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VANCOUVER -- Maelle Ricker is confident shell be able to defend her womens snowboard cross gold medal at the Sochi Winter Olympics. Mike Adams Colts Jersey . The 35-year-old from West Vancouver, B.C., broke her wrist in training Jan. 28 and required surgery to repair the compound fracture. "Ive been training everyday, Ive been doing physio everyday. My arm is getting better and better, its getting more range and getting the swelling out," Ricker said during a conference call Wednesday. "Everybodys done such an amazing job just as a team, as a whole support network to get me out the door and get me on the plane Saturday to get me over to Russia." Snowboard cross involves four athletes racing down a course at the same time, often jockeying for position. Rickers accident happened when she lost her balance during a training run on the X Games course in Vail, Colo. "It was in a section that Ive ridden dozens of times previous to that run. It was nothing new or surprising. I didnt control my speed as I should have," said Ricker, who won gold at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. "I did the exact opposite of what youre supposed to do -- I put my arm out to break the fall and unfortunately it broke me." Despite having a bone sticking of the side of her arm that "was crazy looking" less than three weeks before she was scheduled to compete in Sochi, Ricker said she was never concerned about her ability to participate. "I wasnt worried about that because I had so much support and reassurance right away that I was getting the absolute best medical care on the planet," she said. "I definitely felt that support and reassurance right away." Ricker said she wont get back on her snowboard until she reaches Sochi. She expects there to be some pain when she competes, mainly at the top of the course when she pulls herself out of the start gate. She said some of the exercises shes been doing since the injury involve simulating a snowboard cross start using bungee cords and pulleys. "I think its going to be better than maybe what I think, based just on my progress the last few days," said Ricker. "Everything is moving so much better than what I would ever imagine a week (post-operation) from breaking an arm. "I think its going to go quite well. Im really positive about this." Ricker and her fellow womens snowboard cross competitors will get their first look at the Sochi course Feb. 12, with the initial training session scheduled for two days later. The race is scheduled to go Feb. 16. Ricker has fought through injuries before -- including a crash right before the Vancouver Games as well as a concussion this past December -- and expects to be able to do the same in Sochi. "Id be lying if I said it wouldnt be in the back of my mind," she said. "Im hoping everything will go as a usual competition and thats where I spend a lot of time visualizing and thinking about the race and technically what Im doing on the board. Usually that overpowers any pain or anything else thats going on." Ricker made her Olympic debut in 1998 on Canadas halfpipe team at Nagano, Japan. She returned to the Games in 2006 at Turin, Italy, with the snowboard cross team but crashed and had to be airlifted to hospital. She returned in 2010 to win gold and it sounds like shes equally motivated this time around. "It sounds crazy, but its helped me," said Ricker of the injury. "This is almost like there was this burning fire, desire. Its almost like somebody doused a bunch of gasoline on the fire so Im pretty ready to go. I can feel the adrenaline and I can feel the excitement of going over to Russia. "Im actually just going to use that as a positive and use that for motivation to just get me through these couple of weeks and hopefully have the race of my life." Mike Adams Black Friday Jersey . Hudson pitched into the eighth inning after having eight days between starts, and the San Francisco Giants beat the Miami Marlins 5-3 on Saturday night. Coby Fleener Colts Jersey . Make that 2-40 now. Tony Gwynn Jr. led off the ninth with a walk against Miami closer Steve Cishek and later scored, Ben Revere added the go-ahead run when Miami second baseman Donovan Solano bobbled a potential double-play grounder and the Phillies rallied past the Marlins 5-4 Thursday night to snap a six-game losing streak.BOSTON -- After one of the best programs of a career that already includes three national titles, Jeremy Abbott nearly did a pratfall. He would have been entitled following a spotless performance highlighted by three picture-perfect jumps, smooth spins and almost celebratory footwork in a short program victory Friday night at the U.S. Championships. Coming out of his final move, his excitement overtook him and Abbott lost his balance. And when he saw his U.S. record points total, 99.86, a look of amazement dominated the 28-year-old veterans face. "I went through all my history here," Abbott said. "I tried to live all of it but stay in the moment and just enjoy what I was doing, each crossover, each step. I really did that. This is a night Im never going to forget." Abbott has built a reputation as a strong domestic skater, winning nationals in 2009, 2010 and 2012. Yes, he was the top dog from the United States heading into the Vancouver Games, where countryman Evan Lysacek won gold while Abbott finished ninth. That was one of many disappointments on the international stage for Abbott, including an eighth and two 11th-place showings at worlds. He failed to make the U.S. team for worlds last year. With another routine like his short program here, though, hell be Americas No. 1 contender at the Sochi Olympics. "I have a toe maybe over the threshold of the jetway," Abbott said. Hes competing at his final national championships. "I wanted to take in all the energy and all the excitement and just really live in it, because its never happening again," Abbott said. Abbott held the previous U.S. mark for a short program, 90.23 at the 2012 nationals. He shattered that, building a lead of 7.82 points over Richard Dornbush. Jason Brown was third heading into Sundays free skate. Dornbush, 22, has struggled since coming in second at 2011 nationals and didnt even compete in the Grand Prix series this season. But he was spectacular from the get-go Friday night, landing a perfect quad and triple axel that had the fans entranced. By the time his 2 1/2-minute program was done, the crowd was on its feet, Dornbush was on his knees throwing an imaginary punch through the air and celebrating a career best. "Im not sure any thoughts went through my head," he said. "I was pretty excited, pretty pumped." And he was only tthe second skater of the night. Ahmad Bradshaw Jersey. "I always seem to be early, so maybe I was in my comfort zone," he said. So was Brown in a smokin skate to Princes "The Question of U" -- he even wore a black and purple costume embellished with rhinestones around his neck, and down his back and side, plus Princes "love symbol" on the back. He nailed a triple axel and a triple flip-triple toe loop with gorgeous flow to open the program. He added a lutz with both hands above his head, footwork that meshed with every element and with every nuance of the music, and speedy spins that had the crowd roaring. "Everyone has such a good chance to make the team," said Brown, who just turned 19. "It really pushes all of us to work as hard as you can." Defending champion Max Aaron was fourth, one of five skaters to land a clean quad. "Im looking forward to everyone skating well," Aaron said of the free skate, which he won in 2013. "I want to send the best men, and thats what Im here for." Earlier, Meryl Davis and Charlie White danced within range of their sixth straight U.S. title by romping in the short dance. Indeed, the current world champions and 2010 Olympic silver medallists could have danced all night and never been caught. Skating to selections from "My Fair Lady," Davis and White broke their own record with 80.69 points to build more than a seven-point lead on Madison Chock and Evan Bates. Siblings Maia and Alex Shibutani were third; three teams will go to Sochi. "This is the first time we felt comfortable enough to let things happen naturally," Davis said. "This is the fifth time were competing the program. With this program, its all about being comfortable enough to let things happen naturally, and when you reach a point where it can be just fun, thats what we really enjoy about skating." Coach Marina Zoueva had wanted them to skate to this music for several years. "As we have grown with the program, we fell in love with the program and what it means ... that exuberant joy," Davis said. Chock and Bates posted a career-high 73.41. Chock fell in practice Wednesday, crashing hard into the boards, but said she was fine other than a little soreness in her shoulders. She even joked that the boards took the biggest hit. The free dance is Saturday. ' ' ' |
