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TORINO -- Throughout her difficult speedskating season, Chris Witty has complained about problems with the starting portion of races, her "opener."
But Friday there's no doubt Witty will have a memorable beginning to the Torino Games, as flag bearer for the USA in the opening ceremonies.
Witty merits the honor not only as a five-time Olympian whose steely resolve on the ice has won her three medals but for the courage she's shown away from the speedskating oval. In late 2004, Witty went public with details about being sexually abused as a child by a neighbor while growing up in Milwaukee. She since has made appearances at schools, hoping to help children avoid abuse.
Witty said Thursday that she hoped her selection as flag bearer would help that effort.
"I think that's the really big blessing in disguise," Witty said. "It gives me a greater platform. And that was my goal, to get my message out to as many people as possible."
Witty, 30, kept the abuse secret until just before the 2002 Salt Lake Games, when she discussed it with a team psychologist. The psychologist told her to concentrate on the Olympics and then begin therapy. "I felt like a new person. Emotionally, I'm in the right place."
At Salt Lake, her other burden was overcoming mononucleosis. Her relatively mediocre season ended with perhaps the most stunning long-track performance at Salt Lake, as Witty won the 1,000 meters in world-record time.
Her record still stands and is long-track speedskating's second oldest at an Olympic distance.
In Torino, Witty's hopes for another medal are being tested by a long battle with bursitis and a groin muscle pull that cost her training time during December. As in 2002, she has had a subpar season. She will skate the 500 Tuesday and the 1,500 Feb.22, but her best hope for a medal is in the 1,000 Feb.19. "If nothing happens, I still want to enjoy this experience," Witty said.
Suspended: Eight Olympic cross-country skiers, including two Americans, were suspended for five days after they were found to have excessive hemoglobin levels.
The suspensions, announced Thursday by the International Ski Federation, last five days from the day the tests were administered. The U.S. Ski Association said the tests were Wednesday. That would keep the skiers out of the men's and women's pursuit Sunday.
The ski federation said the ban is not a disciplinary action but taken to "protect the health of the athlete." Hemoglobin is the part of a red blood cell that carries oxygen to cells and can increase endurance.
Those suspended included Kikkan Randall, 23, of Anchorage, Leif Zimmerman, 22, of Bozeman, Mont., and Evi Sachenbacher of Germany. Sachenbacher was on the winning 2002 women's relay.
Hearing: After a 31/2-hour hearing Thursday before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, skeleton racer Zach Lund is expected to learn Friday if he can compete in Torino.
The three-person arbitration panel, whose decision is final, heard the appeal of the World Anti-Doping Agency, which seeks a two-year ban for Lund instead of the public warning the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency levied after his positive test for a steroid-masking agent.
Lund tested positive in November for finasteride, which is found in the hair restoration product he says he was using. He was temporarily suspended by the international bobsled federation in January but was cleared to compete Jan.23 when USADA gave him a warning, the lightest sanction available. Lund's event will be held Feb.17.
Contributing: Mike Dodd, wires
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