A Tribute to The Winter Olympics

A Tribute in Honor of:

The Winter Olympics Day 7

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Olympics-Cross country-Iranian skier finishes 79th, but is happy

By Judith Crosson

PARK CITY, Utah, Feb 14 (Reuters) - "Faster, faster, use more force," the coach waving his arms yells out to the young cross country skier who is pushing as hard as he can.

When you're a skier from Iran that's just what you've got to do.

Without question, Mustafa Mirhashemi, one of only two Iranian Olympic athletes at the Utah Winter Games, pushes himself.

He has just completed skiing the men's 10 km cross-country skiing event, finishing 79th, out of 83. But he's not discouraged. After all he did finish, even though he did not ski fast enough to qualify for the next 10 km leg of the event.

"I was very happy. I was just very excited," the skier said through an interpreter.

Adding to his joy was the fact that American spectators cheered him on, he said.

"They are very friendly and kind. Like us," he adds carefully.

He continues training because he may participate in the upcoming 1.5 km sprint race.

The Utah Games mark the first time Iran has sent a team to a U.S.-hosted Olympics.

Iran has sent teams to seven Olympics Games, starting in 1956, but stopped after the 1976 Games. A revolution in 1979 and then a long war with Iraq interrupted any Olympic dreams. Iran sent a team to the Nagano Games four years ago.

The team members did not know how they would be received in the United States after President George W. Bush last month called Iran, along with Iraq and North Korea, the three "axis of evil" countries.

The members were set to return home if they were treated differently at U.S. customs when they landed in America.

But they should have been more worried about how their athletes would do at the Games. The Iranian team was treated politely and no differently from any other team, they said.

Now they're focusing on how their Alpine skier will do at his Feb. 23 event.

For Mirhashemi, who is part owner of a ski shop in Tehran, his appearance at the Olympics should help him at the cash register. "It's going to be good for my shop," he said confidently.

Ski resorts around Tehran are less than one hour's drive from the capital city.

Cross country skiing may not be the national sport of Iran, but seeing two of their countrymen competing with the best athletes in the world should spark interest in the sport, according to Iran's cross-country coach, Morteza Saveh Shemshaki.

"It's just beginning. There's a changing attitude. It's very exciting for cross country," the coach said.

21:41 02-14-02

Olympics-Speedskating-LeMay Doan could spark Canada turnround

By Patrick White

SALT LAKE CITY, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Could Catriona LeMay Doan's Olympic gold in the 500-metre speed skating finals put and end to Canada's curse at the Salt Lake City Winter Games?

Canadians riveted to their television screens might have been asking themselves that question on Thursday night after the 31-year-old speed skater retained her title.

Canada, still aiming at winning a record 18 medals at the Olympics this year, is also targeting a third place in the final table.

A week after the beginning of the Games, however, the Canadian athletes have only collected three medals and Canada currently stands a modest 10th.

Many Canadians fancied for a medal have disappointed. They include Jeremy Wotherspoon in speed skating, Elvis Stojko in figure skating, Jasey-Jay Anderson in snowboard, Stephane Rochon in freestyle skiing and Regan Lauscher in luge.

The entire country also feels it was robbed of a gold medal on Monday night after a judges 5-4 vote to give the pairs gold medal to Russians Yelena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze ahead of Canadians Jamie Sale and David Pelletier.

Thursday night's victory by 31-year-old LeMay Doan could be the turning point, some said.

"We know it should have been two gold medals up to now...It gives everybody more confidence," the world champion told reporters.

"We have shown that we are a classy team. I hope that this gets everybody excited and that people take fresh heart from this medal."

Coach Sean Ireland said: "Canada produced a good performance today and there is such a thing as momentum."

LeMay Doan, nicknamed 'The Cat', said: "The Olympics are not even half over so we cannot really say that they are cursed."

She added: "I don't feel that I have the pressure of a country (on me). I don't think one medal ever makes up for another one."

23:29 02-14-02

Olympics-Alpine skiing-Kostelic in stirring route to Croat gold

By Alan Baldwin

SNOWBASIN, Utah, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Janica Kostelic's road from Croatia to Olympic glory is a stirring tale of determination, pain and a battered Lada car she occasionally used to sleep in.

The pigtailed 20-year-old skier handed herself and her compatriots a perfect Valentine's Day gift by taking combined gold on Thursday and becoming the first Croatian ever to win a Winter Olympic medal.

Her pride was evident, less so her willingness to talk about her early years on the World Cup circuit when she was struggling to compete against the mighty and affluent Austrians and Swiss.

"I was nine when I started skiing. And I was skiing and skiing and skiing and then I skied here and I won a medal," she told a news conference with a wry smile.

"It's kind of a really short story."

The laughter from reporters emphasised that Kostelic's summary was about as comprehensive as a 10-line history of western civilization.

Few skiers at the Olympics have had to suffer quite so much from such unpromising beginnings to realise their dreams as Kostelic, who dominated the combined slalom on Thursday before holding on for gold in the downhill.

Few have seen their efforts rewarded in quite such a fairytale manner as the 2001 overall World Cup champion.

Janica, older brother Ivica and father Ante -- a former handball coach who turned to skiing as Yugoslavia fell apart -- are Team Kostelic at the Salt Lake City Games and could be celebrating a few more medals yet.

NO ROOM AT THE INN

The siblings shared everything on tour when they were growing up and now, with Ivica a medal prospect in the men's slalom and Janica a contender in the women's, they can celebrate together.

The days are long past when money was so tight that brother and sister took turns to sleep in Ante's trusty but well-worn Lada when they could not afford hotel rooms for all three.

They shared skis, training tips and when it was a matter of choosing between eating and paying for lift passes, they went without food as well.

They have also shared horror stories, Janica suffering three operations on her left knee in the last year after winning eight World Cup slaloms in a row.

She insisted on Thursday that she was still far from fully fit, perhaps skiing at 80 percent of her potential, and admitted her legs were still hurting.

Nothing could dull the joy of the moment even though Ivica was still on a plane travelling to the United States when his sister won and might not be aware of her success for some further hours.

