreman and Jordan Malone. First Mike took a spill, then Jordan followed suit about a lap and a half later. Both skaters were fine and were permitted to reskate their TT after the remaining pairs were complete. Apolo Ohno skated to a new American record of 37.156 seconds, eclipsing the mark he set in 2004 in Cleveland Heights. Hyo-jung Kim earned her second American record in a day by beating Amy Peterson's 4 year old record in the 444m time trial.
In other news, my camera broke twice today and I haven't been able to get it to work again so thank goodness the pros are here!
Posted by noelle at 10:49 PM | Comments (3)
Men's 1000m TT's
The men's time trials aren't quite over yet. Apolo and Jordan had an exciting TT. Apolo skated very strong and looked to be close to lapping Jordan at the end of their race and I kind of winced knowing Jordan was skating on an injured ankle... but he's in 8th place overall and will therefore make the cut of the top 16 to keep skating. True grit!
Jordan Malone skate his 1000m time trial, with Apolo starting to lose in behind him
Apolo Ohno en route to skating the fastest time in the men's 1000m time trial
J.P. Kepka fell after just a couple laps in his time trial, paired with Shani Davis. J.P. will get to reskate. I don't think the USA wants to contemplate having J.P. out of the running at this stage!
J.P. was permitted to re-skate his time trial. No trouble the second time around; he finished 4th.
Top 16 make the cut to skate for a spot on the Olympic team:
1 Ohno, Apolo 1:25.114 17.00
2 Izykowski, Alex 1:27.427 10.50
3 Smith, Rusty 1:27.539 6.50
4 Kepka, J.P. 1:27.887 4.00
5 Lobello, Anthony 1:28.078 2.50
6 Jayner, Travis 1:28.347 1.50
7 Davis, Shani 1:28.505 1.00
8 Marsicano, Trevor 1:29.241 0.50
9 Malone, Jordan 1:29.448 0.00
10 Kooreman, Michael 1:29.736 0.00
11 Toth, Misi 1:29.838 0.00
12 Bedford, Ryan 1:30.245 0.00
13 Lee, Eric 1:30.299 0.00
14 Lindsey, Joey 1:30.880 0.00
15 Gray, Derek 1:31.051 0.00
16 Weaver, Chris 1:31.149 0.00
Can I hear a WAY TO GO for Alex Izy's 2nd place effort! Nice job.
Posted by noelle at 6:36 PM | Comments (10)
Ladies' 1000m time trials
The setup here at the Berry Events Center is pretty sweet. They have a press box high above the ice with workstations where we can internet access and see everything on the ice. It's so convenient. I've always dreamed of being able to sit by the rink and watch the races with my laptop in front of me.
Anyway, the last pair of the ladies' 9-lap TT is over. I honestly can't pick much up from watching these, it's so different from your usual short track racing experience. Results are here.
I do know that there are 17 women entered, and 16 will make the cut after tonight's TT's. It's going to be rough to be that one who doesn't make it.
The arena is maybe 1/4 full for this, but you wouldn't know it based on the noise they're making! It's a boisterous and enthusiastic crowd.
Congratulations to Hyo-jung Kim on a new American record of 1:32.155 in the 1000m time trial.
Top 16 make the cut to skate for a spot on the Olympic team:
1 Kim, Hyo Jung 1:32.155 17.00
2 Baver, Allison 1:32.330 10.50
3 Derrick, Kimberly 1:35.096 6.50
4 Biondo, Kristen 1:35.101 4.00
5 Garcia, Maria 1:35.774 2.50
6 Hallisey, Caroline 1:36.316 1.50
7 Fling, Kira 1:36.500 1.00
8 Koenig, M. Tina 1:37.063 0.50
9 Wilson, Carly 1:37.238 0.00
10 Peterson, Amy 1:37.727 0.00
11 Farrell, Brigid 1:38.034 0.00
12 Wheeler, Jade 1:38.209 0.00
13 Lang, Sarah 1:38.723 0.00
14 Wilkins, Cherise 1:38.820 0.00
15 Milan, Sophia 1:38.862 0.00
16 Jaworski, Lezleigh 1:39.065 0.00
Posted by noelle at 4:51 PM | Comments (1)
Jordan update
I just got into Marquette so haven't confirmed it yet, but press reports indicate Jordan Malone, who underwent surgery on a broken ankle last month, may yet line up for the the time trials tonight.
His hometown paper has some articles, which detail this and other injuries he's overcome as well as his quick transition from inline to ice. What an amazing champion, Jordan Malone! All best wishes.
Dallas Morning News | Denton’s Malone heads to short track trials
DMN | Scrapes, surgeries don't deter Denton skater
Posted by noelle at 1:45 PM | Comments (12)
U.S. Short Track Championships/ Olympic Trials begin today!
Greetings from Marquette, where it's a winter wonderland.
Just a reminder that you can subscribe to MediaZone to watch the races live online. Details are here.
Also, I've been notified that USSpeedskating.org will have real-time results available on their site during the racing!
I'm thinking that between this, the web cast and all the other folks here, I may just take it easy this week!
Posted by noelle at 1:38 PM | Comments (4)
December 11, 2005
Salt Lake Tribune | Heart and Seoul
It's great to see Hyo-jung Kim get her turn in the media spotlight. This article brings to light some of the sacrifices she's made and challenges she faced in uprooting herself to the U.S. at such a young age.
" 'When I came here, I had a really hard time,' she said. Leaving her family and friends was difficult, and she missed them terribly. She called all the time, but 'couldn't tell them that I wanted to go home' because of how badly she wanted to succeed in the U.S."
Posted by noelle at 9:00 AM | Comments (2)