Witty will ride in Sydney

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Speed-skater Chris Witty was on U.S. Cycling's final list of athletes submitted Friday to the U.S. Olympic Committee, indicating she survived a challenge for her roster spot.

Witty's appointment to the cycling track team was challenged two weeks ago by Tammy Thomas of Yazoo City, Miss., who narrowly beat Witty in the 500-meter time trial in the U.S. Olympic trials in April.

However, Thomas reportedly withdrew her appeal Friday, when team officials were required to submit the final roster for the Sydney Olympics.

"Chris and everyone involved with Chris is thankful of that decision," said Jeff Benz, a San Francisco attorney who represented Witty. "As far as I know, this thing is over. Chris is a member of the cycling team."

Sean Petty, U.S. Cycling's director of athlete performance, wasn't available for immediate comment. A statement issued by U.S. Cycling said all appeals "were fully resolved before the roster was submitted to the USOC."

"The focus returns where it should be, on the competition arena," Petty said in the statement. "We feel very good about our team's chances of winning medals in Sydney."

Witty's case was the most high-profile of several challenges to U.S. Cycling's selection process, which based the 27-member Olympic team roster on two years of international racing results.

Earlier this week, an independent arbitrator ruled in favor of women's sprinter Tanya Lindenmuth of Trexlertown, Pa., whose selection had been challenged by Jennie Reed of Kirkland, Wash.

Distance specialist Mike Tillman of Santa Monica, Calif., was left off when the Olympic squad was released in July. After his initial appeal was rejected by the USOC, he decided not to take his case to an arbitrator.

Another cyclist, Steve Larsen of Jacksonville, Ore., threatened a challenge after he wasn't named to the two-member men's mountain bike squad but his appeal never materialized.

Witty, of Park City, Utah, placed fourth at the 1998 world cycling championships in the 500 time trial, months after winning a speedskating silver medal in the 1,000 meters and bronze in the 1,500 at the Nagano Olympics.

When she rode against Thomas in April, Witty had concluded her speedskating season less than a month earlier.

An arbitrator ordered a rideoff between Witty and Thomas to help determine the disputed spot. But Thomas rode alone last weekend after Witty filed a counter-complaint, arguing she was denied due process at Thomas' hearing.

Witty is trying to become the first American woman, and the fourth person ever, to win medals at the winter and summer Olympics.