As if this saga, this would-be tale of destiny, needed any more positive symbolism for Sasha Cohen, it came Sunday, in a building just a stone's throw from a bridge - even more symbolism?
February 19, 2006 (Press Release) --
A stronger, wiser Sasha Cohen seems out to prove that it's her time
BY GIL LEBRETON
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
TURIN, Italy - As if this saga, this would-be tale of destiny, needed any more positive symbolism for Sasha Cohen, it came Sunday, in a building just a stone's throw from a bridge - even more symbolism? - that led into and out of the Olympic Village.
On that day, Cohen formally announced her arrival at the Turin Winter Olympics by holding a news conference at the main media center.
She had arrived. And Michelle Kwan, Cohen's seemingly eternal shadow, had to sit at the same microphone later and tell the Winter Olympics farewell.
The queen was gone. Long live the new queen?
Over the years, the names became as familiar as Jim McKay's sweater collection - Dorothy Hamill, Kristi Yamaguchi, Nancy Kerrigan, Tara Lipinski.
Every four years, thanks in large part to ABC-TV's McKay and Dick Button, the U.S. woman who challenged for the Olympic figure skating gold medal became America's instant sweetheart. Hamill inspired a whole generation of women's haircuts. Kerrigan could have had her own sitcom.
Yet, for whatever reason, it was never Sasha Cohen's time. She was always too young, too injured or too inexperienced.
It was never her time.
Until now.
She was stamped as a precocious 17-year-old princess four years ago in Salt Lake City. Kwan, at 21, was already the solemn old-timer.
Cohen was the bright-eyed kid that President Bush ended up next to, when he spoke the words that formally opened the Olympics. Standing there, in the middle of the ceremony, she took out her cell phone and made the predictable Mom-you'll-never-guess-who-I'm-next-to phone call. The TV cameras caught the moment as the president was talking on Sasha's phone, informing Galina Cohen that, yes, it was really him.
Sitting in third place after the short program in Salt Lake City, Cohen fell while trying to execute the back end of a triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination. She ended up fourth, with no medal.
Again, it wasn't her time.
But four years in the life of a playful 17-year-old can be a forever.
In 2002, she was a feathery 4-foot-9 and weighed 80 pounds. Now she's five inches taller, weighs 95 and could probably bench-press the French judge.
Maturity has been good to Sasha Cohen. She's stronger, smarter and hardened by the paths that her skating career has taken her.
Cohen and her family have moved six times in the past three years. Most of those moves were orchestrated by her skating. She has changed coaches, from John Nicks to Tatiana Tarasova to Robin Wagner and back to Nicks.
The period with the passionate Tarasova was, Cohen acknowledged, stormy. But from Tarasova, Cohen said that she learned the true meaning of being a world-class athlete - the sacrifices that it entails and the dedication that it takes.
"It's taken me a while just to learn how to compete and to train," Cohen said.
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/13862725.htm
BY GIL LEBRETON
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
TURIN, Italy - As if this saga, this would-be tale of destiny, needed any more positive symbolism for Sasha Cohen, it came Sunday, in a building just a stone's throw from a bridge - even more symbolism? - that led into and out of the Olympic Village.
On that day, Cohen formally announced her arrival at the Turin Winter Olympics by holding a news conference at the main media center.
She had arrived. And Michelle Kwan, Cohen's seemingly eternal shadow, had to sit at the same microphone later and tell the Winter Olympics farewell.
The queen was gone. Long live the new queen?
Over the years, the names became as familiar as Jim McKay's sweater collection - Dorothy Hamill, Kristi Yamaguchi, Nancy Kerrigan, Tara Lipinski.
Every four years, thanks in large part to ABC-TV's McKay and Dick Button, the U.S. woman who challenged for the Olympic figure skating gold medal became America's instant sweetheart. Hamill inspired a whole generation of women's haircuts. Kerrigan could have had her own sitcom.
Yet, for whatever reason, it was never Sasha Cohen's time. She was always too young, too injured or too inexperienced.
It was never her time.
Until now.
She was stamped as a precocious 17-year-old princess four years ago in Salt Lake City. Kwan, at 21, was already the solemn old-timer.
Cohen was the bright-eyed kid that President Bush ended up next to, when he spoke the words that formally opened the Olympics. Standing there, in the middle of the ceremony, she took out her cell phone and made the predictable Mom-you'll-never-guess-who-I'm-next-to phone call. The TV cameras caught the moment as the president was talking on Sasha's phone, informing Galina Cohen that, yes, it was really him.
Sitting in third place after the short program in Salt Lake City, Cohen fell while trying to execute the back end of a triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination. She ended up fourth, with no medal.
Again, it wasn't her time.
But four years in the life of a playful 17-year-old can be a forever.
In 2002, she was a feathery 4-foot-9 and weighed 80 pounds. Now she's five inches taller, weighs 95 and could probably bench-press the French judge.
Maturity has been good to Sasha Cohen. She's stronger, smarter and hardened by the paths that her skating career has taken her.
Cohen and her family have moved six times in the past three years. Most of those moves were orchestrated by her skating. She has changed coaches, from John Nicks to Tatiana Tarasova to Robin Wagner and back to Nicks.
The period with the passionate Tarasova was, Cohen acknowledged, stormy. But from Tarasova, Cohen said that she learned the true meaning of being a world-class athlete - the sacrifices that it entails and the dedication that it takes.
"It's taken me a while just to learn how to compete and to train," Cohen said.
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/13862725.htm
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