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Diamars 18 Januari 2022

USA Bobsled reveals 12-person team for Beijing Olympics

ies, Kaysha Love and Sylvia him wind up as the second-
Hoffman, were selected as ranked U.S. pilot behind
the women’s push athletes. Church.

“It’s been a long season. ... The men’s push athletes: re-
I’m looking forward to get- turning Olympians Hakeem
ting some rest and recovery Abdul-Saboor and Carlo Val-
before heading to Beijing,” des, along with first-timers
Meyers Taylor told USA Kris Horn, Jimmy Reed,
Bobsled and Skeleton after Charlie Volker and Josh Wil-
the World Cup season ended. liamson.
Among the pushers who Del Duca will be one of at
didn’t make the women’s least four sliding soldiers at
team — Lolo Jones, the these games, joining Abdul-
Summer and Winter Olym- Saboor, luge’s Emily Swee-
pic veteran who won a world ney and skeleton’s Kelly
title with Humphries last sea- Curtis. All are members of
son but got only one race this the World Class Athlete Pro-
season; Lauren Gibbs, who gram; Abdul-Saboor, Del
won silver with Meyers Tay- Duca and Sweeney with the
lor at Pyeongchang; and two- U.S. Army, Curtis with the
time Olympian Aja Evans, a U.S. Air Force.
past bronze medalist. Evans
is the women’s alternate for “I just want to express my
these games. gratitude for the U.S. Army,
the World Class Athlete Pro-
MEN’S TEAM gram, giving myself and my
Church had to overcome a teammates the support we
serious toe injury this fall need to compete at the high-
(AP) - Elana Meyers Tay- met to thoroughly deliberate being released from the Ca- — an incident that meant est level,” Del Duca said.
lor is a U.S. Olympian for who should be nominated nadian team in 2019, then he couldn’t train the way “We’re growing as individu-
the fourth time. Kaillie to this team, and it wasn’t an couldn’t get her American he wanted for several weeks als. We’re growing as a team.”
Humphries is headed to easy decision,” USA Bobsled passport — a prerequisite for — before making the team.
her fourth Olympics as and Skeleton CEO Aron Mc- being part of the U.S. Olym- He had the lone U.S. men’s Valdes, who will turn 32 dur-
well, her first as an Ameri- Guire said from St. Moritz, pic team — until just a few World Cup medal this sea- ing the Olympics and plans
can. Switzerland, where the team weeks ago. son, a four-man bronze a to retire after the games, said
was finalized early Monday. couple weeks ago. he wants the team’s younger
They were expected to be at “We are fortunate to have “You’re trying to make the sliders to understand the
the Beijing Games. a deep talent pool, but that team, perform, make it to the He’s a third-generation slid- need for a championship
makes it really difficult to de- Olympics, and I was worried er, hooked at a young age. mentality.
The rest of the U.S. bobsled cide who gets selected.” about getting my citizenship Now, he’s an Olympian.
roster has some surprises. in time,” Humphries said. “I want to make sure I’m
WOMEN’S TEAM “The season has been full of “At the start of this quad, I helping these young guys out,
A 12-person Olympic bob- Humphries is the reign- challenges.” don’t know if a lot of peo- not to just get through this
sled team was unveiled Mon- ing world champion in both ple really believed in me,” Olympic year but beyond,”
day, a list that includes nine monobob — a new Olympic Meyers Taylor won the over- Church said. “I had a lot of Valdes said. “For me, this is
sliders who weren’t part of medal event with just a driver all World Cup season titles expectations for myself.” my last go-round. I want to
the U.S. roster at the 2018 in the sled — and the tradi- in monobob and two-person do my best to make sure that
Pyeongchang Games. Among tional two-person women’s racing, as she looks to add to Del Duca was promoted to they understand what it takes
those set for Olympic debuts: event. her collection of three Olym- the World Cup level after the to run a sled and help keep
Hunter Church and Frank pic medals — two silvers as a Christmas break, after win- the pilots calm, so the pi-
Del Duca, who will drive in This was her third, and by far driver, one bronze as a push ning 16 medals in 16 races at lots can just focus on getting
the two- and four-man races. the most stressful, season of athlete. the lower-tier North Ameri- down the track. That’s how
her tenure with the U.S. She can Cup level earlier this successful teams do it.”
“The selection committee joined the Americans after A pair of Olympic rook- season. Those points helped

Kevin Durant leaves Nets’ game with sprained left knee

(AP) — Kevin Durant missed the walking with a limp when he left the
second half of Brooklyn’s game arena in the fourth quarter.
against New Orleans on Saturday
night after spraining his left knee Coach Steve Nash said Durant would
in a collision. have an MRI exam on Sunday.

The NBA’s scoring leader left with Durant was back in the lineup after
5:38 remaining in the second quarter sitting out a loss to Oklahoma City
and the Nets announced at halftime on Thursday night to rest on the sec-
that he wouldn’t return. He had 12 ond night of a back-to-back. It was
points in 12 minutes. the Nets’ fourth game in five nights.

Durant was hurt when teammate With Kyrie Irving ineligible to play in
Bruce Brown bumped into a driv- home games, Durant has had to play
ing Herbert Jones and fell backward heavy minutes in his second season in
into him. Durant grabbed at his knee, Brooklyn after sitting out a year fol-
tried to walk it off and then asked to lowing Achilles tendon surgery.
be removed from the game. He was