J.R. Celski is an athlete few in the world—let alone the United States—will find it easy to root against in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Often referred to as the “comeback kid” of short track speed skating, the 23 year-old American is on the fast track to earning his first Olympic gold after settling for two bronze medals in the 2010 Vancouver games. Why did he settle for bronze in 2010, you ask? It likely had something to do with the near-fatal wound suffered to his left leg during the 2010 U.S. Olympic trials that resulted in 60 stitches and a difficult road to recovery. The news that his femoral artery—and his life—had been spared by only an inch fueled his determination to recover, and though he was not 100% still managed to medal in Vancouver only five months later.
Now fully recovered and passionately eying the gold, J.R. Celski looks to fulfill what he set out to do in 2010. Find the full short track speed skating schedule here.
[kml_flashembed publishmethod=”static” fversion=”8.0.0″ movie=”untitled.swf” width=”400″ height=”300″ targetclass=”flashmovie”] [/kml_flashembed]
Career Highlights (via teamusa.org):
- 2010 Olympic Winter Games, bronze medals in the men’s 5000m relay and men’s 1500m, eighth in men’s 1000m
- Five-time World Cup 1500m medalist (one gold, two silver, two bronze)
- Five-time World Cup 1000m medalist (three silver, two bronze)
- Four-time World Cup 5000m relay medalist (one gold, one silver, one bronze)
- 2012, World Cup in Calgary, Canada, 500m gold medalist
- 2012, U.S. Short Track Speedskating Championships overall champion
- 2012, World Cup 500m world record time
- 2010, World Championships 5000m relay silver medalist
- 2010, World Championships 1000m bronze medalist
- 2009, World Championships 5000m relay gold medalist
- 2009, World Championships overall silver medalist
- 2009, World Championships 1500m bronze medalist
- 2009, World Championships 1000m bronze medalist
- 2009, World Team Championships bronze medalist
[kml_flashembed publishmethod=”static” fversion=”8.0.0″ movie=”untitled.swf” width=”400″ height=”300″ targetclass=”flashmovie”] [/kml_flashembed]
