Medalist battling through divorce

KEARNS — With tears welling up, Derek Parra tried to compose himself as he finally revealed the turmoil that has haunted him since this summer.

The speedskater who won two medals at the Salt Lake City Games — with his wife and infant daughter providing inspiration — is going through a painful divorce, severely hurting his chances of making it back to the Olympics.

"Some days I'm OK," Parra said Wednesday. "Some days I'm not."

The extraordinary catharsis unfolded in the basement of the Utah Olympic Oval, where Parra had the greatest two days of his athletic career in 2002. This time, shortly after another mediocre showing at the U.S. national championships, he hopped atop a trash can and divulged that his marriage fell apart when he went home to Orlando, Fla., over the summer.

"I'm going through a divorce, guys," he said. "I skate with my heart. My family has been there with me for so many years. Now, that's all gone."

It's been clear for a while that something was wrong.

The 35-year-old Parra struggled on the World Cup circuit, failed to prequalify for the U.S. Olympic team and came to this week's national championships needing to earn his spot. He didn't come close in the 500 or 1,000, and he merely went through the motions in the 5,000 since there were no spots available.

On Friday, Parra will have one final chance in the 1,500, needing to go fast enough to claim one of the two openings.

It won't be easy.

"I've got to put this thing behind me for one day," Parra said, the words coming out in halting, painful spurts. "If I can't, I won't be going to the Olympics."

His teammates sound more hopeful than Parra.

"Don't count Derek out," said world record holder Chad Hedrick. "He's a fighter. He's one of the leaders of this team. A lot of us wouldn't be the skaters we are without him."

Four years ago, Parra felt like the luckiest guy around.

He was married to the love of his life, Tiffany. The couple had their first child, Mia Elizabeth, just two months before the Salt Lake City Games. At the opening ceremony, Parra was among the athletes chosen to carry the tattered American flag that survived the attack on the World Trade Center.