Apolo to defend World Championship title

Last year at the 2008 World Short Track Championships, five Americans ranked in the top twelve skaters in overall classification including Apolo Anton Ohno (Seattle, WA) who earned his, and the country's, first World Championship title for short track speedskating. Of these five skaters, three are returning to the 2009 World Short Track Championships in Vienna, Austria on March 6-8, 2009.

Ohno, Jeff Simon (Las Vegas, NV) and Katherine Reutter (Champaign, IL) return to championship ice along with teammates J.R. Celski (Federal Way, WA), Jordan Malone (Denton, TX), Ryan Bedford (Midland, MI), Kimberly Derrick (Memphis, TN), Jessica Smith (Melvindale, MI), Lana Gehring (Glenview, IL) and Alyson Dudek (Hales Corner, WI). Of the 10 skaters participating at the World Championships, six of them have earned individual world cup medals this year. Plus, both the men's and ladies' relay teams have won gold during the world cup season.

"We are so proud of the progress made by the US Speedskating Short Track Team, both men and ladies," said Bob Crowley, USS Executive Director. "We have incredibly dedicated athletes, a top-notch coaching staff and a fantastic training environment which has all led to the success thus far this season."

This year, Team USA won 24 world cup medals, doubling the medal count from the previous short track season. Skaters like Simon, Derrick, Celski and Reutter have won multiple medals with other teammates contributing to the medal count. Olympian Allison Baver (Sinking Spring, PA) earned three bronze medals this season and was scheduled to skate at the World Championships. However, her right leg was fractured during the Short Track World Cup #5 in Sofia, Bulgaria and she is out of competition for the rest of the season.

The racing schedule for the World Short Track Championship event is as follows:

Friday, March 6
Noon 1500m Ladies and Men
Ladies' 3000m Relay, Semi-Final

Saturday, March 7
Noon 500m Ladies and Men
Men's 5000m Relay, Semi-Final

Sunday, March 8
11:00 1000m and 3000m Super Final
Ladies and Men
Ladies and Men Relay Finals

Tags: 2009 World Short Track Championships, Alyson Dudek, Apolo Anton Ohno, Jessica Smith, Jordan Malone, Katherine Reutter, Kimberly Derrick, Lana Gehring, Ryan Bedford, Speed Skating