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sports Saturday 5 February 2022
The epicenter of U.S. speedkating is ... Florida?

By PAUL NEWBERRY talent from non-traditional
BEIJING (AP) — When one areas into the U.S. speed-
looks down the roster of the skating program, and al-
U.S. speedskating team at most certainly ends any
the Beijing Olympics, three hope of inline skating get-
names immediately jump ting into the Olympics.
out. "I think I've given up," Hil-
Brittany Bowe. debrand said, resignation
Erin Jackson. in her voice. "I still had hope
Joey Mantia. when we were on the short
All three are among the list, but golf and rugby got
world's best skaters and in ahead of us. I mean,
leading medal contenders the chance to have Tiger
at these Winter Games, but Woods in the Olympics?
that's not what draws your How could we compete
attention. with that?"
It's the hometown beside Hildebrand had planned
each of their names. to attend these Olympics,
The same city for all three. to cheer on those Ocala
A place just north of Disney kids she played such a big
World that's known for pro- role in developing, but the
ducing some of the fast- pandemic scuttled those
est thoroughbreds on the hopes.
planet, earning the moni- She's known for months that
ker "Horse Capital of the foreign spectators wouldn't
World." Brittany Bowe and John Shuster, of the United States, leads their team in during the opening cer- be allowed — and that's all
It might be time for Ocala, emony of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, in Beijing. she would've been, since
Florida to tweak that nick- Associated Press her inline coaching creden-
name just a bit. tials don't hold any sway at
"We have fast horses," Re- winners of multiple world pics, they never would've Ryan Shimabukuro notices the Winter Olympics — but
nee Hildebrand bragged, championships before switched to ice. They were a common thread in all the pain of missing out be-
"AND fast skaters." each made the transition happy doing their sport." three skaters he inherited gan to fester in recent days,
Hildebrand deserves much to ice in pursuit of Olympic Their sport. Her sport. But a from Hildebrand. like an old wound that had
of the credit for transform- glory. sport that could only take "Skating is a very, very de- the scar ripped off.
ing sunny, warm Ocala Their success, which was them so far. manding sport, whether it's "I thought I was kind of over
— where the forecast Fri- punctuated in recent Not far enough, it turned on ice or inline," he said. it, but I'm not," Hildebrand
day called for a high of 82 months by Jackson's stun- out. "She cultivated a hunger said. "I can't even describe
degrees not long after the ning emergence as the The lure of the Olympics is and a fighting instinct in it. I just want to be there so
Winter Olympics opened in first Black woman to win a strong. them. When you make the bad. I can't tell you how
frigid Beijing with Bowe as World Cup event, leaves "I wish inline skating was in transition over to the ice, bad I want to be there with
one of the U.S. flagbearers Hildebrand feeling like a the Olympics," Mantia said. no matter who it is, it takes them. I have so much pride
— into the epicenter of the proud parent. "It definitely deserves to be." time. She instilled them with in them. They've worked so
U.S. speedskating world. But her enormous satisfac- He still remembers the enor- a strong work ethic." hard."
Just don't go looking for the tion is tinged by a bit of mous drive that Hildebrand Hildebrand frets about the But Hildebrand is not one to
ice skating rink. sadness. "My kids," as Hil- instilled in him at a young future of her sport, the one stay down for long, so she
They don't have one in debrand still calls them, age, how she pushed him to that's not in the Olympics, quickly shifts to her plans for
Ocala. had no hope of getting to be his very best. He wasn't as the popularity of inline the next two weeks. She'll
"The closest one is an hour the Olympics with their first thinking about the Olym- skating wanes in the United be glued to the TV back
away," Hildebrand pointed love. pics then. He just wanted States. in Florida, even though
out. Inline skating has been to impress his coach. Once a world powerhouse the 13-hour time differ-
Which isn't really an issue turned away time and time "I always wanted to kind that produced other inline- ence means speedskating
for her, since she doesn't again in its bid to become of show off for her," Mantia to-ice stars such as Chad events will be held before
know how to ice skate. an official Summer Games said after a training session Hedrick, Derek Parra and the sun rises in the States.
Ocala does have a roll- sport, and now seems to at the dazzling Ice Ribbon Jennifer Rodriguez — Olym- She might even get togeth-
er skating rink, and that's have lost whatever mo- oval, where speedskating pic medalists all — the er with the elderly patients
where Hildebrand thrives. mentum it once had to get begins on Saturday. 'I al- American inline program she works with in her other
She has this knack for spot- on an increasingly bloated ways wanted to show her has been left in the dust by job, as a physical therapist
ting talented kids and program. how good I could skate. a new world power, Co- at an assisted-living facility.
coaching them on how to "People ask me all the time, It was a big motivation for lombia. "They're the only people,"
go really fast with wheels 'Are you upset that all your me." That doesn't bode well for Hildebrand quipped, "who
under their feet. best skaters go to ice?'" Hil- U.S. speedskating coach maintaining a pipeline of get up that early."q
And, as it turned out, she debrand said. "Well, there's
had three of the most only so many world cham- LIKE US ON
promising right in her ad- pionships you can win be-
opted hometown. Heck, fore you become bored
all three were born in the with it. All three had done
same hospital. that. They were ready for
Training with Hildebrand's the next challenge. You
renowned team, Bowe and have to be motivated, no
Jackson and Mantia devel- matter what you do. But
oped into elite inliners, the if inline was in the Olym- Facebook.com/arubatoday/