Olympic Trials 2014: Critical Info for Team USA's Remaining Qualifying Events
With the opening ceremonies for the 2014 Winter Olympics less than two months away, Team USA and other nations across the globe have begun final preparations for Sochi, Russia.
Team USA is scheduled to wrap up its final team-trial events over the next month, when some of the world's best Nordic combined skiers and speedskaters look to reach top form ahead of February's marquee event, the 2014 Winter Games.
Below we'll set you up with everything you need to know for Team USA's remaining Olympic trials.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
*Team trials info according to TeamUSA.org. TV info according to NBCSports.com.
Nordic Combined, Ski Jumping
When: Saturday, Dec. 28 to Sunday, Dec. 29
Where: Park City, Utah
The U.S. Nordic combined skiing team will take to the slopes of Utah Olympic Park briefly at the end of December for several key events, per USSA.org:
| Saturday, Dec. 28 | HS-100 Nordic Combined Competition | 11:15 a.m. | N/A |
| Saturday, Dec. 28 | Nordic Combined 10km | 4 p.m. | N/A |
| Sunday, Dec. 29 | Men's and Ladies Jumping Competition | 1:30 p.m. | NBC |
According to USSkiTeam.com, Team USA's four-man team for the 2014 World Cup season will feature superstars like Billy Demong and Todd Lodwick in addition to the uber-talented Fletcher brothers, Bryan and Taylor.
Demong, a four-time Olympian and a gold medalist at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, headlines the talented foursome. Another veteran, Lodwick earned a silver medal for the U.S. at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Bryan Fletcher is arguably the best story. He was diagnosed with leukemia at age three and overcame years of aggressive treatment and a stroke to become one of the world's best Nordic combined athletes, per TeamUSA.org:
"My parents always kept my optimism up. I knew I was sick, but I didn’t ever think that I was going to die. They never let me doubt my belief that I would be a normal kid. I was 100 percent confident I was going to beat it.
"
Bryan's younger brother Taylor competed at the 2010 Winter Games as a teenager and is another athlete worth watching this December.
Speedskating
When: Friday, Dec. 27 to Wednesday, Jan. 1 (long track), Thursday, Jan. 2 to Sunday, Jan. 5 (short track)
Where: Kearns, Utah
Team USA's speedskating team trials will commence two days after Christmas in Kearns, Utah. The trials will begin with the long-track skaters, who will compete over a five-day span from Dec. 27 through New Year's Day.
The athletes will battle it out for 22 available spots on the U.S long-track roster that will head to Russia next year.
Here's a breakdown of the scheduled long-track events, courtesy of USSpeedskating.org:
| Friday, Dec. 27 | Ladies 3000m / Men 5000m | 5:30 p.m. | NBCSN |
| Saturday, Dec. 28 | Ladies 500m / Men 500m | 11:30 a.m. | NBC |
| Sunday, Dec. 29 | Ladies 1000m / Men 1000m | 1:30 p.m. | NBC |
| Tuesday, Dec. 31 | Ladies 1500m / Men 1500m | 5 p.m. | NBCSN |
| Wednesday, Jan. 1 | Ladies 5000m / Men 10000m | 3:30 p.m. | NBCSN |
Starting on Jan. 2, the short-track athletes will take to the ice. Short-track team trials will last four days and signal the final marquee speedskating event prior to the start of the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi.
Keep in mind that 10 roster spots are available for the American short-track competitors.
Check out the complete list of events below, courtesy of USSpeedskating.org:
| Thursday, Jan. 2 | Ladies 9 & 4 Lap Time Trial / Men 9 & 4 Lap Time Trial | 3:30 p.m. | N/A |
| Friday, Jan. 3 | Ladies & Men 1500m | 5:30 p.m. | NBCSN |
| Saturday, Jan. 4 | Ladies & Men 500m | 12 p.m. | NBCSN |
| Sunday, Jan. 5 | Ladies & Men 1000m | 12 p.m. | NBC |
Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
