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Turin 2006: Ice Dreams

By Alice Park

There were chills, thrills and icy spills last week in Saint Louis, Missouri. The U.S. Figure Skating Association (USFSA) held a competition to choose the skaters who will represent the United States at the Olympics in Turin, Italy, next month.

The decision was extra tough this year, since the 2005 national champion, Michelle Kwan, 25, was injured and could not skate at the event. Luckily for her, the USFSA has rules that help athletes who get hurt just before important competitions. Kwan had to write a letter asking the skating officials to consider her for a spot on the Olympic team. They agreed that she should skate at the Olympics.

Kwan will be joined in Italy by Sasha Cohen, 21, and Kimmie Meissner. Cohen won last week's event. She was fighting a cold all week and did not skate as well as she would have liked. But she was happy to have made the Olympic team. "I was really proud of myself for what I overcame this week," she said after learning that she was going to the Olympics. "I will just keep on training and go, just go!" she said.

Meet An Olympic Newcomer
Meissner, who is only 16 years old, earned her ticket to Turin by finishing in second place. She promised to add a tricky triple-axel jump to her program for the Games. If she can do it, she will be the first American woman to complete the jump at the Olympics.

This teen is feeling lucky. The last two Olympic champions, Sarah Hughes and Tara Lipinski, were no older than Kimmie and also from the U.S. Meissner was so excited that she could not stop giggling at a press conference last week. "It's just crazy," she said. "I felt like, is it even real? It's just awesome." With that kind of enthusiasm, Kwan, Cohen and Meissner will certainly make Americans proud.

Next: A Lasting Message