USA Short Track Trials

Apolo Anton Ohno and J.R. Celski (left and center, above, with teammate Jordan Malone), the two Seattle homeboys with arguably the best chances to snare a medal at the 2010 Winter Games, are going head to head all week in Marquette, Mich., where the U.S. Short Track Olympic Trials are under way today.
Ohno, Celski duel it out at short track Olympic trials Ron Judd -
It'll be a fascinating meet, with Celski, 19, who just came into his own on the international senior circuit last season, going head to head with Ohno, 27, his former idol. Both grew up in Federal Way and began their athletic careers as inline skaters.

On SHORTTRACKHD.COM
First day of competition has finished. Skaters had to skate a nine lap time trial to determine top 16 positions and then a four lap time trial to determine seeding and heat placements.

The biggest accomplishment of the day was JR Celski’s nine lap time trial! He posted a 1:23:981! The current World Record in the 1000m is held by Charles Hamelin of Canada at 1:23:454 set in Montreal January of this year This was more than half a second faster than Ohno at 1:24:500. JR can possibly set the new Junior World Record if he skates World Juniors in Taiwan next year, but if he makes the team then he most likely won’t. Jordan Malone came in third.

Top three winners of the 9 lap time trials are:

Men: JR Celski 1:23:981, Apolo Ohno 1:24:500, Jordan Malone 1:25:259

Women: Katherine Reutter 1:30:306, Kimberly Derrick 1:31:344, Alyson Dudek 1:31:560

Celski outskates Ohno at short track nationals
By BETH HARRIS (AP) –
MARQUETTE, Mich. — So much for respecting your idols.
J.R. Celski outskated his childhood hero Apolo Anton Ohno in the 1,000-meter time trial at the U.S. short track speedskating national championships Tuesday night.
Celski scooted through nine laps around a hockey rink in Michigan's Upper Peninsula in a personal-best time of 1:23.981.

Celski makes short work of Ohno in U.S. speedskating
The Denver Post - 09/09/2009

Denton skater second at U.S. championships
CDT on Tuesday, September 8, 2009 From staff reports
MARQUETTE, Mich. – Jordan Malone of Denton had the fastest time in the four-lap time trial, 37.124 seconds, and was in second place overall after the opening night of the U.S. short track speedskating national championships. The event serves as the U.S. trials for the 2010 Vancouver Games.

Speedskating Federal Way's Celski beats Seattle's Ohno in time trial at nationalsSpeedskating Federal Way's Celski beats Seattle's Ohno in time trial at nationals
The Seattles Times - September 9, 2009