Topic: Olympic Games, Mellisa Hollingswort

CALGARY -- Unlike her two previous Olympic Games, Mellisa Hollingsworth heads to Sochi, Russia, less of a favourite and more an underdog. Shes fine with that. Hollingsworth, from Eckville, Alta., joined Sarah Reid and John Fairbairn of Calgary and Eric Neilson of Kelowna, B.C., as the first skeleton racers named to Canadas 2014 Olympic team Wednesday. Another man and woman may be added to the skeleton team in January. Reid, Fairbairn and Neilson are Olympic rookies. The 33-year-old Hollingsworth says her third Winter Games will be her last and she does not intend to bow out quietly. "Im definitely ready to step up to the plate," she declared. "Im still striving. Im not there to participate, Ill tell you that." Hollingsworth owns over 30 world championship and World Cup medals. The last time many Canadians saw her, Hollingsworth was tearfully apologizing on national television for finishing fifth in the 2010 Winter Olympics. Hollingsworth won a bronze medal in 2006, so the pressure to win a medal at home was enormous. Heading to Sochi, shes felt empowered by Canadians reactions to her public despair almost four years ago. "I feel a lot stronger from that experience," she said. "A lot of that has come from Canadas support of people not throwing me under the bus for not winning a medal at those Olympics. "That was a big eye-opener to know people are still behind you because of your character and not necessarily your result. Thats my definition of success right there." Hollingsworth was informed Sunday by head coach Duff Gibson, the 2006 Olympic mens champion, that she was going to Sochi. She won silver at the 2012 world championship, but felt short of the criteria for automatic nomination to the 2014 Olympic team. Reid and Neilson both met the standard of four top-six World Cup results last season and in the first half of this season. Fairbairn earned Canadas second male spot because he is currently Canadas top-ranked male in the spot. Hollingsworth ranked No. 2 among Canadian women behind Reid to earn the second female berth. "Sure, its not the way I came in every other Olympic year kind of on fire and leading the World Cup standings, but then again at those Olympics Games I didnt achieve what we thought I could," Hollingsworth explained. "I won an Olympic medal in Torino, but I was expected to win gold. Same thing in Vancouver." Canada had to rank among the top two countries in womens skeleton and in the top three in mens skeleton on Jan. 19 in order to qualify a third sled for both sexes. Defending Olympic mens champion Jon Montgomery was not among the group introduced Wednesday at a Calgary mall theatre. The Russell, Man., slider faces an uphill climb to claim the third mens berth should Canada get it. Montgomery took the 2011-12 season off from racing to build a new sled from scratch, but has yet to adjust to it and his results have suffered. Cassie Hawrysh of Brandon, Man., and Robynne Thompson of Calgary are in the running for the possible third position on the womens team. Reid, a bronze medallist at the 2013 world championship, and the experienced Hollingsworth are Canadas best chances to continue the countrys run of Olympic medals in the sport. Hollingsworth also tried a new sled this season that did not work for her. She didnt qualify at fall selection trials for Canadas World Cup team and opened the season on the secondary Intercontinental Cup circuit. When she had the opportunity to race a recent World Cup in Lake Placid, N.Y., Hollingsworth got back on the sled shed been on for a decade and a half and finished eighth. "I was doing everything possible to get on some new equipment and get onto that state of flow on a new sled and it just did not work for me," she explained. "I spent 15 years of my life learning the ins and outs of that sled that its become an appendage, another part of my body. I went to Lake Placid and felt like me again. This is the first time since the world championships in 2012 that Ive been this confident or this comfortable on my sled." For that reason, shes hoping to build momentum in the four World Cup races before the Sochi Games in February. "Im the strongest and the fastest Ive ever been," Hollingsworth said. "Im pushing a sled very, very well and now Im confident in my sled that I have, the old sled and knowing it can still go fast. "Ive got four more opportunities to see where things can go result-wise, but it really doesnt matter. What matters is Sochi." Yeezy Boost China Cheap .com) - Rakeem Christmas scored 21 points, B. Yeezy Boost Online Sale . Pistorius mindset when he stood on his stumps in a bathroom and pulled the trigger on his 9 mm pistol in the early hours of Feb. 14, 2013 remains the crux of the South African trial that has captured worldwide attention and is about to start its seventh week of globally televised