Dunlap: Krueger Brothers Making Mark In Speedskating
Pittsburgh has turned out football players --- that much we know, that much we celebrate like the shiniest badge of honor. This guy and that guy, that quarterback and this lineman, seemingly just about everyone who has made it is from here or has some kind of tie to western Pennsylvania.
Our fabulous city has also become a little corner of the world where hockey players have started to be molded. Dotted across the NHL, you can see the imprint of western Pennsylvania.
OK, so how about ... short-track speedskating?
Yes, that chaotic, breakneck and hurried jaunt that you probably only watch once every four years when the Olympics roll around. Well, there are some Pittsburghers making good at that, as well --- familiarize yourself with the Krueger brothers.
Cole Krueger, 23, and his younger brother, John-Henry (19) -- originally from Peters Township -- are making their mark in the rapidly-paced sport.
Colin Dunlap is a featured columnist at CBSPittsburgh.com. He can also be heard weekdays from 5:40 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Sports Radio 93-7 "The Fan." You can e-mail him at colin.dunlap@cbsradio.com. Check out his bio here.
All this was probably the design when the pair dove full-bore into the sport at an early age, going so far as to forgo some of the regular teenage stuff in Peters Township to move to Utah for training purposes.
The brothers recently qualified for The U.S. Speedskating World Cup Team, with John-Henry ranked No. 1 and Cole the fourth-ranked skater in the country.
On top of that, it was John-Henry who shined brightest at the recent U.S. Short Track Men's National Champion held at the Utah Olympic Oval, as he earned the national title.
After crashing out of the men's 1500-meter race, John-Henry picked himself up to come back to win the 500, 1000 and 3000 meter events and, as such, earn the men's overall championship.
Cole finished 3rd in the U.S. Championships.
"I entered this weekend really confident in my abilities and felt more than ready to race," John-Henry said. "I'm excited to participate in the upcoming World Cups and hopefully win more medals. My coach Jae Su Chun helped prepare me and the rest of the team to dominate this event."
And it comes at a time where John-Henry still might be reeling from missing out on the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Tabbed as someone who undeniably had a shot to compete at Sochi, his chance was shattered when, during the U.S. Trials as series of tribulations befell him.
John-Henry came down with swine flu during the Trials but still competed, fell twice in the 1500-meter semifinals, and then had to pull out of the 500-meter final when he couldn't shake the flu.
That said, his eye has quickly shifted to the 2018 Olympics in South Korea.
Coming off his first ever individual World Cup medal when he won Gold in the 500-meter final in Salt Lake City this past November, John-Henry followed with a bronze in the 500-meter final in a World Cup event held in Montreal and a gold in the 1000-meter at the inaugural Apolo Ohno Invitational held this past November in Salt Lake City.
From there, he took silver in the 500-meter and bronze in the 1500-meter in a World Cup event in Shanghai just before Christmas.
John-Henry also teamed up with Cole to help the U.S. relay team win silver in 5000-meter relay at Ohno event.
Much can be attributed to the determination of the Krueger brothers, but also coach Jae Sun Chun, who has a reputation of being able to tutor some who turn out to be the finest in the world --- one was Ohno himself.
"Jae Su Chun was my coach for the 2010 Olympics, that man's a genius," Ohno said. "He runs a very strong training program and hopefully we'll see more and more out of John-Henry."
