Sunday, February 3, 2002
School of hard knocks
By GREG Di CRESCE -- Winnipeg Sun
Though it happened a little more than four years ago, you can still hear the bitter crack of disappointment in his voice.
Speed skater Mike Ireland, 28, never went to the Olympics in Nagano in 1998.
He didn't go even though he was ranked No. 2 in the world that year over 500 metres. He didn't go because he was a little cold and his hips were a little sore on the day of the Olympic trials, which led to him severely pulling his groin 30 metres into his second 500m race.
The Winnipegger stubbornly skated through the pain to win the heat but his time left him .01 seconds from a trip to Japan.
Tomorrow, Ireland leaves for the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City and among the luggage he's packing for the trek will be the lessons learned from that painful day on the oval in Calgary.
"I had pretty much medalled in every World Cup that year and was definitely more of a shoo-in for a medal then than I am this year," Ireland said during a phone interview from Calgary yesterday.
"But I learned from that experience at the trials two things: First, not to let minor injuries sit around. You've got to get on top of it right away no matter how small. And second, the Olympics are not the be all and end all of sport. Life does go on."
It took Ireland three-and-a-half weeks to heal from the groin strain, longer to get over missing the Games.
But in the next major speed skating event to follow the 1998 Olympics -- the world championships in Milwaukee -- he bagged three medals.
"We know it bothered Michael to miss Nagano and have to watch skaters he'd beaten in the past win medals while he stayed at home," his mother Darla said earlier this week from the family home in Charleswood.
"He used that disappointment, which still may linger, to push himself. The Michael roller-coaster always seems to right itself."
Mike laughed when he was told of his mother's comment and said his misfortunes, especially the 1998 Olympic trials, have given him a better perspective on his sport.
"For some the Olympics has taken on a sort of all or nothing quality. It's like if you fail here the past 10 years have been wasted," he said. "I know people may have big sponsorship dollars riding on their performance in the Olympics -- I know some could potentially earn as much as $60,000 -- but so what. For me, I'm approaching my races like I do a major World Cup event and aim to skate my best and after that move on."
Ireland did say he'd like to recoup the cost of the Salt Lake Olympic tickets he bought his girlfriend Noriko, who skated for Japan in the Nagano Games.
An A ticket, which is good for one event in the Utah Olympic Oval, goes for $336 U.S. Ireland will be competing in 500m and 1000m races.
"It's true, I'm going to have to skate my best to cover my expenses," the Oak Park High School grad chuckled.
2002 Games Long Track Speed Skating Coverage