"It's a great thing, like finally this dream came true," said Kostelic of her success on the Wildflower piste. "It's going to be nice if he wins a medal in the slalom.

"He's a lot smarter than me so he knows what he has to do," she added.

Kostelic, asked about the romance of winning Croatia's first medal on Valentine's Day, was full of pride.

"It's a great thing, the first real medal for Croatia and I'm really proud of it," she said.

"This is kind of like a family medal because everything was always in the family, since I was little I have trained with my father and my brother.

"My mum was always on the side but she's the boss."

20:52 02-14-02

Olympics-Speedskating-LeMay Doan could spark Canada turnround

By Patrick White

SALT LAKE CITY, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Could Catriona LeMay Doan's Olympic gold in the 500-metre speed skating finals put and end to Canada's curse at the Salt Lake City Winter Games?

Canadians riveted to their television screens might have been asking themselves that question on Thursday night after the 31-year-old speed skater retained her title.

Canada, still aiming at winning a record 18 medals at the Olympics this year, is also targeting a third place in the final table.

A week after the beginning of the Games, however, the Canadian athletes have only collected three medals and Canada currently stands a modest 10th.

Many Canadians fancied for a medal have disappointed. They include Jeremy Wotherspoon in speed skating, Elvis Stojko in figure skating, Jasey-Jay Anderson in snowboard, Stephane Rochon in freestyle skiing and Regan Lauscher in luge.

The entire country also feels it was robbed of a gold medal on Monday night after a judges 5-4 vote to give the pairs gold medal to Russians Yelena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze ahead of Canadians Jamie Sale and David Pelletier.

Thursday night's victory by 31-year-old LeMay Doan could be the turning point, some said.

"We know it should have been two gold medals up to now...It gives everybody more confidence," the world champion told reporters.

"We have shown that we are a classy team. I hope that this gets everybody excited and that people take fresh heart from this medal."

Coach Sean Ireland said: "Canada produced a good performance today and there is such a thing as momentum."

LeMay Doan, nicknamed 'The Cat', said: "The Olympics are not even half over so we cannot really say that they are cursed."

She added: "I don't feel that I have the pressure of a country (on me). I don't think one medal ever makes up for another one."

23:29 02-14-02

Olympics-Speed skating-Women's 500 metres results

SALT LAKE CITY, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Results of the Olympic speed skating women's 500 metres on Thursday

1. Catriona LeMay Doan (Canada) 1 minute 14.75 seconds

(first run 00:37.30, second run 00:37.45)

2. Monique Garbrecht-Enfeldt (Germany) 1:14.94

(00:37.34, 00:37.60)

3. Sabine Voelker (Germany) 1:15.19

(00:37.62, 00:37.57)

4. Andrea Nuyt (Netherlands) 1:15.37

(00:37.54, 00:37.83)

5. Anzhelika Kotyuga (Belarus) 1:15.39

(00:37.73, 00:37.66)

6. Tomomi Okazaki (Japan) 1:15.64

(00:37.77, 00:37.87)

7. Svetlana Zhurova (Russia) 1:15.64

(00:37.55, 00:38.09)

8. Marianne Timmer (Netherlands) 1:16.17

(00:38.30, 00:37.87)

9. Yukari Watanabe (Japan) 1:16.20

(00:37.98, 00:38.22)

10. Svetlana Kaykan (Russia) 1:16.31

(00:38.05, 00:38.26)

11. Eriko Sanmiya (Japan) 1:16.37

(00:38.25, 00:38.12)

12. Sayuri Osuga (Japan) 1:16.42

(00:37.82, 00:38.60)

13. Wang Manli (China) 1:16.62

(00:38.20, 00:38.42)

14. Chris Witty (U.S.) 1:16.73

(00:38.37, 00:38.36)

15. Jenny Wolf (Germany) 1:16.73

(00:38.36, 00:38.37)

16. Chiara Simionato (Italy) 1:16.92

(00:38.45, 00:38.47)

17. Marieke Wijsman (Netherlands) 1:17.10

(00:38.31, 00:38.79)

18. Choi Seung-Yong (South Korea) 1:17.14

(00:38.31, 00:38.83)

19. Marion Wohlrab (Germany) 1:17.37

(00:38.66, 00:38.71)

20. Becky Sundstrom (U.S.) 1:17.60

(00:38.89, 00:38.71)

21. Susan Auch (Canada) 1:17.60

(00:38.84, 00:38.76)

22. Elli Ochowicz (U.S.) 1:17.71

(00:38.85, 00:38.86)

23. Jin Hua (China) 1:18.26

(00:39.06, 00:39.20)

24. Yang Chunyuan (China) 1:18.63

(00:39.56, 00:39.07)

25. Cho Seon-Yeon (South Korea) 1:18.79

(00:39.31, 00:39.48)

26. Emese Hunyady (Austria) 1:18.89

(00:39.38, 00:39.51)

27. Krisztina Egyed (Hungary) 1:19.28

(00:39.47, 00:39.81)

28. Svetlana Radkevich (Belarus) 1:19.45

(00:39.84, 00:39.61)

29. Lee Yong-Joo (South Korea) 1:19.78

(00:39.72, 00:40.06)

30. Xing Aihua (China) 2:24.36

(01:44.62, 00:39.74)

Amy Sannes (U.S.)

(00:38.86, DNF)

20:46 02-14-02

Olympics-Classic red roses trump Olympic Valentine bouquets

By Deborah Zabarenko

SALT LAKE CITY, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Not even the Olympics can beat a classic dozen red roses on Valentine's Day. If you can get them through security.

While the folks at security checkpoints in Salt Lake City were quick to wish strangers a Happy Valentine's Day on Thursday, they still screened all bags and asked everyone to go through a magnetic scan outside the main media center near the Olympic Medals Plaza and the Salt Lake Ice Center.

Up the hill at the athletes' Olympic Village, at least seven security gates ringed the compound, and getting Valentine cards, flowers and goodies through the net took some time.

