Katie Uhlaender spent this winter racing on the skeleton World Cup and training for the upcoming Olympic trials in weightlifting, but her exhausting schedule didn’t prevent her from excelling in her winter sport when it mattered most.
Uhlaender won the gold medal Friday at the world championships in Lake Placid, N.Y., 10 days before the Olympic trials in weightlifting are held in Columbus, Ohio . The Breckenridge product had the fastest cumulative time over four runs held Thursday and Friday.
“My last thought on the (starting) line was to run like I was going into Olympic trials, because that’s where I’m headed next,” Uhlaender said.
Uhlaender raced consistently in the top 10 this season on the World Cup and had one podium finish (third ), but Friday marked her only win of the season. Uhlaender claimed a bronze medal at the 2007 world championships and silver in 2008.
The father she adored, Ted Uhlaender, died in 2009 . While she was still grieving that loss, she was injured in a snowmobile accident on Vail Pass that ultimately led to five surgeries. This has been her first healthy season since then.
Uhlaender’s mom, Karen , was at the finish. After they embraced, Uhlaender broke into tears and reached into a bag to pull out a baseball card of her father, who played in the major leagues from 1965-72 for Minnesota, Cleveland and Cincinnati. His World Series ring dangled from a chain around her neck when she raced.
Uhlaender had the lead after the first two runs Thursday, but was able to handle the anxiety that came from that with the help of bobsledder Steve Holcomb, who lives in Colorado Springs.
“I was freaking out (Thursday) night,” Uhlaender said. “I just felt like my runs were so good, and I didn’t know how I could get more time. Holcomb was basically my rock, and the coaching staff has been amazing. Holcomb told me to just stay calm and do what I had to do on the track. He just gave me confidence in what I was doing. I did not do this alone today.”
John Meyer: 303-954-1616 or jmeyer@denverpost.com
