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Courtesy:  Northern Michigan University

MEDIA RELEASE

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

CELSKI, REUTTER, DUDEK TAKE GOLD AT FIRST NIGHT OF OLYMPIC TRIALS

MARQUETTE, Mich. –  If the first night of competition at the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Short Track Speedskating is any indication of what Team USA will look like at the Winter Olympic Games, expect it to be fast. 

On the men’s side, J.R. Celski of Federal Way, Wash., captured gold, edging out five-time Olympic medalist Apolo Anton Ohno of Seattle in both the 1,000 meters, 9-lap time trials and the 444 meters, 4-lap trials.  Celski won the 1,000 in 1:23.981 and Ohno was second at 1:24.500.  In the 444 meters, Celski beat Ohno with a time of 37.127 to 37.240.

Jordan Malone of Denton, Texas, won the 444 meters with a time of 37.124.  In third was Anthony Lobello (37.179) of Tallahassee, Fla., and in fifth was Travis Jayner (37.283) of Midland, Mich. Rounding out the top five in the 1,000 meters were Malone at 1:25.259; Lobello at 1:25.525; and Jayner at 1:25.818. 

Celski leads in total overall points with 1,800 followed by Malone with 1,640; Ohno, 1,312; Lobello, 1,152; and Jayner, 820.

“There couldn’t have been more pressure, knowing this is the Olympic Trials,” said Celski.  “I definitely felt more nerves, but I had a good time.”

In the women’s competition, Katherine Reutter of Champaign, Ill., and Alyson Dudek of Hales Corners, Wis., tied for gold in overall points, both with 1,640 points.  Reutter finished first in the 1,000 meters at 1:30.308 and finished third in the 444 meters at 40.312.  Dudek was third in the 1,000 at 1:31.560 and first in the 444 at 39.798.

“Time trials show what you can put on the table,” said Reutter. “You get a feel of how much people can push themselves.”

Kimberly Derrick of Memphis, Tenn., finished second in both races with a time of 1:31.344 in the 1,000 and 40.270 in the 444 meters.  She took bronze with 1,600 points.

Rounding out the top five women in points were Lana Gehring of Glenview, Ill., with 1,024 points and Jessica Smith of Melvindale, Pa., with 656.  Gehring was fourth in both the 1,000 (1:32.212) and the 444 (40.418).  Smith was sixth in both at 1:33.987 and 40.846, respectively.

Alison Baver of Sinking Springs, Pa., was the fifth-place finisher in the 1,000 meters (1:32.857). Maria Garcia of Carson, Calif., was fifth in the 444 meters (40.738).

The other women who advanced to tomorrow night’s competition were Cherise Wilkins of Camillus, N.Y.; Mary Grace of Wilmette, Ill.; Morgan Izykowski of Bay City, Mich.; Tamara Frederick of Park Ridge, Ill.; Lezleigh Jaworski of Long Beach, Calif.; Emily Scott of Springfield, Mo.; Sonia Milan of North Royalton, Ohio; Kristen Biondo of Broadview Heights, Ohio; and Erin Bartlett of Lakewood, Ohio.

The remaining men qualifiers were Simon Cho of Laurel, Md.; Joey Lindsey of Los Angeles; Ryan Leveille of Atlanta, Ga.; J.P. Kepka of St. Louis Mo.; Ryan Bedford of Midland, Mich.; Robert Lawrence of Gaffney, S.C.; Jeff Simon of Las Vegas, Eddy Alvarez of Miami, Fla.; Chris Creveling of Kintersville, Pa.; Jonathan Garcia of Houston, Texas; and Kyle Haun of Rockford, Ill.

Twenty-three skaters didn’t qualify to advance in the competition.  On the men’s side Anthony Barthell of Tampa, Fla.; Sebastian Cano of Miami, Fla.; Kyle Carr, of Peachtree City, Ga.; Daniel Fiorenza of Merrill, Wis.; Nicholas Frank of Westlake, Ohio; Zachary Fuller of Long Beach, Calif.; Kevin Geminder of Midland, Mich.; Buddy Gurr of Columbus, Ohio. Landon Hatfield of Richmond, Va.; Levi Kirkpatrick of Hills, Iowa; Walter Rusk of Corona, Calif.; Jonathan Sermeno of Montebello, Calif.; Kyle Uyehara of Lakewood, Calif.; and Barry Winslow of Midland, Mich., were eliminated.  On the women’s side Alaina Fiorenza of Merrill, Wis.; Tina Koenig of North Ridgeville, Ohio; Elizabeth Looby of Pittsford, N.Y.; Kelsey Schiel of Midland, Mich.; Rachel Skrocki of Bay City, Mich.; Rachel Stewart of Chesterfield, Va.; Kirsten Todd of West Jordan, Utah; Maddie Watton of Export, Pa.; and Katie Welsh of Wausau, Wis., fell short.

The Olympic Team Trials continue through Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Berry Events Center on the campus of Northern Michigan University in Marquette, MI.