Latvia's medal count currently sits at zero, along with the country's history of capturing gold at the Winter Olympics. But skeleton racer Martins Dukurs could change all that on Thursday, in less than two minutes.
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Olympic Contenders: Men's skeleton
- February 17, 2010 7:38 PM |
- By Erin Valois
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The men's skeleton competition gets under way at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday. Here is a look at the competition:
The Contenders
Latvia's medal count currently sits at zero, along with the country's history of capturing gold at the Winter Olympics. But skeleton racer Martins Dukurs could change all that on Thursday, in less than two minutes.
He has four World Cup victories this season and sits the top of the standings. Only one obstacle stands in his way -- well, three. The German team of Frank Rommel, Sandro Steilecke and Michi Halilovic are all in the top 10 slots this season. Germany will likely be on the podium at the end of the day, but it is hard to say who will be standing higher than the rest.
Oh, and if Dukurs can't get it done, there's always his older brother Tomass.
The Top Five
1. Martins Dukurs, LAT, 1694
2. Frank Rommel, GER, 1466
3. Sandro Stielicke, GER, 1438
4. Tomass Dukurs, LAT, 1352
5. Jon Montgomery, CAN, 1345
Canadian Medal Hopes
Canada might not be at the top of the World Cup rankings, but racing on home soil could make up the difference. Jeff Pain won silver in Turin in 2006, and holds the course record at the Whistler track. Jon Montogomery has been the fastest in training and is ranked fifth on the World Cup circuit this year. He also won a race on the Games' course last year.
And for an Olympic first-timer, Mike Douglas might not be a medal threat, but he is 11th place in the world, just behind teammate Pain, in the standings.
The Dark Horse
As it turns out, the only offence American Zach Lund was guilty of at the 2006 Winter Olympics was trying to fix a receeding hairline. The veteran skeleton racer was disqualified four years ago for failing a drug test because it turned up traces of the banned substance finasteride -- which is often taken to mask steroid use. It's also found in a stumulant for fighting baldness.
All that behind him, Lund is back in the spotlight and ready for a second chance after being banned from the sport for a year. He won the World Cup title in 2007 and is 13th this year. But Lund has managed to hold his own in the training runs and is ready to prove he belongs on the podium.
About the Author
- Bruce Arthur Bruce Arthur is the National Post's national sports columnist. A Vancouver native, he has been with the Post since 2001, and a columnist since 2005. He is covering his second Olympics, after the 2008 Games in Beijing. He expects these Games to be slightly less propagandistic, and for China to win slightly fewer medals.
- Joe O'Connor Joe O'Connor is a roving sports feature writer with an open-ended beat. He joined the National Post in 2002, and has spent the past seven years bouncing from sport to sport, offering fresh perspectives and delivering unique stories wherever he goes. Whether it has been getting Don Cherry to open up about his love life; George Chuvalo to talk about heartbreaking loss; or racing down the side of a mountain with former Crazy Canuck, Dave Irwin, the veteran Postie chases a story wherever it leads. Before joining the newspaper he was a two-time silver medalist at the National Magazine Awards. Vancouver will be his first Olympics.
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