A PROUD DAY FOR THE PARRAS.Byline: PAUL OBERJUERGE KEARNS, Utah Kearns was named after Utah's U.S. Senator Thomas Kearns 1862-1918. It is a census-designated place (CDP) and township in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. The population was 33,659, at the 2000 census. - It just keeps getting better for Derek Parra Derek Parra (born March 15, 1970) is a Mexican-American speed skater from San Bernardino, California who won two medals at the 2002 Winter Olympics, held in Salt Lake City, Utah. Parra was originally a world champion inline speed skater. . An embarrassment of riches An embarrassment of riches is an idiom that means an overabundance of something, or too much of a good thing, that originated in 1738 as John Ozell's translation of a French play, L'Embarras des richesses (1726). , of memories, of achievements. In November, he qualified for the Olympics. In December, his first child, Mia Elizabeth, was born. On Thursday, he was chosen to be one of the eight bearers BEARERS, Eng. crim. law. Such as bear down or oppress others; maintainers. In Ruffhead's Statutes it is employed to translate the French word emparnours, which signifies, according to Kelham, undertakers of suits. 4 Ed. III. c. 11. This word is no longer used in this sense. of the World Trade Center flag in an emotional opening- ceremonies moment Friday. And a few hours before entering the stadium, he met the president, and exchanged compliments. ``You make us proud,'' George W. Bush told Parra. ``You make us proud,'' Parra told the president. On Saturday, Parra set a world record in his first Olympic race, and won a silver medal - the first for a Mexican-American in the Winter Olympics. Yet, even with the marvelous memories piling up around him, Parra made a point of remembering those who helped him mount the podium podium In architecture, a pedestal on a large scale. It may be any of various elements that form the base of a structure, such as the platform forming the floor and substructure of a Classical temple, a low wall supporting columns, or the structurally or decoratively for the 5,000-meter speedskate medals ceremony Saturday night. Those who supported and encouraged him when his pursuit of a professional career in inline rollerskating seemed a harebrained hare·brained adj. Foolish; flighty: a harebrained scheme. Usage Note: The first use of harebrained dates to 1548. idea ... and when his mid-career decision to shift to ice skating ice skating, gliding along an ice surface on keellike runners known as ice skates. Skating as a Sport Skating, besides being an important form of winter recreation and the essential skill in the game of ice hockey (see hockey, ice) has developed seemed even less realistic. An hour after leaving the ice at the Utah Olympic Oval The Utah Olympic Oval is located southwest of Salt Lake City in the township of Kearns. The Oval hosted the long track speedskating events for the 2002 Winter Olympics. The long track speedskating surface itself surrounds a full size hockey rink and a full size soccer field. , Parra reflected on his medal-winning performance. ``It's a good feeling,'' he said. ``I hope it's a way that people who have been with me through this whole thing ... a way they know I'm saying thank you. Because I couldn't have done it without hundreds and hundreds of people, the team behind the team. ``Everybody from work, family, friends, coaches, teammates, people back in Milwaukee (where he once trained), my inline teammates, (coach) Virgil Dooley, who taught me how to train. Everybody along the way, everyone I've been in contact with or who cheered for me. They're all part of this. ``It's a great feeling. I hope they see what's going on What's Going On is a record by American soul singer Marvin Gaye. Released on May 21, 1971 (see 1971 in music), What's Going On reflected the beginning of a new trend in soul music. and say, `Wow, that's great for Derek.' But I hope they realize it's great for them, too.'' On this day, though, only father and son were in the stands because Parra's entry in the 5,000 came late. It also is considered perhaps his third-best event. So the main body of relatives and friends stuck with their original plan - to come to Salt Lake City for Derek's race in the 1,500 meters, presumably pre·sum·a·ble adj. That can be presumed or taken for granted; reasonable as a supposition: presumable causes of the disaster. his best event, Feb. 19. His father and brother had arrived only Friday night, making the 700- mile drive from San Bernardino San Bernardino, city, United States San Bernardino (săn bûr'nədē`nō), city (1990 pop. 164,164), seat of San Bernardino co., S Calif., at the foot of the San Bernardino Mts.; inc. 1854. . And they were generating enough emotion for several generations of Parras. ``There are no words, no words to express what he did today,'' said Gilbert Sr., a retired prison guard and a man you just know doesn't waste words or advertise his true feelings. ``It was just awesome. He flew. He flew today.'' A few feet away was Gilbert Jr., Derek's big brother, his eyes still red and wet 30 minutes after his brother's race was over. ``He's been crying since the minute Derek won,'' Gilbert Sr. said in faux-mocking terms. Said Gilbert Jr.: ``I was so happy. I just wanted to go out there and hug him. All the work he's done ...'' He choked choke v. choked, chok·ing, chokes v.tr. 1. To interfere with the respiration of by compression or obstruction of the larynx or trachea. 2. a. up again. Somehow, it seemed fitting that if only two people were to see Derek's breakthrough, it would be his father and brother. Those two and Derek made for a household that rode out hard times, emotional and financial, after Derek's mother left the family when he was 1. Gilbert Sr. punched a clock every day, in a tough job at the California Youth Authority, and perhaps didn't show as much love to his sons as he wishes he had. And Gilbert Jr. was in charge of taking care of his little brother, from getting him out of bed for school to making sure he didn't run into trouble. The two Gilberts share this: They wanted the best for little Derek, all the time, even if he didn't always know it. The warmest moment Saturday? After the medal winners were acknowledged before cheering fans. When Derek climbed over the fence separating competitors from stands to reach his father and brother. ``I jumped up and gave them both a hug and they were both crying and they said they were proud of me,'' Derek said. ``It was nice.'' Nice. This story is nice. Derek Parra's life is nice. It was a long time coming, and he's right: Everyone who was there along the way deserves credit, starting with his father and his brother. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Derek Parra of San Bernardino is congratulated by a family member after his silver medal-winning performance in Saturday's 5,000-meter speedskating event in Salt Lake City. Itsuo Inouye/Associated Press |
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