"Incoming U.S. mail and parcels do go to the local post office for screening and inspection before delivery," said Olympic Village spokeswoman Stacy Brown. "There's a backup of three to four days, and that includes overnight mail and delivery services."

Officials noticed no real rush as the hours of the holiday ticked by, but some guessed that many Valentine's Day missives were still being screened.

The number of parcels sent by members of the U.S. Secret Service outnumbered those sent by athletes, Brown said.

Athletes, their families and friends have been encouraged to replace regular "snail mail" with e-mail for the duration of the Winter Games, but there was apparently strong demand for the old-fashioned paper Valentine.

The Hallmark card store located within the Olympic Village's International Zone stopped answering the phone by mid-afternoon. Those who tried to send electronic Valentines were similarly out of luck: Hallmark's Web site was clogged, with a notice posted.

Not everyone planned in advance.

"Omigod, I haven't even called my mother yet," said U.S. biathlete Lawton Redman, when asked how he had spent the romantic holiday. He had a rare day off in Park City and said he had done nothing special beyond that.

Business was booming for Kathy Jones of Galleria Floral & Design in Park City, a resort town located amid Olympic skiing sites.

"I've had a fabulous Valentine's Day," Jones said by telephone, sounding a bit out of breath as she worked on a congratulatory bouquet of peach-colored roses for U.S. skier Picabo Street.

"I had so many orders, and most of them made it eventually through security," Jones said. "I still have four trucks out doing that exact task."

She said sales were up about 25 percent this year because of visitors who suddenly realized this was Valentine's Day: "I'm delivering to their hotel, their condo, their gal wherever she may be."

One big seller was the Olympic Dozen, 12 red roses in a cobalt blue vase with a ribbon showing the flags of the nations participating in the Winter Games, admittedly "pricey" at $125.

But she said nothing outsold the Valentine's standard: an arrangement of a dozen long-stemmed red roses for $95. Plain. No Olympic ribbon.

20:07 02-14-02

Olympics-Alpine skiing-Kostelic in stirring route to Croat gold

By Alan Baldwin

SNOWBASIN, Utah, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Janica Kostelic's road from Croatia to Olympic glory is a stirring tale of determination, pain and a battered Lada car she occasionally used to sleep in.

The pigtailed 20-year-old skier handed herself and her compatriots a perfect Valentine's Day gift by taking combined gold on Thursday and becoming the first Croatian ever to win a Winter Olympic medal.

Her pride was evident, less so her willingness to talk about her early years on the World Cup circuit when she was struggling to compete against the mighty and affluent Austrians and Swiss.

"I was nine when I started skiing. And I was skiing and skiing and skiing and then I skied here and I won a medal," she told a news conference with a wry smile.

"It's kind of a really short story."

The laughter from reporters emphasised that Kostelic's summary was about as comprehensive as a 10-line history of western civilization.

Few skiers at the Olympics have had to suffer quite so much from such unpromising beginnings to realise their dreams as Kostelic, who dominated the combined slalom on Thursday before holding on for gold in the downhill.

Few have seen their efforts rewarded in quite such a fairytale manner as the 2001 overall World Cup champion.

Janica, older brother Ivica and father Ante -- a former handball coach who turned to skiing as Yugoslavia fell apart -- are Team Kostelic at the Salt Lake City Games and could be celebrating a few more medals yet.

NO ROOM AT THE INN

The siblings shared everything on tour when they were growing up and now, with Ivica a medal prospect in the men's slalom and Janica a contender in the women's, they can celebrate together.

The days are long past when money was so tight that brother and sister took turns to sleep in Ante's trusty but well-worn Lada when they could not afford hotel rooms for all three.

They shared skis, training tips and when it was a matter of choosing between eating and paying for lift passes, they went without food as well.

They have also shared horror stories, Janica suffering three operations on her left knee in the last year after winning eight World Cup slaloms in a row.

She insisted on Thursday that she was still far from fully fit, perhaps skiing at 80 percent of her potential, and admitted her legs were still hurting.

Nothing could dull the joy of the moment even though Ivica was still on a plane travelling to the United States when his sister won and might not be aware of her success for some further hours.

"It's a great thing, like finally this dream came true," said Kostelic of her success on the Wildflower piste. "It's going to be nice if he wins a medal in the slalom.

"He's a lot smarter than me so he knows what he has to do," she added.

Kostelic, asked about the romance of winning Croatia's first medal on Valentine's Day, was full of pride.

"It's a great thing, the first real medal for Croatia and I'm really proud of it," she said.

"This is kind of like a family medal because everything was always in the family, since I was little I have trained with my father and my brother.

"My mum was always on the side but she's the boss."

20:52 02-14-02

Olympics-Ski jumping-Ammann enters world of instant celebrity

By John Mehaffey

SALT LAKE CITY, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Looking impossibly fresh-faced and deceptively frail, double Olympic gold medallist Simon Ammann emerged from comparative obscurity into the world of the instant celebrity on Thursday.

The day after clinching only the second normal hill-high hill Olympic double, the 20-year-old Swiss youth found himself with no time to savour his breathtaking performances.

But if he had had no time to party, the show business side of the American media were more than anxious to help him celebrate.

After waking to see his picture on the front page of The New York Times, Ammann was invited to appear on both The Late Show with David Letterman and its arch-rival The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Unsurprisingly Ammann, speaking through an interpreter, confessed to being totally overwhelmed.

"I was invited by Jay Leno and the Letterman show," he said. "It was really unbelievable. All I did was some ski-jumping, that was all."

Copper-haired, with black-rimmed spectacles, Ammann told a news conference he had no wish to become a star.

"I'm simply a member of the Swiss team," he said. "I try to do my best for the team. It's very, very reassuring for me to come back to the team."

Ammann will have the utmost difficulty realising his transparently sincere wish to sink back in to the anonymity of his national squad.

HARRY POTTER

Already the media have seized on his resemblance to the flying wizard Harry Potter, whose fictional exploits have become a smash hit in the cinema.

"I have been compared a great deal with Harry Potter," Ammann said. "But I must confess that I don't think there was any fairy waving a wand over me."

