Page 51 - MIN VOS 26 NOV 2015

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SPORTSThursday 26 November 2015

Olympic medalist and world champion Steven Langton retires

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (AP) —

Steven Langton has retired

from bobsledding, ending

his career with two world

championship gold med-

als and two bronze medals

from the Sochi Olympics.

The two-time Olympian

made the announcement

Wednesday through USA

Bobsled and Skeleton.

Considered one of the

best push athletes in

the sport throughout his

international career, the

32-year-old Langton had

not competed for the U.S.

since the Sochi Games

more than 19 months ago.

He took last season off and

left the window open for a

potential return to chase a

third Olympic spot, but de-

cided in recent weeks his

time in a sled was over.

“Competing for Team USA

will forever be one of the

most memorable times in

my life and I will forever

be grateful for that oppor-

tunity,” Langton said. “As

much as I love the sport of

bobsled, competing with

my teammates against the

world’s best, and as hard

as this decision has been, I

know that I’m making the In this Sept. 30, 2013, file photo, bobsledder Steven Langton poses for a portrait at the 2013 Team USA Media Summit in Park City,

right one.” Utah. Associated Press

Langton is a former winner anybody,” Holcomb said.

of the world push champi- “To be able to get him on

Los Angeles Angels sign onship. the podium, that was a big
A native of Melrose, Mas- goal of mine personally.”
Langton was enormously
sachusetts, Langton went popular among sliders
around the world. A pair
veteran catcher Geovany Soto to Northeastern where he
competed in track and of U.S. teammates made a
field. He saw bobsled- video — “Push Track Hero,”
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — ding in the 2006 Olympics they called it — highlight-
Free-agent catcher Geo- and tried the sport for the ing his workout regimen
vany Soto and the Los An- first time a year later after that including squatting
geles Angels have agreed sending an email to long- more than 500 pounds and
to a one-year contract. time U.S. bobsled pilot Ste-

The team announced the ven Holcomb asking how pulling off 62-inch standing

move Tuesday night, one to get started. box jumps.

day after losing catcher Eventually, Holcomb and “Steve Langton made an

Chris Iannetta to the Seat- Langton were paired and immediate impact on the

tle Mariners in free agen- became dominant — win- team,” said USA Bobsled

cy. ning nearly two dozen and Skeleton Chief Execu-

Soto has played for four World Cup medals to- tive Officer Darrin Steele.

teams in 11 major league gether and thriving at “His work ethic and disci-

seasons. The former Chi- the sport’s biggest events. pline rubbed off on the

cago Cubs backstop They won the 2012 world other athletes and made

spent last season on the two-man championship everyone better. He is

other side of town with together, Langton was also a heck of a nice guy.

the White Sox, batting .219 In this Sunday, May 3, 2015 file photo, Chicago White Sox also in Holcomb’s four- I have no doubt that he’ll
with nine homers and 21 catcher Geovany Soto gestures to the pitcher during the man sled that won the find success in the next

RBIs in 78 games. eighth inning a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in world title that same year, chapter of his life as well.”
A solid defender, Soto also Minneapolis. and two years later at So- The U.S. bobsled team, with
has played for Texas and chi they combined to end no returning Olympians
Oakland. He was the NL Associated Press a 62-year American Olym- on its push-athlete roster,
Rookie of the Year and pic drought in two-man by opens World Cup competi-
an All-Star in 2008 with the Soto will team with Carlos Iannetta, whose offensive winning bronze. tion for the season Friday in
Cubs. Perez behind the plate for production plummeted in “He’s worked harder than Germany.q
Los Angeles. Perez shared his fourth season with the
the job last season with Angels.q