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Black athletes head to Sochi for Olympics

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The Recorder congratulates each of the athletes representing the United States in the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. We especially honor the African-Americans that will be representing their country.

The XXII Olympic Winter Games begin Feb. 7 and end Feb. 23 in Sochi, Russia.

ā€œTraditionally, representing the United States is the epitome and culmination of oneā€™s lifeā€™s work. The sacrifices to compete at that level are tremendous. These kids have to overcome a lot of cultural obstacles, playing non traditional sports. We should support them,ā€ said Gary Sailes, associate professor of kinesiology at Indiana University.

Following are a list of several Blacks competing in the winter Olympics.

Shani Davis: Speed skating

About Davis: Davis began roller skating at age 2 in Chicago. He quickly became bored with roller skating, as he was always ā€œgetting in trouble for skating around the rink at high speeds.ā€ At age 6 a coach suggested he switch to ice skating. Shortly thereafter, his mother started working for an attorney, whose son was involved in speed skating. These influences led him to switch, and he joined the Evanston Speed Skating Club the same year.

Most memorable achievement: Winning gold in the 1000m at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin, and winning gold at the 2005 and 2006 world all around championships.

Future goals: To win gold in the 1500m at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, to make him the first male speed skater to win gold at three consecutive Games.

Aja Evans: Bobsled

About Evans: Previously a sprinter and shot put athlete, her coach at the University of Illinois mentioned bobsled to her while watching the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. She considered the physical attributes required for the sport, and realized she had all of them. She first tried bobsled in October 2012 in Lake Placid, N.Y.

Her hero: U.S. heptathlete and long jumper Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

Future goals: To compete in bobsled at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, and in athletics at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Jazmine Fenlator: Bobsled

About Fenlator: She began bobsled in September 2007 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, N.Y. Her college athletics coach Robert Pasquarillo sent in an application to the United States Olympic Committee on her behalf. ā€œMy first thought was a flashback to ā€˜Cool Runnings.ā€™ My next thought was remembering how Vonetta Flowers became the first African-American woman to win a gold medal in a winter sport in the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City, and it was in bobsled. I wanted to show disadvantaged kids that itā€™s not where you come from, itā€™s where you end up.ā€

Family trials: Her family almost lost their house in August 2011 because of Hurricane Irene. ā€œThe night before our ā€˜combine and pushā€™ championships, which rank you for the start of the season, I got a call from my sister that there was four feet of water in our home and that they had been living in a hotel for a week.ā€

Future goals: To win a gold medal at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.

Lolo Jones: Bobsled

About Jones: She was looking for something different following the 2012 Olympic Games in London. That year, she took up bobsled. ā€œHurdlers get fired up with things in our way. We are used to obstacles, so I saw bobsled as a new challenge.ā€

Sporting philosophy: ā€œI am inspired by failure. The process of defeat, picking yourself back up again, is the hardest thing in the world.ā€

Future goals: To win a medal in bobsled at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, and in the 100m hurdles at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Lauryn Williams: Bobsled

About Williams: Previously a sprinter, she won silver in the 100m at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and gold in the 4x100m relay at the 2012 Games in London. She also won gold in the 100m at the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki, Finland. She began competing in bobsled in 2013.

Awards: She was named the 2004 Athlete of the Year by the Sports Council in the United States.

Goal: To win gold in bobsled at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.

Source: TeamUSA.com; Sochi2014.com.

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