Reporters seeking to find the secret to Ammann's success in a nation which has no summer facilities for the ski jump discovered there was no particular magic formula.

"I don't know if our methods are any different from other countries," he said. "I don't really know what their methods are."

An invitation to compare himself with the British ski-jumper Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards, who attained fleeting fame for his ineptitude at the 1988 Calgary Olympics was elegantly dismissed.

"I think he was before my time," Ammann said. "I only know him by name but I know that he had glasses that were three times thicker than mine. I also know that he jumped three times less than I did."

A question about the flying Finn Matti Nykanen evoked more enthusiasm. Nykanen, despite frequently threatening to self-destruct through his love of liquor and volatile temperament, is the only other man to win both competitions.

"It's just like a dream," Ammann said. "It's really unbelievable to be put on the same pedestal."

At last Ammann was invited to describe his love of ski-jumping and finally his boyish enthusiasm shone through.

"The idea of flying is extraordinary," he said. "You don't really need any extra assistance, you don't need a parachute or anything. You are just taking off."

18:35 02-14-02

Olympics-Alpine skiing-Kostelic in stirring route to Croat gold

By Alan Baldwin

SNOWBASIN, Utah, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Janica Kostelic's road from Croatia to Olympic glory is a stirring tale of determination, pain and a battered Lada car she occasionally used to sleep in.

The pigtailed 20-year-old skier handed herself and her compatriots a perfect Valentine's Day gift by taking combined gold on Thursday and becoming the first Croatian ever to win a Winter Olympic medal.

Her pride was evident, less so her willingness to talk about her early years on the World Cup circuit when she was struggling to compete against the mighty and affluent Austrians and Swiss.

"I was nine when I started skiing. And I was skiing and skiing and skiing and then I skied here and I won a medal," she told a news conference with a wry smile.

"It's kind of a really short story."

The laughter from reporters emphasised that Kostelic's summary was about as comprehensive as a 10-line history of western civilization.

Few skiers at the Olympics have had to suffer quite so much from such unpromising beginnings to realise their dreams as Kostelic, who dominated the combined slalom on Thursday before holding on for gold in the downhill.

Few have seen their efforts rewarded in quite such a fairytale manner as the 2001 overall World Cup champion.

Janica, older brother Ivica and father Ante -- a former handball coach who turned to skiing as Yugoslavia fell apart -- are Team Kostelic at the Salt Lake City Games and could be celebrating a few more medals yet.

NO ROOM AT THE INN

The siblings shared everything on tour when they were growing up and now, with Ivica a medal prospect in the men's slalom and Janica a contender in the women's, they can celebrate together.

The days are long past when money was so tight that brother and sister took turns to sleep in Ante's trusty but well-worn Lada when they could not afford hotel rooms for all three.

They shared skis, training tips and when it was a matter of choosing between eating and paying for lift passes, they went without food as well.

They have also shared horror stories, Janica suffering three operations on her left knee in the last year after winning eight World Cup slaloms in a row.

She insisted on Thursday that she was still far from fully fit, perhaps skiing at 80 percent of her potential, and admitted her legs were still hurting.

Nothing could dull the joy of the moment even though Ivica was still on a plane travelling to the United States when his sister won and might not be aware of her success for some further hours.

"It's a great thing, like finally this dream came true," said Kostelic of her success on the Wildflower piste. "It's going to be nice if he wins a medal in the slalom.

"He's a lot smarter than me so he knows what he has to do," she added.

Kostelic, asked about the romance of winning Croatia's first medal on Valentine's Day, was full of pride.

"It's a great thing, the first real medal for Croatia and I'm really proud of it," she said.

"This is kind of like a family medal because everything was always in the family, since I was little I have trained with my father and my brother.

"My mum was always on the side but she's the boss."

20:52 02-14-02

Olympics-Alpine skiing-Kostelic in stirring route to Croat gold

By Alan Baldwin

SNOWBASIN, Utah, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Janica Kostelic's road from Croatia to Olympic glory is a stirring tale of determination, pain and a battered Lada car she occasionally used to sleep in.

The pigtailed 20-year-old skier handed herself and her compatriots a perfect Valentine's Day gift by taking combined gold on Thursday and becoming the first Croatian ever to win a Winter Olympic medal.

Her pride was evident, less so her willingness to talk about her early years on the World Cup circuit when she was struggling to compete against the mighty and affluent Austrians and Swiss.

"I was nine when I started skiing. And I was skiing and skiing and skiing and then I skied here and I won a medal," she told a news conference with a wry smile.

"It's kind of a really short story."

The laughter from reporters emphasised that Kostelic's summary was about as comprehensive as a 10-line history of western civilization.

Few skiers at the Olympics have had to suffer quite so much from such unpromising beginnings to realise their dreams as Kostelic, who dominated the combined slalom on Thursday before holding on for gold in the downhill.

Few have seen their efforts rewarded in quite such a fairytale manner as the 2001 overall World Cup champion.

Janica, older brother Ivica and father Ante -- a former handball coach who turned to skiing as Yugoslavia fell apart -- are Team Kostelic at the Salt Lake City Games and could be celebrating a few more medals yet.

NO ROOM AT THE INN

The siblings shared everything on tour when they were growing up and now, with Ivica a medal prospect in the men's slalom and Janica a contender in the women's, they can celebrate together.

The days are long past when money was so tight that brother and sister took turns to sleep in Ante's trusty but well-worn Lada when they could not afford hotel rooms for all three.

They shared skis, training tips and when it was a matter of choosing between eating and paying for lift passes, they went without food as well.

They have also shared horror stories, Janica suffering three operations on her left knee in the last year after winning eight World Cup slaloms in a row.

She insisted on Thursday that she was still far from fully fit, perhaps skiing at 80 percent of her potential, and admitted her legs were still hurting.

Nothing could dull the joy of the moment even though Ivica was still on a plane travelling to the United States when his sister won and might not be aware of her success for some further hours.

"It's a great thing, like finally this dream came true," said Kostelic of her success on the Wildflower piste. "It's going to be nice if he wins a medal in the slalom.

