Wednesday, February 20, 2002
Klassen prepared to carry the torch
By ERIC FRANCIS -- Calgary Sun
KEARNS, Utah -- Sunday marked the end of an era for the Canadian women's long track speed skating team when Catriona Le May Doan and Susan Auch skated their last Olympic races.
Owners of five Olympic medals between the two of them, the torch is now ready to be passed to a new generation of skaters. And the woman who appears ready to be Canada's new team leader is Cindy Klassen.
Shocking everyone, including herself, with a bronze-medal in the 3,000m, the 22-year-old Winnipeg native has already proven to be worthy of top billing.
"Never mind the next one, Cindy's already one of the top ones in Canada," said Auch of the only Canadian skater to qualify for four events here. "She's amazing. She's got really good perspective. She doesn't always win medals on the World Cup -- she finishes fourth and fifth and sixth -- but for her to come to her first Olympics and finish third in her first race is incredible."
Cut from the women's national junior hockey program five years ago, Klassen was ready to quit sports at age 17 to attend Bible school in Germany. Instead, she was inspired by watching Le May Doan and Jeremy Wotherspoon in the 1998 Olympics and decided to focus her energy on following in their footsteps.
"Without them, I wouldn't be here," said Klassen, who has been sleeping with her bronze medal sitting on her dorm room nightstand. "They lit that spark and have helped me get to this point."
Finishing 13th in the 1,000m race Sunday when she ran out of steam on the last lap, Klassen will try to become Canada's first Olympic double medallist since Le May Doan in 1998 when she lines up for the 1,500m event this afternoon. Currently ranked second in the World Cup 1,500m standings, Klassen was the first Canadian woman ever to medal in an Olympic race longer than 1,000m.
"She's got the psychological part and is one of the better ones technically," said Auch. "She's so sweet and so completely humble ... she's OK with herself regardless of how she skates."
Klassen, who holds the Canadian record in the 1,500m, 3,000m and the 5,000m, will also compete in the 5,000m event Saturday as the International Skating Union's sixth-ranked skater.
2002 Games Long Track Speed Skating Coverage
