Klassen, Hughes take inspirational path
Cindy Klassen’s comeback is going strong and the stage is set for Clara Hughes’ swan song.
The pair of speed skaters qualified in the women’s 3,000-metre race yesterday for the Vancouver Olympics in February.
It’s a debate as to which is more inspiring story at the Olympic Oval.
Klassen is coming back from double knee surgery in summer 2008, while the 37-year-old Hughes will be making her fifth Olympics her final one.
Hughes finished first in a time of four minutes, 5.03 seconds, while Klassen was second 1.05 seconds back, but Hughes would vote for Klassen’s story as inspirational.
“I’m really pumped for Cindy,” Hughes said. “She’s obviously amazing and she’s had a really tough go. I’ve had small injuries and I know how tough it is to come back from them. She’s come back from her knee surgeries and we’re starting to see what she’s capable of.
“I would never count her out.”
At the Turin Olympics, Klassen finished third in the 3,000 while Hughes placed ninth and won gold in the 5,000.
Klassen picked up five medals in Italy, where she was also on a comeback trial, that time following an arm laceration that kept her out the majority of a season.
This comeback was much tougher, obviously, and cost her all of last season. She’s still getting back into shape.
“Coming around the last corner, I had to say stay on my feet because my legs felt like rubber,” Klassen said.
“I just have to thank God I’m able to qualify for the Games because a year and half ago I didn’t know what was going to happen. I’m just grateful for this opportunity.
“It’s been a fun challenge to see if I could do it. I’m just grateful for the support I’ve had around here.”
In the men’s 5,000 metres, Lukas Makowsky and Denny Morrison qualified for the Olympic team by placing one-two.
In the women’s 3,000, there are at least some medal hopefuls, as Kristina Groves had already pre-qualified through World Cup results.
Klassen will skate today in the 1,000 metres and still plans on qualifying in the 1,500 and 5,000 before the week is out. But making a third straight Olympics is worth all the effort coming back.
“I had to spend so much time on the bike in the beginning and I couldn’t do what I love to, which is being on the ice,” said the 30-year-old Winnipeg native.
“A lot of miles on the bike and at first it was a struggle. A lot of it was through the winter on a stationary bike. I left it in God’s hands. It’s cool to come back and be able to race in the Games again.”
There is speculation that Hughes will be a candidate for flagbearer, a job she would welcome. As a medallist in both the Summer and Winter Games, there would hardly be a better candidate in her final Olympic appearance.
“I’m looking forward to seeing who they ask and if it’s me, it would be incredible,” Hughes said. “Leading this team — the best one Canada has ever staged — would be the dream of a lifetime. It would energy for not only me or whoever is carrying the flag but an entire nation. I look forward to seeing who it is.
“My last race in the 5,000 metres will be my last as a competitive athlete. What better way to end an athletic career than on home soil in an Olympics?”
ian.busby@sunmedia.ca
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