"He's a lot smarter than me so he knows what he has to do," she added.

Kostelic, asked about the romance of winning Croatia's first medal on Valentine's Day, was full of pride.

"It's a great thing, the first real medal for Croatia and I'm really proud of it," she said.

"This is kind of like a family medal because everything was always in the family, since I was little I have trained with my father and my brother.

"My mum was always on the side but she's the boss."

20:52 02-14-02

Olympics-Alpine skiing-Kostelic in stirring route to Croat gold

By Alan Baldwin

SNOWBASIN, Utah, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Janica Kostelic's road from Croatia to Olympic glory is a stirring tale of determination, pain and a battered Lada car she occasionally used to sleep in.

The pigtailed 20-year-old skier handed herself and her compatriots a perfect Valentine's Day gift by taking combined gold on Thursday and becoming the first Croatian ever to win a Winter Olympic medal.

Her pride was evident, less so her willingness to talk about her early years on the World Cup circuit when she was struggling to compete against the mighty and affluent Austrians and Swiss.

"I was nine when I started skiing. And I was skiing and skiing and skiing and then I skied here and I won a medal," she told a news conference with a wry smile.

"It's kind of a really short story."

The laughter from reporters emphasised that Kostelic's summary was about as comprehensive as a 10-line history of western civilization.

Few skiers at the Olympics have had to suffer quite so much from such unpromising beginnings to realise their dreams as Kostelic, who dominated the combined slalom on Thursday before holding on for gold in the downhill.

Few have seen their efforts rewarded in quite such a fairytale manner as the 2001 overall World Cup champion.

Janica, older brother Ivica and father Ante -- a former handball coach who turned to skiing as Yugoslavia fell apart -- are Team Kostelic at the Salt Lake City Games and could be celebrating a few more medals yet.

NO ROOM AT THE INN

The siblings shared everything on tour when they were growing up and now, with Ivica a medal prospect in the men's slalom and Janica a contender in the women's, they can celebrate together.

The days are long past when money was so tight that brother and sister took turns to sleep in Ante's trusty but well-worn Lada when they could not afford hotel rooms for all three.

They shared skis, training tips and when it was a matter of choosing between eating and paying for lift passes, they went without food as well.

They have also shared horror stories, Janica suffering three operations on her left knee in the last year after winning eight World Cup slaloms in a row.

She insisted on Thursday that she was still far from fully fit, perhaps skiing at 80 percent of her potential, and admitted her legs were still hurting.

Nothing could dull the joy of the moment even though Ivica was still on a plane travelling to the United States when his sister won and might not be aware of her success for some further hours.

"It's a great thing, like finally this dream came true," said Kostelic of her success on the Wildflower piste. "It's going to be nice if he wins a medal in the slalom.

"He's a lot smarter than me so he knows what he has to do," she added.

Kostelic, asked about the romance of winning Croatia's first medal on Valentine's Day, was full of pride.

"It's a great thing, the first real medal for Croatia and I'm really proud of it," she said.

"This is kind of like a family medal because everything was always in the family, since I was little I have trained with my father and my brother.

"My mum was always on the side but she's the boss."

20:52 02-14-02

Olympics-Alpine skiing-Kostelic in stirring route to Croat gold

By Alan Baldwin

SNOWBASIN, Utah, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Janica Kostelic's road from Croatia to Olympic glory is a stirring tale of determination, pain and a battered Lada car she occasionally used to sleep in.

The pigtailed 20-year-old skier handed herself and her compatriots a perfect Valentine's Day gift by taking combined gold on Thursday and becoming the first Croatian ever to win a Winter Olympic medal.

Her pride was evident, less so her willingness to talk about her early years on the World Cup circuit when she was struggling to compete against the mighty and affluent Austrians and Swiss.

"I was nine when I started skiing. And I was skiing and skiing and skiing and then I skied here and I won a medal," she told a news conference with a wry smile.

"It's kind of a really short story."

The laughter from reporters emphasised that Kostelic's summary was about as comprehensive as a 10-line history of western civilization.

Few skiers at the Olympics have had to suffer quite so much from such unpromising beginnings to realise their dreams as Kostelic, who dominated the combined slalom on Thursday before holding on for gold in the downhill.

Few have seen their efforts rewarded in quite such a fairytale manner as the 2001 overall World Cup champion.

Janica, older brother Ivica and father Ante -- a former handball coach who turned to skiing as Yugoslavia fell apart -- are Team Kostelic at the Salt Lake City Games and could be celebrating a few more medals yet.

NO ROOM AT THE INN

The siblings shared everything on tour when they were growing up and now, with Ivica a medal prospect in the men's slalom and Janica a contender in the women's, they can celebrate together.

The days are long past when money was so tight that brother and sister took turns to sleep in Ante's trusty but well-worn Lada when they could not afford hotel rooms for all three.

They shared skis, training tips and when it was a matter of choosing between eating and paying for lift passes, they went without food as well.

They have also shared horror stories, Janica suffering three operations on her left knee in the last year after winning eight World Cup slaloms in a row.

She insisted on Thursday that she was still far from fully fit, perhaps skiing at 80 percent of her potential, and admitted her legs were still hurting.

Nothing could dull the joy of the moment even though Ivica was still on a plane travelling to the United States when his sister won and might not be aware of her success for some further hours.

"It's a great thing, like finally this dream came true," said Kostelic of her success on the Wildflower piste. "It's going to be nice if he wins a medal in the slalom.

"He's a lot smarter than me so he knows what he has to do," she added.

Kostelic, asked about the romance of winning Croatia's first medal on Valentine's Day, was full of pride.

"It's a great thing, the first real medal for Croatia and I'm really proud of it," she said.

"This is kind of like a family medal because everything was always in the family, since I was little I have trained with my father and my brother.

"My mum was always on the side but she's the boss."

20:52 02-14-02

Olympics-Ice hockey-When size really does matter...

By Alan Crosby

SALT LAKE CITY, Feb 14 (Reuters) - With their hectic NHL schedules, hockey players are used to time zone changes, different arenas and different game start times, but one thing stays the same: The size of the ice they play on.

