Just a reminder to keep an eye out for Tony Chung tweeting from Montreal. He is already up there and getting setup. Also, don't forgot his blog updates.
Twitter:
twitter.com/shorttrackhd
twitter.com/shorttrackhd2
twitter.com/shorttrackhd3
The reason for the multiple accounts is that twitter has a cap on how many tweats you can make (I don't know if it is within a certain time period?). So he'll start with shorttrackhd....and if that fills up he'll start tweating on shorttrackhd2, etc.
His blog:
www.shortrackhd.comI just reread one of his blogs from 9/16 from the Oly Trials. A good refresher on things to look for during these next 2 world cups. Remember these have way more importance than the Asian Cups1 and 2. I don't think he would mind if I pasted it here, but it is from
www.shorttrackhd.com/UStrials.htmlUpdate 9/16/2009
There seems to be a lot of emails asking about why the distance classification was used instead of the overall classification for the selection process in regards to the US team selection. I’m here to clarify this.
Let me be very clear about this: The distance classification has more importance because when it comes to the Olympics, you don’t win a medal for your overall classification.
Just because you win more events, does not mean you get a medal for top three overall. There is no top three for overall classification. It’s GOLD, SILVER, or BRONZE in the 1500m, 1000m, 500m, and the relay. If there actually was an overall classification, Ahn Hyun-Soo and Jin Sun-Yu of South Korea would have gotten a fourth gold medal from Torino 2006 hands down. The format for the Olympics is entirely different.
Another thing I want to clarify is that the team selected at US Trials was only selected to go to the World Cups. They are NOT the final team going to the Olympics. It’s not winning a spot at Trials and BAM onto the Olympic team. It doesn’t work that way. The skaters selected are only nominated to skate the World Cups. Just as I explained during my coverage of the Canadian Trials, the skaters being sent will have to try to qualify for their individual spots in Montreal (World Cup 3) and Marquette (World Cup 4). Each country can still send six athletes in both genders, but in terms of the final Olympic team, that remains to be determined.
Each country can earn a MAXIMUM of three skaters for individual distances. There is NO minimum. From what I can understand, if let’s say the United States earns three skaters for ALL three distances, the breakdown as follows in order:
Men
500m – Apolo Ohno, Jordan Malone, Simon Cho
1000m – Apolo Ohno, Travis Jayner, JR Celski
1500m – Apolo Ohno, JR Celski, Jordan Malone
Women
500m – Alyson Dudek, Katherine Reutter, Lana Gehring
1000m – Katherine Reutter, Kimberly Derrick, Allison Baver
1500m – Katherine Reutter, Allison Baver, Kimberly Derrick
This is only if the United States qualifies for three skaters for all three distances. Let’s try a different scenario. Let’s say the United States only qualifies for….out of the extreme…ONE spot for all three distances. What happens now? Who gets to skate?
Men
500m – Apolo Ohno
1000m – Apolo Ohno
1500m – Apolo Ohno
Based on this scenario, Apolo Ohno is the only skater that gets to skate. Why? He gets to skate because he won the distance classification for all three distances. This is why distance classification is more important for US Trials selection. Therefore, he gets priority to skate above any other male skater. The rest of the guys don’t get to skate because United States didn’t qualify for more spots in those distances. If the US qualifies for a second spot in, let’s say, the 500m, then the second place skater from the 500m at Trials gets to skate. (Jordan Malone)
Women
500m – Alyson Dudek
1000m – Katherine Reutter
1500m – Katherine Reutter
For the women, only Alyson and Katherine get the skate. Alyson won the 500m overall, and Katherine won the 1000m + 1500m overall. Derrick, Baver, and Gehring would not skate at all.
In essence, the final Olympic team, based on this scenario, would only be Ohno, Dudek, and Reutter for individual distances. Oh and don’t forget the US needs to qualify for the relay too. Canada does not need to qualify for the relay since they are the host country.
I hope this helps people understand the process. After World Cups 3 and 4, we will know what spots the US has qualified for, and which skaters will actually get to skate their individual distances. Skating at the Olympics all rests in the hands of the skaters. If you thought US trials was competitive, just wait until you see World Cups 3 and 4. It’s LITERALLY going to be DO or DIE and I expect to see some high risk passing. I just pray that there are no injuries like we had at Trials.
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