www.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=129974Bad break doesn't diminish Baver's Olympic resolve
Despite broken right tibia, Wilson grad "plans to come back stronger than before"By Terry Bickhart
Reading Eagle
Sinking Spring, PA - Olympic speedskater Allison Baver has accepted the latest challenge to her career with her typical positive outlook.
"Everything happens for a reason," Baver said from her parents' Sinking Spring home. "We were training really hard, so maybe the break will be for the better."
The break in question is a broken right tibia, suffered in a collision with a teammate during a World Cup race in Bulgaria in early February.
It was not the break Baver was looking for. The U.S. team is in the process of returning from its European season and will start serious preparations April 13 for the Olympic Trials in September for the 2010 Games Feb. 12-18 in Vancouver, British Columbia.
This will put her behind on the schedule, but certainly not in resolve.
"You can't believe the fire this has given me," said Baver. "I plan to come back stronger than before, to be the best of my career."
It's happened before.
A fall at the 2006 Olympics - her second Games - in Turino, Italy, left her with a career-threatening bone bruise, but she came back to win her first overall title at the U.S. national championships.
Freak accidents compounded her ankle injury. Five weeks after doctors told her it would take five months to heal, however, she won U.S. titles in the 500, 1000 and 3000.
Then there was that illness from a parasite at the world championship.
Through it all Allison Baver keeps coming back stronger than ever.
This time, teammate Katherine Reutter blocked Baver as she attempted an outside pass for the lead, sending her flying into the pads.
Baver contacted Dr. Gary Canner of Berkshire Orthopedic Associates from Bulgaria. Canner directed her to Philadelphia orthopedic specialist Dr. Wen Chao, who performed the surgery 10 days after the spiral fracture.
Baver expects to have the cast removed soon, then go to U.S. Olympic headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo., for rehab before rejoining the U.S. team.
"Obviously this is a huge setback," said Baver, who lives in Salt Lake City. "And it's going to take a lot of hard work to come back."
She's already begun, working with strength and conditioning coach John Schaeffer of The Winning Edge in Kenhorst so she won't be starting from scratch.
And her goals remain the same for when - not if - she qualifies for her next Games, making her and equestrian Michael Matz the only three-time Olympians from Berks.
"It's to win the gold in the 1500 and 1000," Baver, 28, said, "and to medal in the 500.
"Yes, I'm one of the veterans on the team. So now I know what to expect from this; I know where I have to be to win the gold. I had no idea before."
It's the first broken bone of her life, coming at a very inopportune time, but Allison Baver refuses to dwell on the negative.
"I'm staying as positive as possible," she said. "I'm blessed enough that I can recover from this injury, that it will be healed in 6-8 weeks. And then I'm hoping I'm not that far behind on my training."
Contact Terry Bickhart: 610-371-5061 or tbickhart@readingeagle.com.
