Saturday, November 24, 2001
Cindy's health back on track
Canadian long-track speedskater reviving her Olympic dream
By CAMERON MAXWELL -- Calgary Sun
Cindy Overland has been knocked down time and time again but she keeps getting back up.
The veteran Canadian long-track speedskater has suffered through not one but four bouts of mononucleosis, the most recent in May, and had a very nasty flu bug attack her in Nagano at the 1998 Olympics.
But with this season bringing another Olympics, the resilient all-rounder is back on the ice, competing in this weekend's Can-Am International meet at the Olympic Oval.
And she's gunning for another shot at the Olympic dream in Salt Lake City after she finished 16th in the 3,000m and had to withdraw from the 1,500m in Nagano.
But Overland says she learned a lot from the experience and how to handle the intensity and pressure.
"I went over there and at the opening ceremonies I could feel something was off and tried not to think about it but I knew something was there," said Overland, 25.
"So four days later, I skated my 3,000 and I was pretty flat and after that race it hit me and I was in bed for nine days. It was brutal and I had to withdraw from the 1,500.
"So, it was not the experience I wanted from my first Olympics but I definitely learned quite a bit and I know what I'll do differently now."
First, Overland has to qualify for the Canadian team and feels she has a good shot in the 1,500m and possible shot in the 3,000m.
If she does, rest assured the Toronto native will handle things a little differently at Salt Lake City.
"I kind of want to get it right this time and I won't do a lot differently but I won't do the whole sightseeing thing.
"The last time, my parents were there and we did a lot together, which is something I normally wouldn't do," said Overland, whose younger sister Amanda is a promising up-and-coming short track speedskater, while brother Kevin is a long track Olympic medallist.
"I think the whole experience in Nagano helped me deal with the spotlight like dealing with the media, which is good to have under your belt and will help me going in to Salt Lake City."
This weekend, Overland is looking to get an Olympic standard clocking of 1 minute, 17.4 seconds in the 1,000m, which should be attainable considering her personal best at that distance is 1:16.23.
With Olympic trials just around the bend next month at the Oval, Overland is working on improving her cornering.
"I need to get better at my corners, for sure," she said.
"On the straights, I'm feeling pretty comfortable, which is bizarre because I come from short track and short track is all turns, so I really need to work on those.
"If I can nail my turns, everything will come together pretty good."
Things are looking OK following her competition yesterday as Overland finished fourth in the 1,000m ladies sprint (1:18.09) behind Russia's Svetlana Zhurova, and two Japanese skaters, Aki Tonoike and Tomomi Okazaki.
Other Canadians included Quebec's Eric Brisson, a national team member, who finished third in the men's 500m sprint. Japan's Toyoki Takeda and Gerard Vanvelde of the Netherlands were first and second respectively.
In the 1,000m men's sprint, Vanvelde was first, followed by good young Canadian skater Jean-Rene Belanger and Manitoba's Sterling Sobczak.
Meanwhile, Ontario's Tiffany Hughes won the all-round ladies 500m.
2002 Games Long Track Speed Skating Coverage