Until, that is, they get to the Olympics.

The international ice rinks used in the Games are wider, 13-and-a-half feet wider to be exact. Plus there's an extra two feet behind the net.

It may not sound like much, but for North American players especially the change could mean the difference between gold or no medal at all.

In the end, size does matter.

"In the NHL the rink is a lot smaller and you can go out of your way to make a big hit without getting burned. If we do that too many times, there's too much open space so I think that will be a big adjustment," said American forward Bill Guerin who plays for the Boston Bruins.

More ice means more room and a more open style of play can be expected compared to the clutch-and-grab NHL-style.

At first glance the bigger ice surface may appear to be an advantage for European-born players who grew up playing on it.

But players say that with so many Swedes, Finns, Czechs and Russians now in the NHL playing day in, day out, year after year in smaller NHL rinks, they too will have to adjust.

"Sure we played on the bigger ice when we were kids, but it still takes a little bit of time to get used to it again. In that time, most of the North American players should be able to get used to it as well, so I don't think we have that big of an advantage," said Mats Sundin, who will captain the Swedes.

The change will not just affect those skating up and down the ice. A bigger surface presents challenges to goalies who use the boards surrounding the rink as reference points when the play comes toward them.

It doesn't take Pythagoras to figure out that this will change the angles, and goalies could get caught out of position if they are not careful, said American netminder Mike Richter.

"The level of skill is phenomenal, there is more room behind the net to manoeuvre, you can't come out as far," says the New York Ranger goalie.

"It really means you play back in the net much more...that rink size makes a big difference. If you're not careful, you can really get lost out there."

A bigger adjustment for most players may end up being the lack of a centre line.

In the NHL, a player cannot go past the halfway point and then receive a pass from his team's defensive end of the rink. International hockey does away with the centre line, opening the way for nearly rink-long passes and creating a much quicker transition from defense to offense.

"It will certainly open teams up to getting caught during something like a line change. It also opens the way for more long passes," said Canadian captain Mario Lemieux.

"I'd like to see them (the NHL) experiment with it (removing the red line). I think it creates more offense and will enhance the speed of the game."

15:00 02-14-02

Olympics-Alpine skiing-Kostelic in stirring route to Croat gold

By Alan Baldwin

SNOWBASIN, Utah, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Janica Kostelic's road from Croatia to Olympic glory is a stirring tale of determination, pain and a battered Lada car she occasionally used to sleep in.

The pigtailed 20-year-old skier handed herself and her compatriots a perfect Valentine's Day gift by taking combined gold on Thursday and becoming the first Croatian ever to win a Winter Olympic medal.

Her pride was evident, less so her willingness to talk about her early years on the World Cup circuit when she was struggling to compete against the mighty and affluent Austrians and Swiss.

"I was nine when I started skiing. And I was skiing and skiing and skiing and then I skied here and I won a medal," she told a news conference with a wry smile.

"It's kind of a really short story."

The laughter from reporters emphasised that Kostelic's summary was about as comprehensive as a 10-line history of western civilization.

Few skiers at the Olympics have had to suffer quite so much from such unpromising beginnings to realise their dreams as Kostelic, who dominated the combined slalom on Thursday before holding on for gold in the downhill.

Few have seen their efforts rewarded in quite such a fairytale manner as the 2001 overall World Cup champion.

Janica, older brother Ivica and father Ante -- a former handball coach who turned to skiing as Yugoslavia fell apart -- are Team Kostelic at the Salt Lake City Games and could be celebrating a few more medals yet.

NO ROOM AT THE INN

The siblings shared everything on tour when they were growing up and now, with Ivica a medal prospect in the men's slalom and Janica a contender in the women's, they can celebrate together.

The days are long past when money was so tight that brother and sister took turns to sleep in Ante's trusty but well-worn Lada when they could not afford hotel rooms for all three.

They shared skis, training tips and when it was a matter of choosing between eating and paying for lift passes, they went without food as well.

They have also shared horror stories, Janica suffering three operations on her left knee in the last year after winning eight World Cup slaloms in a row.

She insisted on Thursday that she was still far from fully fit, perhaps skiing at 80 percent of her potential, and admitted her legs were still hurting.

Nothing could dull the joy of the moment even though Ivica was still on a plane travelling to the United States when his sister won and might not be aware of her success for some further hours.

"It's a great thing, like finally this dream came true," said Kostelic of her success on the Wildflower piste. "It's going to be nice if he wins a medal in the slalom.

"He's a lot smarter than me so he knows what he has to do," she added.

Kostelic, asked about the romance of winning Croatia's first medal on Valentine's Day, was full of pride.

"It's a great thing, the first real medal for Croatia and I'm really proud of it," she said.

"This is kind of like a family medal because everything was always in the family, since I was little I have trained with my father and my brother.

"My mum was always on the side but she's the boss."

20:52 02-14-02

Olympics-Bobsleigh-Doping scandal overshadows men's events

By Julia Ferguson

PARK CITY, Utah, Feb 14 (Reuters) - The sport of bobsleigh will attempt to put a double controversy behind it on Saturday as Germany and the United States launch hostilities in the men's two-man bob at the Winter Olympics.

Bobsleigh found itself unexpectedly caught in centre stage before the start of the Games, with U.S. sledder Pavle Jovanovic and Latvia's Sandis Prusis both facing drugs bans.

Jovanovic, brakeman on Todd Hays' two and four-man bob, was banned for using steroids by the International Bobsleigh and Tobogganing Federation two weeks before Salt Lake.

Jovanovic appealed, arguing the positive test could have been caused by food supplements containing nandrolone. He lost, his ban increased from nine months to two years.

Prusis, the driver of Latvi,a's two and four-man teams, had also tested positive for a banne,d steroid, back in November. He also appealed, again relying on the 'dietary supplement' line.

He won, with his ban, a retroactive three-month suspension, expiring in time for the Games as the Court of Arbitration for Sport sided with the athlete this time.

