Interview before the 2006 Olympics_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Lobello makes transition from roller skates to TorinoLike fellow speedskater Chad Hedrick, Anthony Lobello began his competitive career on roller skates. Just 21, and after just three years on ice, Lobello qualified for the U.S. Olympic team with an impressive win in the 500 meters at the Olympic Trials. Before heading off to Torino, Lobello spoke with USA TODAY's Adam Hirshfield for the latest installment in our 10.0 interview series. Standing nearly 6-foot, short-track speedskater Anthony Lobello isn't afraid to use his size as an advantage against smaller competitors. By Kevork Djansezian, AP
1. So Anthony, imagine you're explaining short-track speedskating to someone who knows nothing about it. What is short track?NASCAR on ice, that's how I view it. Coming from the South, that was the easiest way to understand it. NASCAR is a very Southern tradition, and with all of the spills and falls and wrecks in short track, there are lots of similarities. It has excitement with a sense of danger.
But the sport itself is a race around a 111-meter track, where you're basically doing a U-turn every 30 meters or so. There's a lot of semi-partial contact.
What is the biggest misconception people have about the sport?People don't realize how fast we go. If someone runs the 100 meters in 10 seconds flat, that's really, really fast. We do our 111 meters in about 8.5 seconds, and that is moving!
2. Between the speed you're traveling, the blades on everyone's skates and the potential for contact, do you ever get scared about crashing? Luckily, at 5-11 — or close to 6-foot ... I try to fit in with the smaller guys — I'm the biggest guy on the team. Size is definitely a factor for me. People have a tendency not to want to pass me because I'm so large.
But last year I got cut on my ankle and when I went to a race a month after it happened, I was still so scared of crashing that I ended up not qualifying for that team. I'm over it now, and when you're in the heat of battle, you don't think about it. But when you step out of the bubble we live in, it's definitely very thrilling.
3. How does a guy from Tallahassee, Fla., get started in short track? Seven years old. Just skating around at a roller rink in Tallahassee, having fun. They had races at the rink that day, and after one of the races, this girl came up to me and asked if I wanted to join the speed team. I was like, "What's that?" And that's how it got kicked off. And this is just my third year now on ice.
How is the translation from roller skating to ice?All of the main muscles you use are the same. It's just a matter of figuring out how to use them differently. I am nowhere near all the way crossed over. I'm having to work on new skills every day and I'm nowhere near finished with my crossover. I feel like I still have a lot more speed to gain. I just need to figure out how to put my power into the ice better.
4. You'll be skating the 500m in Torino. Explain your mindset entering that event. How is the 500 different from other distances?Being a sprinter, you have to be kind of crazy. It's just like a 100-meter (running) race. You've got to go straight off the gun and go. But at the same time, you have to be wary of what's going on around you and if someone's trying to pass you. The 500 meters is my race. I love that race. There's a little bit of strategy involved, but once the race starts, the strategy is basically over. Once you're up and running, everyone can go about the same speed. It's all about who can make the fewest amount of errors.
Does that make the start that much more important?The start is vital. It's pretty difficult to pass whoever gets off the line first.
5. What's it like being on a team with Apolo Ohno? It's great for me, because I get to watch him skate. He is without a doubt one of the world's best skaters. He has proven that time and time again. Obviously Apolo will be trying to win himself at the Games, but as the least experienced member of the team, there's a lot for me to learn from him. I've done a lot of international competitions at inline, but ice is a different beast, so I think (Apolo) will be throwing in pointers here and there.
Do you look out for Apolo while you're skating? Is there a conscious effort to protect him?When we skate together, it's every man for himself. And if I can beat him, I'm going to beat him. Everybody wants their piece of the cake, but I don't want a piece. I want the whole cake. There will be times at practice where we'll let up because we don't want to hurt anybody, but race day is race day.
Is there a "team" mentality in this sport?It's hard to say there's no team mentality because we train together every day. If Apolo and I are skating the 500 at the Olympics, the other three guys (Rusty Smith, J.P. Kepka and Alex Izykowski) are going to be cheering us on. We also have a relay event, and we'll all be skating that. It's definitely a team sport, but it has some very individual qualities.
What other skaters are worth watching in Torino? Who are the top medal contenders?The countries to watch are usually China, Korea, Canada and the U.S., of course. They always have been, and I think they will be in Torino. I'm not going to make predictions, but those are the countries I would watch.
Is there trash talking that goes on with other skaters?Well, you are often racing against people from other countries. Some of them know a little English, but I don't know Russian. I'm sure there is trash talking, but it's not in the way you'd normally hear it at a football game with two people jawing back and forth across the line.
6. You're a sophomore at Northern Michigan University. What are you majoring in?I may have just achieved junior status last semester, but I'm majoring in business.
How heavily does school weigh on your mind with Torino on the horizon?I've always told myself I'd never give up school, no matter how high I made it in the speedskating ranks. And I've really stuck to my guns. I've accomplished quite a bit, but nothing on the level of the Olympics.
Now that I'm on the Olympic team, I'm taking the steps to make sure I can focus on competing during the Games, so I've taken the semester off. I had been on for five semesters straight without a break, so to take a semester off will be unusual. But I understand that I need to fulfill my duties as a representative of the United States and as a teammate to my teammates. School has never taken a backseat, and I don't view this as that. I view this like I'm taking a summer (off).
7. Cosmopolitan magazine voted you one of the nation's 50 hottest bachelors. How has that affected your love life?When I first found out about it, I only told the people who I had to tell so that I could travel without getting harassed. My teammates didn't find out for months.
It hasn't affected my love life at all. I have to take it in stride. I have to take it for what it's worth. It was very unexpected, but I'm very focused on my skating, and I haven't let it affect that whatsoever. I have to push it aside and get on with my business.
8. You're an avid outdoorsman. What does that entail? Being from Florida, I love the water. When I have time, I try to get home and get out on the water. I love to fish and take my dog out on the boat. She's a huge Great Dane and she thinks it's a riot. Everyone who sees us on the boat must think it's a riot, too. She can swim, but she's a 130-pound dog, so I usually end up swimming with her. Being outdoors has always been a big part of my life.
9. What is your favorite TV show? Now? Nip/Tuck. I don't watch it often and it's very weird, but it's interesting also. When I was younger, I used to watch Thundercats. I can't lie. I'll go with Thundercats and Friends. And I think Scrubs is a good show.
What about music? What's on your iPod? I love all kinds of music. I have Michael Buble on my playlist. He's great. He's my mellow, laid back kind of music. Also, I have Citizen Cope and a little bit of Jay-Z.
What do you listen to before a race?There's one specific song by Kanye West: Diamonds (are forever). It just gets me going.
10. What is the one thing you're most looking forward to about going to Torino?It's definitely going to be an experience, so it's hard to pick one. But I'm excited to race. I'm anxious to race. I'm ready to race right now. I am ready to go. That's the main thing I'm looking forward to.
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