proceedings. It was initially scheduled to run for three weeks. http://www.cheapyeezychina.com/.A. Happ. The Toronto Blue Jays will be looking to improve the starting rotation ahead of next season and pitchers like Happ have a chance to show they belong as the disastrous 2013 campaign draws to a close. Yeezy Shoes For Sale Cheap .com) - Coming off a pair of tough losses last week, the Syracuse Orange will try to put an end to their first losing skid of the season when they pay a visit to the Maryland Terrapins at the Comcast Center on Monday night in Atlantic Coast Conference action. Yeezy Boost China Wholesale . The Canadian defensive tackle suffered the injury on Monday and had tests done on Tuesday. He was a potential starter on the defensive line but head coach Mike OShea said he wasnt even thinking about the ratio when he got the news.ALAMEDA, Calif. -- The Oakland Raiders were dealt a setback on Wednesday in their plans to rebuild the struggling franchise when offensive lineman Rodger Saffold failed a physical one day after agreeing to a $42.5 million, five-year contract. The two sides had agreed to the deal shortly after the start of free agency on Tuesday but the contract was never signed after team doctors would not give Saffold a clean bill of health after a physical on Wednesday. The Raiders did not give a reason why Saffold failed the physical. Saffold was set to be paid $16 million in 2014 and $27.6 million over the first three years as the Raiders viewed him as a building block in a rebuilding plan after 11 straight years without a playoff berth. But Saffold had durability problems in his four years with St. Louis, missing 17 games with a variety of injuries. He missed time with a knee injury last season and has also had problems with his neck, shoulder and pectoral muscle in his career. Despite those issues, the Raiders valued Saffold higher than homegrown tackle Jared Veldheer, who was allowed to leave as a free agent for Arizona on Tuesday. The Raiders did sign one offensive lineman, finalizing a five-year, $30 million deal with former New York Jets tackle Austin Howard on Wednesday. But with about $60 million in salary cap room heading into free agency and numerous holes to fill following two straight four-win seasons, Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie needs to find more help soon. The Raiders did host a number of free agent defenders on Wednesday in hopes of upgrading that side of the ball. Former Pittsburgh linebacker LaMarr Woodley tweeted that he was headed for a visit to Oakland and Dallas defensive tackle Jason Hatcher also tweeted his plans to visit. ESPN reported that former New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck and cornerback Terrell Thomas are also set to visit the Raiders. The Raiders need help on their pass rush after losing last years lleading sacker and most consistent defender LaMarr Houston to Chicago in free agency.dddddddddddd The other three starting defensive linemen - Pat Sims, Vance Walker and Jason Hunter - are also free agents. Oakland also has holes in the secondary with starting cornerbacks Tracy Porter and Mike Jenkins and free safety Charles Woodson also free agents. After showing some promise early in the season, the Raiders defence wilted late and allowed the second-most points per game (28.3) in franchise history. Oakland has had two of the three highest scoring seasons allowed in coach Dennis Allens first two years with the franchise. Tuck, Woodley and Hatcher all have proven themselves as accomplished pass rushers in the NFL, a trait the Raiders have been lacking in recent years. They have not had a player reach double figures in sacks since Derrick Burgess and Warren Sapp both did it in 2006. Tuck was rated as the ninth best pass rushing defensive end by Pro Football Focus last season when he had 11 sacks, 12 quarterback hits and 44 hurries. Woodley struggled with injuries the past three seasons but was still an effective rusher when healthy. He ended last season on injured reserve with a calf injury and the Steelers released him because of his high salary. After averaging 11 sacks per season from 2008-11, Woodley has only nine sacks in 24 games the past two years. He did have eight quarterback hits and 24 hurries last season, according to Pro Football Focus. Hatcher was one of the most productive inside pass rushers last season with Dallas, when he had 11 sacks to lead all defensive tackles. Thomas, who missed the 2011 and 12 seasons with a pair of ACL tears, struggled in his return last season in coverage for the Giants. He allowed 52 catches on 79 balls thrown his way for 550 yards and six touchdowns for a 106.0 passer rating against, according to game-charting by Pro Football Focus. His one interception came against Oakland. ' ' '

Re: Olympic Games, Mellisa Hollingswort

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