Sestriere, Italy – Picabo Street concedes Lindsey Kildow will be impaired competing in today’s alpine combined because of the trauma she suffered in Monday’s training crash, but the former Olympic champion believes Kildow could be a major factor in Sunday’s super-G.
“I’m fully expecting her to throw one down on Sunday,” said Street, a longtime friend, adviser and role model for Kildow. “She has thrown a couple of things out there verbally that make me think she absolutely has a medal-performance plan of attack for Sunday. By the time you get two runs back on the course after a crash, it’s behind you, it’s history and you’re moving on. She’s going to have a feel for that snow and she’s going to be laying it all on the line.”
Today’s combined involves one run of downhill and two runs of slalom. Slalom involves a lot of quick, dynamic movements that will be difficult for Kildow to execute because of her injuries.
“Her gluteus maximus muscle is in a cramped position and it will not release,” Street said Thursday after spending the afternoon with Kildow. “It’s similar to what you would experience with a calf cramp in the middle of the night. It’s going to limit her reflexes a little bit; it’s going to limit her flexibility a little bit.”
Street believes Kildow will look more like herself in the downhill.
“She’s going to drop the hammer in that, try to ski the hill aggressively and get ready for the super-G,” said Street, the 1998 Olympic super-G champion and a two-time World Cup downhill champion.
Street was in her final season when Kildow was just coming onto the World Cup in 2002, and they have been close since. Street is in Turin for NBC’s “Today” show, and she rushed to the hospital after Kildow’s crash.
“When I first got to the hospital, she was still in shock to some degree, like a deer in headlights,” Street said. “She was kind of green from the meds they pumped in her and she was uncomfortable. She was rolling her eyes and wishing she could change the situation with her magic wand. We both got tears in our eyes.”
Kildow was taken to a trauma unit, but soon Street was summoned to be with her.
“I told her I was proud of her, that she is young and she just has to remember she’s got a big future, to concentrate on getting through this and being well and dealing with the rest as it comes. ‘You still have a chance to race in these Games, and that’s what you have to focus on.”‘
Street believes Kildow overcame a “significant amount” of fear racing in Wednesday’s downhill, even if Kildow wouldn’t admit it to anyone – including herself.
“She may not realize it until she gets away from the Games and she settles down and realizes how much of a hurdle she got over,” Street said.
Street was nauseous with worry watching Kildow race Wednesday and called Kildow’s performance “absolutely huge” considering the scare she had gone through and the pain she endured while racing.
“She stole the show,” Street said. “It was spectacular. It was the best performance of the day. I don’t want to take anything away from Michi, because I love Michi and I’m super happy she finally got her gold because she so deserves it. But it was Lindsey’s day.”
Kildow has a lot of fans, but none bigger than Street.
“Everybody says, She’s the next you,’” Street says. “I tell them, And then some.'”
John Meyer can be reached at 303-820-1616 or jmeyer@denverpost.com.
