U.S. Long Track Olympic Team Set For Vancouver

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Can you believe that the Winter Olympic Games are only 43 days away?! I am so excited to see the games this year as I have a vested interest! I have friends that have literally gone through blood, sweat and tears to make this dream a reality and experiencing the Olympics this February will have special meaning.

As I mentioned a couple days ago, the second half of Olympic Trials were taking place in Salt Lake City, UT.  The final team spots were fought for with great fervor.  All the years of training and sacrifice came down to a single moment in time of make or break and skaters left it all out there.

This photo was taken by Jerry Search in which he called this "witnessing 110%"

Rebekah Bradford had one shot left to make her dream come true. During her 1000m race, she fell coming up to the finish line. One thing about this sport of speedskating, it can bring you down to the lowest of lows and then just as quickly to the highest of highs. The Low: you try to come to grips with "ok, this is it. My shot for this year is done." You cry for the loss of all the months of training and sacrifice and the pain you put your body through for just this moment. You cry because you feel like you let your family and friends down, which of course is not the case, but as an athlete you feel that way when you don't perform up to your own expectations.  The High: you are extended a reskate. You try to come to grips with "ok, this is it. My last shot for this year." You wipe your tears and refocus with an intensity that you yourself didn't know you had. "Bekah" skated and earned her spot on the Olympic Team with a 1.16.36 (which is FAST), breaking her own personal record by .3 seconds. The opposite happened to Kelly Gunther, who skated a 1.17.12, which before Rebekah's reskate, had her as an Olympian.  The High: I made the team! The Low: watching your spot pass you by for your teammate.

So many of these high's and low's took place at the oval that it gives everyone cause to deal with the conflicting feelings of elation and heartbreak.

Vancouver will welcome the following US Long Track Olympic Team members:

Shani Davis 500, 1000, 1500, 5000, 10,000
Chad Hedrick 1000, 1500, 5000, Team Pursuit
Trevor Marsicano 1000, 1500, 5000, Team Pursuit
Nick Pearson 500, 1000
Brian Hansen 1500, Team Pursuit
Tucker Fredricks 500
Mitchell Whitmore 500
Ryan Bedford 10,000
Jonathan Kuck Team Pursuit


Jilleanne Rookard 1500, 3000, 5000, Team Pursuit
Jen Rodriguez 500, 1000, 1500, Team Pursuit
Heather Richardson 500, 1000, 1500
Elli Ochowicz 500, 1000
Catherine Raney Norman 3000, Team Pursuit
Nancy Swider-Peltz, Jr. 3000, Team Pursuit
Lauren Cholewinski 500
Rebekah Bradford 1000
Maria Lamb 5000

I have had the honor of meeting many of these skaters, some from short track meets a long time ago and some from the World Cup meet in October. The USA will be well represented in Vancouver, that's for sure!
 
I have been helping with a blog for my friend Trevor Marsicano. If you have a chance, check it out sometime to see what he is up to on his journey to the Olympic Games.
 
If you are on Facebook, then become a fan of US Speedskating to get the latest updates and stories of your USA athletes! US Speedskating is also on Twitter! Follow them @usspeedskating .
 
Congratulations to everyone!