AWESOME find, Gasp - that's a really good interview!
Here's the expanded version:
5 Questions We Ask Everyone: Olympic Short Track Speed Skater, J.R. CelskiJanuary 13, 2010 - 2:00 pm By Jackelyn - San Francisco State University
Comment by the blogger who wrote the article:
J.R. speed-skated his way to my heart. OMG, did I just write that?Half Filipino.
Half Polish.
One hundred percent heartthrob.
Let’s talk J.R. Celski.
He’s single, he’s 19-years old, and he’s an amazing short track speed skating sensation competing for Team USA in the Vancouver Olympics. And he’s officially your reason to tune in!
J.R. has been skating since he was a mere three years old when his parents gave him Playschool roller skates for his birthday (I can’t even remember what I got for my third birthday – cake, maybe?). Since then, he’s been dedicating his life to skating, but it wasn’t until he found out about speed skating on ice in 2002 that he realized this was a passion not to be joked around with. So he swapped his wheeled skates for some 17 ½ inch blades, moved from the roller rink to the ice rink, and thus began his journey to the Olympics. And boy, has it been quite an adventure.
J.R.’s hard work and focus has allowed him to win several medals, including a recent silver at the World Championships. Then, in September 2009, he finally got the opportunity he had been waiting for his whole life: a chance to compete in the Olympic trials. He was doing a phenomenal job and then, just like that, he slipped and slammed into the unforgiving wall surrounding the rink. The whole room was stunned into silence as blood gushed out of his left thigh, where his right skate blade had deeply immersed itself.
Regardless of his gruesome injury, J.R. had gained enough points to win an impressive overall silver medal in the Olympic trials. This qualified him as one of the five swift speed skaters to make the men’s short track team. Although some were doubtful of a successful recovery in time for the Olympics, J.R.’s optimism brought him weeks ahead of schedule. He is currently heavily training in Salt Lake City and is more than ready for what’s to come. What a trooper!
Anyone else might have given up after such a horrific event, but J.R. stands out from the pack. He has a clear-cut goal, a determined mindset, and an unbreakable spirit. Despite fierce competition in his short track events, the world needs to watch out for this charming cutie – he’s the next big thing! Naturally, we grew quite fond of J.R. (and not just that adorable hair), so we begged and pleaded with his people to let us talk to him. Here’s what he had to say:
5 Questions We Ask Everybody:
1. What is the most trouble you have ever gotten into?Ummmm, wow. I don’t know. I don’t think I’ve ever been that much in trouble before! My parents didn’t really go too hard on me when I did something wrong. I try to be a good kid.
2. What are the 5 things you cannot live without?My family (mom, dad, 2 brothers, and sister-in-law), friends, music, skates, and my golf bag.
3. What is your motto or advice you live by?“If you want something bad enough, you’ll find a way. And if you don’t, then you’ll find an excuse.”
4. What is your favorite song to sing while you’re in the car/in the shower/ at karaoke?Oh man. I like so many different artists; it’s so hard to choose. Probably, “Just Friends,” by Musiq Soulchild.
5. Finish this sentence: 10 years from now, I will be…Oooh, I don’t even know! How about, I will be a successful person!
5 Things You Probably Really Want to Know About J.R., plus a bonus question!
1. When you go into competition, what’s going through your head?Well, it depends on what competition you’re going into. I just had my first Olympic trials, and going into that one, it was either a ‘make it or break it’ situation. That was a little bit stressful. But, going into that competition I was at the top of my game and I made sure that I had a spot on the team.
2. Tell me about your accident.Well, I could talk about this all day because it’s been my life for the past couple of months. It was an experience because I’ve never been through anything that dramatic before. I mean, looking down at my leg cut open during Olympic trials and knowing that my family was there watching, my dreams were kind of shattered. It just wasn’t a very good situation to be in. But I had to fight. I know that most athletes that are trying to be great at what they do have some kind of accident that they have to overcome. I kind of looked at it like that and took it step by step through rehab. I told myself that I would be able to come back from this. I want to be a good athlete and in order to do that, I have to overcome obstacles. I just looked at it like it happened because it was meant to happen.
3. It’s been said that after the Olympics, you will be attending University of California-Berkeley. (His major will be Business Management or International Relations!) Do you think you’ll still be training while you’re there?I haven’t figured that out yet. I’ll definitely be staying in shape, but I don’t know. I might compete next year. I just really wanted to take this opportunity, because I got accepted and I don’t want to throw that away. I just want to focus and do that for a little bit. I’m kind of nervous though, especially going to a school like Berkeley.
4. You start your day at 6:45 am and train until 6pm. Being such a busy person, what is your dating life like? Do you ever have time for relationships?I mean, I’m not going to block girls out from my life. If someone came along and I was interested, then of course I’d take the opportunity. I guess I’m pretty picky – I don’t have a lot of time. Training is like a full time job, but there’s always time. It’s not different from a college kid’s schedule, in term of relationships.
5. You said you’re picky – what do you look for in a girl?Oh, that’s a good question. I haven’t been asked that in a long time – why are you pressuring me?! Let’s see, one that is independent, open-minded, tries hard at whatever she wants to do, and has goals and dreams. I like optimism.
6. I’m optimistic. Er….I mean…moving on. Just for fun – do you think you’re a sensitive or tough guy?I am actually a pretty emotional kind of guy; I’m not going to lie. I’ve always been. I find that holding feelings in will make you break some day. I like to be open about how I feel and I hope that whoever I’m with is the same way. I mean, I keep my head down and really bite down when I’m out training and I don’t get very emotional for skating. But, everything else, like my personal life, I’m pretty open.
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Here's a current update on JR's recovery:
US speedskater Celski's comeback almost completeBy Doug Alden, AP / January 13th, 2010KEARNS, Utah — Now that his thigh has healed from a gruesome gash caused by his own skate blade, American short track speedskater J.R. Celski is trying to restore his confidence.
Going full speed in a pack of skaters zipping around the rink can be a little hairy. Doing it four months after slicing his thigh to the bone, Celski still has some jitters.
“I’m trying to stay positive when I go fast now, but it’s a little difficult. I’m not going to lie about it,” Celski said Tuesday, exactly one month before he skates in the Olympic 1,500 meters. “It’s slowly coming back. I still have a couple weeks to gain it back.”Read the entire article at:
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/13/AR2010011303454.html