HISTORY-MAN HAYS

Hays, looking to steer the Americans to their first medal in the two-man event since the Oslo Winter Games in 1952 -- and their first gold since 1936 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen -- said Jovanovic's suspension had been weighing on his mind.

"I know Pavle and I know how hard he's worked. I know his integrity and in my heart, 100 percent, that Pavle is guilty of nothing," the Texan said.

"I cannot say anything or do anything to bring Pavle back at this point. I have to try and focus on the task at hand...to bring home a medal."

One man in his way is Germany's Christoph Langen, the reigning double world champion in both two and four-man bobsleigh.

Langen steered Germany to its second straight Olympic gold in the four-man event at the last Games in Nagano as well as to a bronze medal in the two-man.

Both men have been in ferocious form this season on the World Cup tour, leaving scant pickings for their other rivals.

Hays won in Calgary and Lake Placid, followed by second place in Igls and third in St Moritz. In five races, his worst result was sixth.

The 32-year-old was the top-ranked driver on the World Cup tour in both two and four-man events before passing on the last two races in mid-January to concentrate on the Games.

Langen, seven years his senior, contested four of this winter's seven races, winning three and coming second in the last.

Hays arguably has the edge over the German, in that he will be racing on home ground in front of a partisan crowd.

Switzerland, led by World Cup champion Martin Annen in both the two and four-man, are contenders as are Canada, steered by defending Olympic two-man gold medallist Pierre Lueders.

13:48 02-14-02

Olympics-Alpine skiing-Kostelic in stirring route to Croat gold

By Alan Baldwin

SNOWBASIN, Utah, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Janica Kostelic's road from Croatia to Olympic glory is a stirring tale of determination, pain and a battered Lada car she occasionally used to sleep in.

The pigtailed 20-year-old skier handed herself and her compatriots a perfect Valentine's Day gift by taking combined gold on Thursday and becoming the first Croatian ever to win a Winter Olympic medal.

Her pride was evident, less so her willingness to talk about her early years on the World Cup circuit when she was struggling to compete against the mighty and affluent Austrians and Swiss.

"I was nine when I started skiing. And I was skiing and skiing and skiing and then I skied here and I won a medal," she told a news conference with a wry smile.

"It's kind of a really short story."

The laughter from reporters emphasised that Kostelic's summary was about as comprehensive as a 10-line history of western civilization.

Few skiers at the Olympics have had to suffer quite so much from such unpromising beginnings to realise their dreams as Kostelic, who dominated the combined slalom on Thursday before holding on for gold in the downhill.

Few have seen their efforts rewarded in quite such a fairytale manner as the 2001 overall World Cup champion.

Janica, older brother Ivica and father Ante -- a former handball coach who turned to skiing as Yugoslavia fell apart -- are Team Kostelic at the Salt Lake City Games and could be celebrating a few more medals yet.

NO ROOM AT THE INN

The siblings shared everything on tour when they were growing up and now, with Ivica a medal prospect in the men's slalom and Janica a contender in the women's, they can celebrate together.

The days are long past when money was so tight that brother and sister took turns to sleep in Ante's trusty but well-worn Lada when they could not afford hotel rooms for all three.

They shared skis, training tips and when it was a matter of choosing between eating and paying for lift passes, they went without food as well.

They have also shared horror stories, Janica suffering three operations on her left knee in the last year after winning eight World Cup slaloms in a row.

She insisted on Thursday that she was still far from fully fit, perhaps skiing at 80 percent of her potential, and admitted her legs were still hurting.

Nothing could dull the joy of the moment even though Ivica was still on a plane travelling to the United States when his sister won and might not be aware of her success for some further hours.

"It's a great thing, like finally this dream came true," said Kostelic of her success on the Wildflower piste. "It's going to be nice if he wins a medal in the slalom.

"He's a lot smarter than me so he knows what he has to do," she added.

Kostelic, asked about the romance of winning Croatia's first medal on Valentine's Day, was full of pride.

"It's a great thing, the first real medal for Croatia and I'm really proud of it," she said.

"This is kind of like a family medal because everything was always in the family, since I was little I have trained with my father and my brother.

"My mum was always on the side but she's the boss."

20:52 02-14-02

Olympics-Ice hockey-NHL infusion looks to turn up heat on ice

By Alan Crosby

SALT LAKE CITY, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Now comes the fun part.

The preliminary round of the men's Olympic ice hockey tournament came to a close on Wednesday as NHL players began to stream in to turn up the heat on the ice.

Belarus lost its last game to Switzerland 2-1 on Wednesday, but had already clinched one of two berths to join the "Big Six" of Canada, the United States, Finland, Sweden, Russia and reigning champions the Czech Republic.

Germany will round out the final eight after reserving its place on Tuesday.

With the NHL now taking a break to allow countries the best talent available when the round kicks off on Friday, team mates -- and in one case brothers -- will become sworn enemies, at least for the next 10 days.

"Everybody's really really excited to get going," said arguably hockey's biggest star, Canada's Mario Lemieux.

Canada has called on the only player to rival Lemieux over the past two decades, Wayne Gretzky, to put together a team that will end the country's 50-year gold medal drought.

But legends abound at this year's Games and a reputation does not guarantee gold.

Vyacheslav Fetisov, winner of two gold medals for the Soviet Union, has put aside his differences with Russian hockey officials to coach what may be the most offensively talented squad in Salt Lake with the likes of Pavel Bure, Sergei Fedorov and Alexei Yashin.

Fetisov's presence has attracted many of the top Russian players who had boycotted the Nagano Games due to their dislike of the former Soviet Union's management.

The Czech Republic has brought back a dozen members of the team -- including Dominik Hasek and Jaromir Jagr -- that struck gold in Nagano four years ago when the NHL first allowed its players to join the Olympics.

"It's too close to call," says Hasek, a six-times Vezina trophy winner as the NHL's top goalie and double MVP winner.

With home ice advantage, the U.S. will be looking to prove it belongs among hockey's superpowers and put behind an ugly room-trashing incident after a poor performance in Nagano.

