SPEEDSKATING: IN THIS DISCIPLINE, PURSUIT OF GOLD MEDAL A TEAM SPORT.Byline: Paul Oberjuerge Staff Writer TURIN, Italy - 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. will lead off for the U.S. team pursuit speedskating trio on Wednesday, the first leg of a two-day competition that could yield the third Olympics medal for the 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. native - and the second of five possible golds at the Turin Games for 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. . ``I believe we have a really good chance of getting a medal, any of them,'' Parra said Tuesday night. The Americans will race without Shani Davis Shani Davis (born August 13, 1982 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American speed skater who competes in both short track and long track speed skating. At the 2006 Winter Olympics, Davis became the first black athlete to win a gold medal in an individual sport (1,000-m) and the , considered the team's second-strongest skater. Davis is sticking to a decision to skip the team pursuit, a new Olympics event, to prepare for the 1,000-meter individual race on Saturday. Parra last week said the third skater on a team with Hedrick and Davis would need to do little more than follow them for 3,000 meters to secure a gold medal gold medal traditional first prize. [Western Cult: Misc.] See : Prize . However, when Davis announced his withdrawal, Parra refused to fault him - even though he conceded con·cede v. con·ced·ed, con·ced·ing, con·cedes v.tr. 1. To acknowledge, often reluctantly, as being true, just, or proper; admit. See Synonyms at acknowledge. 2. U.S. chances took a hit. ``He's not around all the time, and everyone comes for his individual events,'' Parra said of Davis. ``No reason to get on Shani when he's not around the team.'' Davis trains in Calgary and has rarely competed or practiced team pursuit. Hedrick already has the 5,000-meter gold and was clear in saying he hoped Davis would race in the team event. ``But I'm not going to beg anyone to race,'' Hedrick said. Davis said he withdrew because he wanted to give a spot on the five-man team to someone else. ``We've got two guys here who don't have another event,'' he said. ``They deserve a chance.'' The pursuit-only skaters are Charles Leveille Charles Ryan Leveille (born March 7, 1993, in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American speed skater. He competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics, in both the team pursuit and the 10,000 meter events. He currently resides in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. and Clay Mull Clay Mull (born 1979-09-29) is an Olympic speed skater who competed in the team pursuit at the 2006 Winter Olympics. A 1998 South Point High graduate, first came to prominence as an inline skater as a youth, finishing second in the U.S. . They will team with Parra in the first race, which determines seeding for the knockout rounds to follow. ``I'm the strongest of the three and I have the best start,'' Parra said about leading off. Skaters might stay in front for half a lap, or as many as two, depending on how strong they feel. Parra said the trickiest part of team pursuit is falling back into line after the exertion exertion, n vigorous action, a great effort, a strong influence. of leading. ``That's when you're tired, but you can't get separated from the other two guys,'' he said. The second and third skaters encounter less resistance while slipstreaming behind the leader. Two teams race simultaneously, and the team that gets its third skater across the finish line is the winner. The quarterfinal quar·ter·fi·nal adj. Of or relating to one of four competitions in a tournament, whose winners go on to play in semifinal competitions. n. 1. quarterfinals A quarterfinal round. 2. A quarterfinal match. is later Wednesday, with K.C. Boutiette and Hedrick likely to go in that race, Parra said. He said he expects to sit out the second race, with Leveille or Mull going as the third skater. The semifinals and finals are Thursday night. Team pursuit represents Parra's best chance to secure another Olympic medal, at age 35. He won gold in the 1,500 and silver in the 5,000 at Salt Lake City in 2002. His only individual race here is the 1,500, Feb. 21. He is considered a long shot in the 1,500. ``I'm feeling good on the ice,'' he said. ``The pursuit is something new, and I think we have a good shot.'' A skater who competes in any of the four potential pursuit races receives a medal for a top-three finish, even if he doesn't participate in the final race. Hedrick needs a victory here if he hopes to duplicate Eric Heiden's 1980 feat of winning five speedskating gold medals. The Netherlands is likely to provide the strongest challenge. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: PARRA |
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