Confident Jean rebounds nicely from nasty injury

Lyndon Little, Vancouver Sun - Vancouver Sun

Olivier Jean admits to a few moments of doubt and despair. However, they didn't last for long.

The doubts came when Jean, a 24-year-old member of Canada's short track speed skating team, was lying in a Montreal hospital following surgery on his ankle -- the result of a severe skate cut in an August, 2007 training accident that sliced through his Kevlar guard and severed a tendon.[...]

Jean says he decided to put the time when he wasn't able to be on skates to good use.

"I knew I couldn't do the physical part of training so I did the other parts," he said. "I worked on the things I could do, like improving my nutrition. I also did mental training, going over in my mind what I needed to do when I came back. As a result, I think I'm a more complete skater today that I was before I got hurt."

Jean wants to do well on this year's World Cup circuit, but maintains he's more concerned about being at his peak when the 2010 Games begin.