Marquette, Mich. – After all the elbows and forearms were thrown, after the spills, the spinouts and the blood, the ice finally calmed and a fresh team was born.
America’s new, short track speedskating squad, five women and five men, survived a grueling week of pack warfare at the Olympic trials – including some furious, final hours of racing. Now the next tasks: Heal their wounds and pack for Turin. The Winter Games are eight weeks away.
“We live together year-round, then we come to the (Olympic) trials and we fight,” said Apolo Anton Ohno, a 2002 double medalist who is headed to Italy after cruising to seven wins in eight events. “It’s incredible, the amount of passion and emotion each guy has.”
On the last night of the trials, with eight of 10 roster spots still within reach, tight laps on a college hockey rink often devolved into bump-and-grind roller derby, as surprise passes were tried, made and blocked on the skimpy straightaways.
During 32 heats Friday, 14 skaters were jolted off their feet. Many slid helplessly on their backs or sides, slamming into black padded walls that surrounded the track. Sophia Milan skated with two gashes above her right knee – each wound suffered in a corner collision the night before, both held together by 12 stitches.
“A lot of fighting going on, the front (of the pack), the back, to the middle,” Ohno said. “There’s danger no matter where you are.”
But the scrappy Olympic trials may help toughen a team filled with younger skaters. Overseas, the races will be even nastier. And, if they stand up to the Koreans, Chinese and Canadians, this roster of American short-trackers could come home with six to eight medals.
“I want to get on a podium. That’s what it’s all about, grab some medals,” Ohno said.
Ohno again will anchor the men’s team. He will be joined by two-time Olympic veteran Rusty Smith, cocksure newcomer Anthony Lobello, 1,500-meter medal hopeful Alex Izykowski, and potential relay teammate J.P. Kepka.
“Our guys have a lot of heart,” Ohno said.
The women’s team has more medal moxie than ever with the rise of 17-year-old Hyo Jung “Halie” Kim. Like Ohno, she will skate in all three individual distances (500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters) plus the relay. Kim won five of eight events at the trials. Allison Baver will go back to the Games, qualifying in the 500 and 1,500. Adding depth are Kimberly Derrick, Maria Garcia and Caroline Hallisey.
The trials’ most bittersweet drama rose – then fell – with Shani Davis’ attempt to make the short track team. Davis already is a triple-medal threat in long track speedskating, a sport fueled by grace and endurance rather than tactics on the fly. No American has skated both sports at the Olympics.
With one event remaining Friday, Davis had climbed from 10th place to sixth in the standings, 17.5 points from the final roster spot. To qualify for Turin, he needed to finish second in the 1,000 meters, a distance at which Davis just happens to hold the long track world record.
In his last semifinal, Davis was gliding near the front when his skate clipped an on-ice lane marker. He wobbled, fought for balance, then toppled to his stomach. Immediately, Davis jumped to his skates, fired off two hard strides then noticed the pack – and Olympic history – was gone.
“As one door closes, another one opens,” Davis said. “Hopefully (the short track bid) is something positive. Hopefully, all this experience is going to transfer over to long track.”
Bill Briggs can be reached at 303-820-1720 or bbriggs@denverpost.com.
