Top U.s. Athletes Not Going To Torino

In the last several weeks, the U.S. 2006 Winter Olympic Team has been steadily growing with the eight national governing bodies nominating athletes to this team who have met certain competition and selection criteria – established by each of these organizations. For the expected 250-athlete roster that is soon to be finalized with U.S. Olympic Committee’s blessing on January 30, many of those chosen skiers, bobsledders, ski jumpers, etc. have painstakingly trained and competed since the close of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. For them this reward is a pay-off (figuratively and literally) for all of their efforts, and a fulfillment of long-term goals. Earning a spot on the U.S. Olympic team headed for Torino, Italy is a life-long ambition for many and will long be cherished.

However, several highly-regarded and experience athletes were not so fortunate. For them, despite years of diligently readying themselves and successfully contending in competitions, not making this 2006 Olympic Team is truly a major disappointment. Many likely reflect… “If only I was not injured, if only I had placed higher in that race, if only I was deemed a strong candidate for a medal… I would have made this team”.

The selection criteria for these eight sports federations is indeed varied. In many cases, the selections were based on well-documented standards (e.g, number of podium finishes in major races). In other instances, needed subjectivity intervened in determining who would represent the U.S. contingent (e.g., selection of hockey team members).

Among those athletes who unfortunately did not qualify or were not chosen, several have previous Olympic Games experience and many did indeed compete extremely well in recent weeks! For some, especially the young, they can look forward to the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, Canada. However, for other seasoned competitors, their career has come to a crossroads as they debate continuing in this sport. Let’s look at some of these athletes.

As early as last September, the hammer began to fall on these exceptional athletes. For starters, Ben Smith (U.S. Womens Ice Hockey Coach) opted not to include Cammi Granato on this team – despite her strong contributions in Salt Lake City and in recent competitions since then. Claiming the need for “youth”, he made the difficult decision to cut this experienced pair from the roster.

A 2002 Olympic gold medalist in Salt Lake City, half piper Ross Powers, lead the U.S. sweep in this event. Since then, he has won two World Cups snowboarding titles in 2004 & 2005. Expectations were high once again for him to earn a spot on the 2006 team. To do so, he would need to finish with one of the top spots at the final U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix on January 22 in Mountain Creek, NJ. The competition was intense (with almost a dozen other athletes in contention) and he unfortunately just missed making the team of four Half-Pipe boarders.


In a heartbreak scenario, young figure skater Emily Hughes, sister of 2002 Gold Medalist Sarah Hughes, finished in the top three at the recent U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis. However, unlike the men’s selections where the top three finishers in the were picked, the selection committee chose the top two placers, Sasha Cohen and Kimmie Meissner, along with two-time Olympic medallist Michelle Kwan – who has not skated in a major, official competition for several months, due in part to injuries. Through a special petition to the U.S. International Figure Skating Committee, she requested to be considered for the team – since her recent groin injury had not healed in time for her to compete in these Trials. The Committee agreed with the provision that she demonstrate her skills in programs that are worthy of an Olympic Medal. Via the Committee’s assessment on January 27 in Los Angeles of her skating, the recommendation to include Michelle on the team was upheld.

Another 2002 Olympian bronze winner, Mike Kohn (4 man bobsled), did not earn a spot – likely due to a leg injury incurred partway through the World Cup season. Competing well up until December with some top finishes, he had visions of driving a two-man and a four-man sled in Torino. He never did recover fully from this injury and thus he, and his team members, did not qualify - due to poorer finishes at the remaining competitions.


2002 Winter Olympic bronze medalist, Chris Klug (snowboarding parallel giant slalom), missed making the 16-member Snowboarding team due to the U.S. Ski and Snowboading Association’s decision to select eight half-pipers, five snowboard cross racers, and only three slalom racers. In support of its somewhat subjective decision, the selection committee based its choices using the tried-and-true adage of “those who will have the best chance of medalling”. Chris’s recent attempts to challenge this decision were rejected.

Ashley Hayden, well recognized in luge circles and herself a 2002 Olympian (8th place), failed to make this three-women squad – missing out by a few hundredths of a second in a season-ending World Cup race in November. Known for her strong starts and keen competitive nature, she was edged-out by two relative newcomers. She continues to compete for the U.S. World Cup team and was instrumental in participating in the U.S. luge team championships where she (and three male lugers) finished among the leaderse.

Timothy Goebel, 2002 Winter Olympic Bronze Medalist, had extremely high hopes of making the Figure Skating team. However, in the recent pressure-cooker U.S. National Figure Skating Championships, he finished in a disappointing sixth-place. The U.S. International Figure Skating Committee then based its somewhat subjective decision in its choosing of the top three finishers for this team. Understandably upset, Tim (see below) languished by stating “I wasted the last four years of my life. I don’t know what I’m going to do now.”