Olympic qualification

12 Jan

U.S. Skeleton Athlete Accuses Canada of Manipulating Olympic Qualifier Ahead of Milan-Cortina Games

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaCanada vs USA sports rivalry, Katie Uhlaender, Olympic qualification, skeleton racing, Winter Olympics

New York/Toronto (Rajeev Sharma): Sporting tensions between the United States and Canada have flared again as the Winter Olympics draw closer, this time over allegations surrounding an Olympic qualification event in skeleton racing. Katie Uhlaender, a five-time U.S. Olympic skeleton athlete, has accused the Canadian team of manipulating a qualifying race to block her path to the Milan-Cortina Winter Games next month. The dispute centres on a North American Cup event held over the weekend in Lake Placid, New York. Uhlaender claims Canada deliberately withdrew four of its six competitors shortly before the race, reducing the total field to fewer…

11 Jan

Stephen Gogolev’s Comeback Peaks with First National Title, Olympic Dream Within Reach

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaCanadian figure skating, men’s singles skating, national championships, Olympic qualification, Stephen Gogolev

National Times Bureau (Rajeev Sharma): After years of injury setbacks and uncertainty, Stephen Gogolev has scripted a powerful comeback by winning his first Canadian men’s figure skating title, placing himself on the verge of Olympic selection. The 21-year-old Toronto native topped the podium at the Canadian figure skating championships on Saturday, delivering a commanding free skate that underscored his return to top form. Skating to Sergei Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Gogolev landed two quadruple jumps along with seven clean triples, earning 175.90 points in the free program. Combined with his strong short program, he finished with a total score…