2006 Turin Winter Olympics Blog

I think the developing theme of our blog is “human interest stories of the Olympics.” Maybe that’s because that’s the main thing that seems to make the news two months out. Maybe it’s because that’s what’s interesting to me. Maybe it’s because it makes for a more exciting blog entry than “Bloom makes Olympic squad”.

So, in that vein, I bring you the blog about the Ethiopian in the Winter Olympics. Robel Teklemariam, 31, will be skiing for Ethiopia as the first Ethiopian-born citizen to represent the African nation at a Winter Olympics. He hopes to compete in Nordic and Alpine events. (Somebody correct me if I’m wrong, but I think that translates to downhill and cross-country, for those of us, like Teklemariam, who are from non-skiing locations in the world.)

If you think it’s easy being the first person in your country to compete in a Winter Olympics, think again. You can’t just sign up and say you’re going to be skiing for your country. First, you have to get your country to agree to allow you to represent them. Then you have to get the international committee governing your sport to recognize your country’s right to send a team in your chosen Olympic event. Teklemariam had to establish an Ethiopian skiing federation.

But all his hard work will pay off. He’ll get to carry his country’s flag at the opening and closing ceremonies. Said Teklemariam, “”I guess if I’m the only one, I’ll be carrying the flag.”

For a picture and more information, visit this blog.

I think this article I read recently on the U.S. team’s Olympic uniforms is pretty funny. The look is supposed to be a combination of high-tech materials with retro styling.

My favorite quote about the uniforms? “The parade pant is nylon, and the style is supposed to be a mix of a formal dress style and a snowboard pant.” Sort of tuxedo meets sports attire?

Perhaps that quote is to appease the snow boarders, who are apparently the most fickle of athletes when it comes to fashion.

I’m not sure I fully understand the new speed skating event slated for the Turin Olympics. Called “Team Pursuit”, it involves three skaters working as a team. The time that counts for the team is the time for the third person on the team crossing the line. The lead position is traded among the different skaters. It seems interesting, and I am looking forward to watching it. If nothing else, it should be a wild card when it comes to who wins since no one has really competed in this event before.

The Italian planning commission has taken great pains to make the construction of the 2006 Olympic venues as environmentally friendly as possible. The committee has worked with the U.N. environment agency (the U.N.E.P.) to insure that resources are used as efficiently as possible.

In 2002 Werner Hoeger made news at the Salt Lake City Olympics as the oldest athlete competing, at the age of 48. At this year’s Turin Olympics, he will compete again for his native Venezuela, at the age of 52, in the luge.

In the Salt Lake City Olympics, Hoeger competed with his son. In this Olympics, his son will be staying home because of commitments to the Mormon church.

Hoeger’s goal is to have four clean runs in the competition, but he has few hopes of actually winning.

“We have to be realistic — in the sport of luging, we don’t have a chance of medaling.”

Cynthia Phaneuf has been forced to withdraw from the Canadian National Championships because of a knee injury. She was expected to take one of the top positions, assuring her of a place on the Canadian Olympic figure skating team. Phaneuf can skate but, because the injury is to her landing knee, she can’t jump.

Joannie Rochette, who is the defending champion, is expected to win in Ottawa next week, and Mira Leung, Amanda Billings, Lesley Hawker and Meagan Duhamel now are favored to fill out the team competing in Turin.

Citing a groin injury, Michelle Kwan has decided not to skate in next week’s U.S. Figure Skating Championship. Kwan will, however, petition the U.S. Figure Skating International Committee for one of three ladies spots on the 2006 U.S. Olympic Figure Skating Team.

Kwan was injured during practice on Dec. 17 and her doctor has recommended limiting skating since then. She is expected to resume her normal training schedule on Friday, Jan. 13.

Vladimir Krikunov, head coach of the Russian hockey team, says that he has the answer to post-game stress. Three shots of vodka. He considers it mandatory.

Well, yeah, I guess that would do it. Hard to feel stressed when you’re passed out.

This seems to be a burning question among sports journalists today. Because Michelle Kwan pulled out of Nationals due to an injury, there is no guarantee she will compete in this year’s Olympics in Turin. Many feel that U.S. skating owes her a place on the team. I tend to agree.

It’s true that her chances for a medal are slim, but she’s Michelle Kwan. When I told my Mom that we had started an Olympics blog, her first question was “Is Michelle Kwan competing this year?”

My favorite quote from an article on the subject pretty much sums up Kwan’s popularity with the people and with the media:

“And how would NBC, which spends so many millions on Olympics coverage, feel about a Kwan-less team? The network is already using Kwan in its advertising for the Turin Games. If NBC executives have to fly her there in a private jet and provide an around-the-clock medical staff to ensure her health, they’d probably do so.”

Freestyle skier. Model. NFL player? If Jeremy Bloom gets his way, all will be true by the end of February. On the 15th, Bloom hopes to win a medal in freestyle skiing at the Turin Olympics. ON February 22nd, he will be trying to dazzle NFL coaches and convince them that he has the right stuff to make it in the pros.

