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VANCOUVER -- The U.S. has never won a medal of any kind in the Nordic combined Olympic event, but this year's team is excited and optimistic about their chances to medal.
On the team is Park City local Brett Camerota. Our Amanda Butterfield sat down with him, along with several other members of the team in Vancouver.
We talked to the team's coach and athletes about what makes them so confident. If you ask Camerota, he says the thing that makes this year's U.S. Nordic combined team so special is the guys, the training and the work ethic they have as a team.
"For me, the big goal is the team event, for all of us," Camerota says. "We compete together, train together -- that's really our goal for us."
Coach Dave Jarrett agrees.
"The strengths of the team is these guys are a band of brothers, been together a long time. They are as close to being brothers without blood relations as you can be," Jarrett says.
Team members say they don't need a miracle to win a medal in Vancouver, they just need to keep doing what they've been doing in training.
"We feel really good about our chances," says athlete Todd Lodwick.
The Nordic combined is a combination of ski jumping and cross country skiing. "To jump far and ski fast -- that's the key," Jarrett says.
The jump in Park City where they've trained is very similar to the venue in Canada they will be competing on. That will give these guys an edge.
"We're in a great position to fight for a medal, and that's all you can ask for," Jarrett says.
The men compete Sunday Feb. 14.
E-mail: abutterfield@ksl.com
