NO HEIDEN FROM THIS GUY: HEDRICK HOPING TO HIT GOLD-MEDAL JACKPOT.Byline: Paul Oberjuerge Staff Writer TURIN, Italy - In February of 2002, Chad Hedrick Chad Hedrick (born April 17, 1977 in Spring, Texas) is an American inline speed skater and ice speed skater. Hedrick revolutionized the inline speed skating world with his unique technique, called the double push or DP, now the standard skating technique for élite skaters. was playing blackjack blackjack, one of the world's most widely played gambling card games; also known as twenty-one or vingt-et-un. Despite contesting claims between the French and Italians, its origins are unknown. at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas Las Vegas (läs vā`gəs), city (1990 pop. 258,295), seat of Clark co., S Nev.; inc. 1911. It is the largest city in Nevada and the center of one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the United States. , sneaking peeks at a sports-book television tuned to the 1,500-meter speedskating race at the Salt Lake Olympics. ``I finally got away from the table to watch Derek (Parra) skate, and he ended up winning,'' Hedrick said Wednesday. ``And I went back to the table and started betting and didn't even know what money I was throwing out there. ``And my mind's just racing. Like, 'Man, I had a long history with Derek in inline skating. He was my main rival. We went at it for years.' ``And my mind's just racing. 'Maybe this is what I need to do.' At that point I was tired of inline skating. I needed somethin' new, and thinking 'Is this really what I should do?' And about four or five hundred dollars (in lost bets) later, yeah ... I knew there was something out there for me. I knew this was my calling.'' Four years later, the former inline-skating champion is in position to become the most decorated Olympian of the Turin Winter Games
The speedskating newbie A first-time user. A newbie may be a novice in anything; using a computer, a video game, a particular operating system, the Internet, etc. Also called a "newb," "noob" or "nub." (jargon) newbie and self-described ``loudmouth Texan'' has a chance to match Eric Heiden's epic 1980 performance by winning five speedskating gold medals. ``I'm not going to sit here and guarantee five golds,'' Hedrick said. ``But I'm really confident in what I'm doing. Why shouldn't I be?'' Why, indeed. Hedrick, 28, has mastered speed on ice with extraordinary alacrity a·lac·ri·ty n. 1. Cheerful willingness; eagerness. 2. Speed or quickness; celerity. [Latin alacrit . He shifted to ice permanently only in the fall of 2003, and ``fell on my butt'' the first time he got on the track because he forgot to remove the blade covers from his skates. But that awkward beginner now is the world-record holder in the 1,500-, 5,000- and 10,000-meter races. He also skates on what will be a strong U.S. pursuit team. His fifth event here, the 1,000-meter race, is his weakest. But even there, Hedrick is among the world's elite. ``Five golds? It's gonna be tough,'' said Parra, now his U.S. teammate and training partner. ``Five medals? Difficult. Four medals? I don't think it will be that difficult for him. ``I skate with him every day. He's incredibly comfortable on this ice out here. He can fight. And he's an anaerobic anaerobic /an·aer·o·bic/ (an?ah-ro´bik) 1. lacking molecular oxygen. 2. growing, living, or occurring in the absence of molecular oxygen; pertaining to an anaerobe. monster. ... He could win four golds, yeah.'' Hedrick is so comfortable that he will march in the Opening Ceremonies on Friday night - even though his first race, the 5,000, is the next day. Hedrick is so comfortable that he grates on many traditionalists. Particularly those from European speedskating hotbeds such as The Netherlands, who rue he doesn't know the sport's history. Who figure skating figure skating Sport in which ice skaters, singly or in pairs, perform various jumps, spins, and footwork. The figure skate blade has a special serrated toe pick, or toe rake, at the front. ought to be harder for him. Who suggest his world records are the result of specially groomed ice and are somehow bogus. Etc. Hedrick suggests someone who breaks records - and the mold - is good for the sport. ``Not to have someone who grew up speedskating since they were 3 years old and uses the classical technique and does this and trains this way and has video tapes so he can study Eric Heiden Eric Arthur Heiden (born June 14 1958 in Madison, Wisconsin) is an American former long track speed skater who won all the men's speed skating races, and thus an unprecedented five gold medals, and set 4 Olympic records and 1 world record at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in Lake ... it just puts a different spin on the sport,'' he said. Almost everything is different about Hedrick. He is known to celebrate with a beer or two and make the occasional stop at McDonald's. And he never lifts weights. ``I call him The Exception,'' Parra said, ``because he's an exception to every rule I've ever been taught or believed in, in being an athlete. Getting sleep, eating right, no fast food, cross-training, no alcohol, everything. You name it, he does just the opposite and it works.'' Hedrick grew up on roller skates roller skates npl → patines mpl de rueda roller skates roll npl → patins mpl à roulettes roller skates roll npl ; his father owned a skating rink in the Houston suburb of Spring, Texas. He won dozens of inline championships, but it was the Olympics cachet cachet /ca·chet/ (ka-sha´) a disk-shaped wafer or capsule enclosing a dose of medicine. ca·chet n. An edible wafer capsule used for enclosing an unpleasant-tasting drug. he craved, and Parra's successful switch was the final inspiration he needed. His primary competition for a five-gold binge could be teammates Joey Cheek William Joseph Cheek (born June 22 1979 in Greensboro, North Carolina) is an American speed skater and former inline speed skater. He specializes in the short and middle distances. Cheek's breakthrough was in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. and Shani Davis in the 1,000, and Davis in the 1,500. If Hedrick wins five golds, it wouldn't quite duplicate Heiden's feat at Lake Placid. Heiden won individual races at every distance, in 1980, from 500 meters up to 10,000. The three-man team pursuit race did not exist. However, even Heiden concedes that specialization in the sport makes it extremely unlikely anyone ever again will have the speed and start to win the 500-meter sprint ... as well as the stamina and strength to win the 13-minute 10K. Paul Oberjuerge, (909) 386-3865 paul.oberjuerge(at)sbsun.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Chad Hedrick could challenge Eric Heiden's record of five speedskating gold medals in the Turin Winter Olympics. Dave Buston/AFP/Getty Images |
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