Skaters pin down Olympic spots

KEARNS — Somewhere in the stands, trying hard not to be noticed, was Sheila Young.

Young, the 1976 Olympic gold medalist in the 500-meter race, was doing her best not to be noticed by her daughter, Elli Ochowicz, as she toed the starting line at the Utah Olympic Oval. Filling her shoes, Ochowicz said, is something she's always thinking about and something her mom tries to downplay.

"She gets very nervous for me," Ochowicz said after winning the 500 at the U.S. Long Track Championships with a time of 38.53. "It's hard taking the pressure off . . . I have to deal with a little more pressure than others do."

Jennifer Rodriquez, Amy Sannes and Chris Witty also earned spots on the podium with their performances in the two 500 heats.

Ochowicz's Olympic pedigree is impressive. In addition to the '76 gold in the 500, Young won silver in the 1,500 and bronze in the 1,000. Ochowicz's father, Jim, is an Olympic-level cycling coach and the self-imposed pressure to keep the family at the top of the speed world is intense.

That's why Young tries to stay out of her daughter's mind at race time.

"She has just the right things to say and just the right ways to let me feel better," Ochowicz said of her mother. "She's been here and knows what I'm going through."

Ochowicz has secured her spot on the American Olympic roster and will make her second appearance in the Games. After a medal-less performance in 2002, she's gearing up for a run at joining her mother as a winner atop the podium.

"I'm very excited about today's race," Ochowicz said. "I have a solid position on the team this year, so it's great to come out and not have to worry about that. I could come out and just skate my best."

Casey FitzRandolph won the gold in the men's 500 race with a time of 34.76 in his second heat. The 2002 gold medalist in the 500 posted two of the five times recorded at less than 35 seconds Tuesday, and is also relieved to have his Olympic roster spot secured.

"It's fun to be in a position where you can watch those other guys duke it out," FitzRandolph said.

Kip Carpenter, Tucker Fredricks and Marc Pelchat were each battling for spots on the podium as well as solidifying their standings with the Olympic team.

The championships continue today at 10 a.m. with the first heats of the men's and women's 1,000 races followed by the women's 3,000 and men's 5,000 races.

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