Speedskating

KEARNS — At 29, two-time Olympic gold medalist Shani Davis was starting to feel old.

The American speed skating star had been competing for 23 years, and after disappointing World Cup results in Europe this fall, he began to wonder.

“I was really down. I was sad about my performances. I didn’t feel like it was me and I started thinking maybe I’m getting too old for this,” Davis said.

KEARNS -- Brittany Bowe was in the stands 10 years ago when Apolo Anton Ohno and Derek Parra skated to Olympic gold on home ice.

"It sent chills down my spine," Bowe said of watching American flag-draped victory laps. "I've always wanted that to be me."

The Florida native instead set out to capture just about every in-line skating title then took another detour to play four years of Division I basketball at Florida Atlantic University.

Now, the 23-year-old former point guard is back chasing her Olympic dreams. She's competing this weekend in the World Cup long track speed skating event at the Utah Olympic Oval.

KEARNS — While Katherine Reutter’s dreams of a fifth consecutive U.S. Short Track Championship are likely over, Lana Gehring is showing just how strong the women’s team is this season

KEARNS -- The fractured vertebra in Simon Cho's lower back still hasn't fully healed.

He'll be competing this weekend in the U.S. Short Track speedskating championships nonetheless.

"There is no time to rest right now, especially because I have a world championship title to defend," Cho said.

Cho had a breakthrough year last season. After winning Olympic bronze in the 2010 Vancouver Games as part of the men's relay, Cho claimed an individual world title at 500 meters last March.

It motivated him to train harder than he ever trained, and to set the bar even higher.

KEARNS -- The stressed-out Katherine Reutter had a breakout season a year ago.

The American short-track speedskater is discovering less thinking can bring good results, too.

Despite being able to train only since mid-September, Reutter won her second 1,500 meters World Cup gold in two days Sunday at the Utah Olympic Oval in the opening short track meet of the season.

CALGARY, Alberta -- In the spirit of John and Yoko, Olympic speedskater Kristina Groves is inviting Calgary's civic leaders to join her in bed.

She is holding a "bed-in for sustainability." She hopes the intimate setting will generate ideas to make a more environmentally sound city.