Sunday, September 10, 2000
Golden road may be hard for area Olympians
By Neil Schmidt
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Erin Phenix, Greater Cincinnati's least likely Olympian, must now adjust to being its top medal hope.
That's the nature of the Games. In some sports, making the U.S. team is the toughest step to a gold medal. That's how Ms. Phenix, 19, is favored as a member of a powerful 400-meter freestyle relay.
“I'm still getting used to the idea I'm an Olympian,” Phenix said.
In others' events, the world awaits. Ricardo Williams Jr., considered the most talented U.S. boxer, could struggle against stronger and older fighters in a deep 139-pound field. Sports Illustrated predicts he won't medal.
“I wouldn't say I'm the best (Cincinnati) hope for a medal,” Williams said. “But I do feel I'm very talented, and I work hard. I don't shy away from what's expected of me.”
SI predicts four medalists among Cincinnati's 13 Olympians: Phenix and Bryan Volpenhein (rowing) for gold, Nate Dusing (swimming) silver, and Greg Ruckman (rowing) bronze.
A breakdown:
• Phenix, an Ursuline grad, will swim morning preliminaries. If she is one of the top two splits in prelims, she'll likely return to swim the finals. Even if she swims only prelims, she gets a medal.
• Volpenhein, a 24-year-old from Kings High, is competing in the marquee rowing event, the men's eight. He has helped the U.S. boat win the last three world titles.
• Dusing, 21, a Covington Catholic grad, will swim prelims in the 800 free relay, and like Phenix could earn a berth on the finals relay. Australia owns the world record in this event, set last year.
“The Australians will be under tremendous pressure to win that relay,” Dusing said. “Hopefully we can stay close and will ourselves to a victory.”
• Ruckman, 26, a Wyoming High grad, will row in lightweight fours. The U.S. was deep in this event and had a hard time picking oarsmen, but Ruckman, who has been training in Princeton, N.J., made the cut. France is favored for gold.
• Morgan White, a 17-year-old gymnast from Fairfield, is strong in all events without specializing in any. That might prevent her from contending for medals in individual events. The U.S. team is not a medal favorite.
• Alyssa Beckerman, a 19-year-old gymnast from Wyoming, is an alternate and won't compete unless there's an injury.
• Williams, a Taft grad, is just 19, and his age could work against him. Mahammatkodir Abdullayev of Uzbekistan is the favorite.
• Dante Craig, a 22-year-old Woodward grad, will box at 148 pounds. Though it's a wide-open weight class, Craig is considered a long shot.
• Kelly Salchow, a 26-year-old Walnut Hills and UC grad, rows in quadruple sculls. Germany should dominate this event.
• Shooter Jason Parker, 26, is a 1996 Xavier grad competing in 10-meter air rifle. Though he's not listed as a medal favorite, Parker set two world records at a match in Munich in 1998, one of which still stands.
• Thrine Kane, a 19-year-old XU sophomore, was a surprise qualifier in women's three-position, 50-meter rifle. This isn't her best event, so her medal hopes probably rest in future Olympics.
• Becky Jasontek, 25, from Loveland, is the alternate for the U.S. synchronized swimming team. SI picks the U.S. to place third, but Jasontek won't compete unless there's an injury.
• Jason McKittrick, 26, is a Milan (Ind.) High alum and the alternate for the three-man U.S. archery team. He won the 1999 Pan American Games gold medal but won't compete unless someone else can't.
There are two Olympians, both swimmers, who were born in Cincinnati but have moved elsewhere: Gary Hall Jr., now of Phoenix, will swim the 50 free (SI's silver-medal pick) and 100 free, and be part of the 400 free relay (SI's gold-medal pick). And Jamie Rauch of Houston will join University of Texas teammate Dusing on the 800 free relay.
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