| Ready, Set, Compete! By: Katie Guthrie The Winter Olympics are coming up fast. Set in Vancouver, this year’s festivities will begin on February 12, 2010. The Olympics draw the best from all over the world into a televised celebration of what can be flawless or flailing demonstrations of athletic ability. Among all these world champions, a few women stand out as brightly as the Olympic torch itself. Lindsey Vonn of the USA Alpine Ski Team is no stranger to Olympic competition. She competed in both the 2002 and 2006 Olympic Games, but has yet to reach the award podium. In 2006, she took home the Olympic Spirit Award for her performance in the Games but hopes that this year will bring her a different kind of reward. Since the last Games, she has dominated the spotlight of the alpine ski world. At a young age, she distinguished herself with her “excellent flexi- bility, physically speaking, and her great attitude and determination,” says former coach Erich Sailer. “In addition to her superb skiing skills she will need some luck to come through on that one day in four years. It’s only one race, many things can go wrong,” he added. Next is a native of the host nation, Mellisa Hollingsworth. Hollingsworth stands out as the first Canadian to win an Olympic medal in the sport of skeleton. In skeleton, an individual races on a frozen track while lying face down on a small sled. She took home bronze in 2006 after failing to qualify for the 2002 national team and nearly quitting the sport. Now one of Canada’s most decorated athletes, Hollingsworth is determined to take home a gold. “I no longer hit the start line to participate in races. I’m now focused on sliding to the podium and winning each time I put on the Canadian uniform,” she says on her website. Figure skater Kim Yu-Na of South Korea is a force to be reckoned with. Known to her fans as Queen Yu-Na, this nineteen-year-old is the 2009 World Champion, 2009 Four Continents Champion, and a three-time Grand Prix Final Champion. And those are just her latest accomplishments. Kati Wilhelm of Germany is a sergeant in the German Armed Forces and a five-time biathlon World Champion who began her Olympic career on Germany’s cross-country ski team at the 1998 Nagano Games. At the 2002 Games, she was the most decorated female biathlete. She earned a silver medal in the 10-kilometer event and gold medals in both the 7.5- kilometer sprint and 4 x 6-kilometer relay. Her most recent Olympic appearance in 2006 left her with one gold and two silver medals. All of these women are formidable athletes who have earned their right to compete with other talented individuals. Now we will have to wait until the Games begin to see if they can distinguish themselves as the world’s very best. |
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