It too has a legend to draw upon. Coach Herb Brooks was behind the bench when an upstart U.S. team won in Lake Placid, using a bunch of college students to defeat the vaunted Soviet Union and inspiring the phrase "Miracle on Ice."

New York Rangers defenseman Brian Leetch, who will be playing for Brooks, says the key to the tournament will probably be found around the crease.

"The team that figures out what system is best for them, what line combinations will work the quickest will have an advantage," he said. "Goaltending will be key as well. A goalie will probably end up being the MVP of the tournament, probably of the gold medal team.

07:02 02-14-02

Olympics-Speedskating-LeMay Doan could spark Canada turnround

By Patrick White

SALT LAKE CITY, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Could Catriona LeMay Doan's Olympic gold in the 500-metre speed skating finals put and end to Canada's curse at the Salt Lake City Winter Games?

Canadians riveted to their television screens might have been asking themselves that question on Thursday night after the 31-year-old speed skater retained her title.

Canada, still aiming at winning a record 18 medals at the Olympics this year, is also targeting a third place in the final table.

A week after the beginning of the Games, however, the Canadian athletes have only collected three medals and Canada currently stands a modest 10th.

Many Canadians fancied for a medal have disappointed. They include Jeremy Wotherspoon in speed skating, Elvis Stojko in figure skating, Jasey-Jay Anderson in snowboard, Stephane Rochon in freestyle skiing and Regan Lauscher in luge.

The entire country also feels it was robbed of a gold medal on Monday night after a judges 5-4 vote to give the pairs gold medal to Russians Yelena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze ahead of Canadians Jamie Sale and David Pelletier.

Thursday night's victory by 31-year-old LeMay Doan could be the turning point, some said.

"We know it should have been two gold medals up to now...It gives everybody more confidence," the world champion told reporters.

"We have shown that we are a classy team. I hope that this gets everybody excited and that people take fresh heart from this medal."

Coach Sean Ireland said: "Canada produced a good performance today and there is such a thing as momentum."

LeMay Doan, nicknamed 'The Cat', said: "The Olympics are not even half over so we cannot really say that they are cursed."

She added: "I don't feel that I have the pressure of a country (on me). I don't think one medal ever makes up for another one."

23:29 02-14-02

Olympics-Thursday-Austrian skiers hungry for more medals

By Robert Woodward

SALT LAKE CITY, Feb 14 (Reuters) - As controversy over the Olympics figure skating continues to swirl, a frustrated Austrian team will attempt to build on Fritz Strobl's downhill gold in Thursday's women's Alpine skiing combined.

Since Strobl's victory on Sunday, there has been a gold medal drought for the strongest ski team at the Games.

However, Renate Goetschl, who snatched her first Olympic medal by placing third in the downhill, has ruled the combined this winter with two wins in as many World Cup events.

Standing in her way are Michaela Dorfmeister and another Austrian, 18-year-old Christine Sponring, who won silver at last year's world championships in St Anton.

The outside challenge to the Austrians on the sixth day of competition will be headed by the German team who boast two specialists in Martina Ertl and Hilde Gerg.

After the widely condemned judging of the pairs competition, the International Skating Union will hope the men's free programme runs smoothly.

Alexei Yagudin, Russian like the pairs champions, is favourite for the gold and the men's top contenders plan multiple quadruple leaps in their 4-1/2-minute routines.

Russia's reigning world champion Yevgeny Plushenko is surprisingly in fourth spot but could climb ahead of American Timothy Goebel and second-ranked Takeshi Honda of Japan into silver medal position, but the gold is virtually out of reach.

Two other golds will be decided and Sweden's Per Elofsson is hoping to win his first medal of the Games in the men's combined pursuit cross-country race.

Elofsson, the reigning overall World Cup champion, had been expected to pick up a medal in both the 30 km freestyle and the 15 km classical races, but failed to finish the first and was fifth in the latter.

In the women's 500 meters speed skating final defending champion Catriona LeMay Doan of Canada is favourite after breaking the Olympic record in the opening race on Wednesday.

She is undefeated in World Cup races this season but Germany's Monique Garbrecht-Enfeldt came closer to upsetting the favourite than anyone has for some time. She trails LeMay Doan by just four hundreths of a second.

02:01 02-14-02

Olympics-Ice hockey-Quinn refuses to tip hand on lines, goalies

SALT LAKE CITY, Feb 13 (Reuters) - The name of the starting goaltender for the Canadian men's ice hockey is quickly becoming the best kept secret at the Olympics.

And on Wednesday, Canadian head coach Pat Quinn said he was going to keep it for himself, at least for one more day.

"Seeing as how we haven't had our team together yet, it would be unfair for me to give you all the information before I give it to them (the players)," he told a news conference on Wednesday.

"We've discussed how we will handle the goaltending and we think we have a plan...I would say that tomorrow you would be able to pick that up," he added.

As NHL players for the six teams -- Canada, the U.S., Russia, Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic -- straggle into Salt Lake for the start of the final round on Friday, Quinn has only said he has narrowed it down to two options: New Jersey Devil Martin Brodeur or Curtis Joseph of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team Quinn coaches in the NHL.

The only thing that is known is that Dallas Stars goalie Ed Belfour will be the third string and not dress unless one of the other two gets hurt.

Quinn tipped his hand only slightly on how the rest of the lineup will look when Canada takes to the ice for its first game against on Friday.

"We have five days, three games to try to shortcut the teambuilding concept. We have pairs that will have played together somewhat on defense and we'll have pairs of forwards that will have played together somewhat," he said.

Quinn said that given the short amount of preparation time, he will play a system of hockey that differs little from what is seen in the NHL, one forechecker followed by two forwards and two defensemen.

"Most of the teams are playing somewhat of that formation...We didn't want to come in here and implement a change. We want to have something the guys are comfortable with," he said.

So does that mean the Canadians will play the dump and chase game that works well in smaller NHL rinks at the expense of creativity? Not at all, said Quinn.

Given the bigger ice size used in international rinks, he said Canada has stocked up on players with speed and skills.

"We don't want to give the puck up," he said.

00:20 02-14-02