It’s not as though Bloom never played ball. He played for the University of Colorado, until the NCAA declared him ineligible for taking endorsements as a skier. Bloom went to court over the issue but, ultimately, lost the court case and the opportunity to play college football.

Does he have the right stuff to make an NFL team? Only time will tell. In the meantime, we hope that he fulfills his Olympic dreams in Turin.

Freestyle skiers must be a special breed. Earlier today I wrote about Jeremy Bloom’s determination to pursue his NFL dreams after he finishes his Olympic ones. Emily Cook’s story is different and even more inspiring.

In 2002, shortly before the Salt Lake City Olympics, Emily Cook broke both her feet landing a jump— one of the breaks was so bad that there was some concern she would never walk properly again. But now, a short four years later, she is on track to ski in the Turin Olympics.

You can read more of her inspiring story here.

Kim Lawler writes:

How many pins will be issued for trading/sale by the U.S. Olympic Committee and where can we get them? (sneaky way to stump you and find out where to get Women’s hockey pins).

If you solve that….How many total Official 2006 Olympic pins are the Olympic Committee and other countries planning to sell? (official pins, not counting “sponsor” pins)

Thanks.KL

Well, Kim, this really is a trick question. For one thing, new pins are often issued during the Olympics. For example, in 2002 a pin commemorating the silver medals of the ski team was issued. Obviously, they didn’t create that one ahead of time.

Also, I need a bit of a clarification. Are you only interested in USOC pins, or all US pins?

So far, the official Olympic team store only has three pins available, including a one year to go pin.

I’ve also found a couple of sites that have extensive lists of pins (sponsor, mascots, etc.). One has the “official” USOC collection, and it has seven in it— no women’s hockey, I’m sorry to say, although they do have a generic hockey pin on another page.

I’m going to continue to research this once I receive clarification, and I’ll be back with an answer or an admission of defeat. Check the comment section for updates.

In the meantime, there’s a great site that explains about all the different types of pins available. It makes for some fun reading.

You can now take our second weekly Winter Olympics Trivia Quiz.

We hope you enjoy it! Be sure to let us know how you did or anything that you found particularly interesting.

Click here and test your knowledge of the Winter Olympics.

So, I have a confession to make. I really like reality television. In fact, it makes up a large percentage of the television I watch. So, last week I was watching The Learning Channel (probably Trading Spaces or What Not To Wear— I’m not really sure which) when I saw a preview for a new show— Ice Diaries. It follows the stories of four Olympic hopeful figure skaters- Alissa Czisny, Danielle Kahle, Beatrisa Liang, and Sandy Rucker.

Now, Sandy Rucker is on Team B for the U.S. Figure Skating Team. (Team A consists of Sasha Cohen and Michelle Kwan.) She was Junior National Champion last year, but she’s been battling a back injury. On the show, she seems tired and burned out. But she’s the most experienced and well-known of the four and therefore, you would think, a favorite to make the 2006 Olympic team. However, she is not listed to skate at Nationals, so I don’t know if that means she is injured and not planning to compete or if she didn’t make Nationals.

The other three are from Team C. Of the three, Alissa Czisny seems the most driven. Danielle Kahle is a doll and the typical girl next door. I have a soft spot in my heart for her. Her Mom is a single mother and has five children. Since I have five children, I can identitify. Beatrisa (or Bebe, as she’s known) is the one that I feel like I know the least about.

From checking the U.S. Figure Skating site, I know that Bebe and Alissa competed in Skate America after Sasha Cohen and Michelle Kwan withdrew with injuries. I’m horrible about waiting for results of shows, so quit reading if you don’t like spoilers: Alissa finished 2nd and Bebe finished 4th. Alissa went on to skate at Skate Canada and finished first. Just from watching the show, I thought she was the most driven and, therefore, the most likely of the four to end up at the winter Olympics with a medal hanging around her neck.

We’ll soon know who will be competing, as the U.S. Nationals started yesterday. You can watch coverage on ESPN starting later this week. The Senior Ladies short program is on Thursday, followed on Friday by the long program. The Senior Men compete at the end of the week, as well. So, we should know the Olympic team by next weekend.

Mark Bridgwater was planning to spend next month in Italy, competing in the 2006 Turin Olympics. Instead, he’ll be recovering from knee reconstruction surgery after an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament on the slopes of Hunter Mountain, New York, last week ended his Olympic dreams.

In other skiing news, Benjamin Raich, of Austria, won a World Cup giant slalom, the last before next month’s Olympics, overtaking Daron Rahlves atop the overall standings. This was Raich’s second straight giant slalom win.

Bode Miller, who is the overall champion, finished 14th.

The U.S. Olympic team will be announced Jan. 25. BodeMiller, Daron Rahlves and Erik Schlopy have qualified for the giant slalom squad. The last spot will be filled by Ted Ligety or James Cochran.