Making Team USA: Meet Allison Baver

It still feels like a long time until February for 29-year-old Short Track Speedskater Allison Baver as she continues training in preparation for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games just a few months after suffering a major injury.

Already a two-time Olympian, Baver made her Olympic debut at the Salt Lake City 2002 Olympic Winter Games and followed with her second at the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games. She was nominated for the 2010 Olympic Short Track Speedskating Team on Sept. 12, 2009. She will go on to compete for a starting position in the U.S. World Cup Olympic Qualifying competition October 21-25 in Milwaukee, Wis.

In the meantime, Baver is living at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. to get in some valuable rehabilitation time to prepare for competition. Baver shattered her right tibia in four places and suffered major blunt force damage to her ankle joint in Bulgaria in the 1,500 final at a World Cup meet in February 2009.

"It was only three laps into the race, which is very early, but all of a sudden I got knocked off balance," said Baver.  "I tried to hold myself up and keep passing but was getting pushed out further and further.  Someone bumped my hip and hit my check with their arm, which is my center of gravity. Before I even had time to think I felt the most intense impact I ever felt in my life in both of my lower legs. It was so painful."

Baver decided against having surgery in Bulgaria and had to endure an excruciatingly painful flight back to the U.S. for surgery, which was ten days after her injury.

"From the time of injury until I got surgery it was the most horrific experience for me ever," said Baver. "Most people get surgery right away...All the bones moved around every time I moved my knee or my leg even a small amount. I told my parents, I really don't think I can live through this pain another day."

Baver's U.S. surgeon, Dr. Wen Choa, operated with her ability to skate in the future in mind. Instead of using metal rods to fix the pilon spiral fracture which would inhibit Baver's range of motion and recovery time, Dr. Choa used a plate and a combination of metal and dissolvable screws to get Baver back on the ice sooner. Baver's rehabilitation regimen includes manual therapy, stretches, massage and manipulation.

"Sports medicine [at the Olympic Training Center] looks at how I'm doing every day and works with me to make progress," said Baver. "I'm working on getting back my strength to get back where I need to be."

Despite the intense pain of her injury, her confidence is palpable. She has done well in each of her events to qualify for the Games and has come a long way since February. However, she will have to continue to work hard to stay ahead of the competition. Since her injury she has trained on the ice for one and a half months, as opposed to the normal four and a half months her teammates train.

"I'm still missing the range of motion in my ankle," said Baver. "I am not able to get low enough to skate properly, my leg is very tight and the muscles do not fire like I need them to.  However, it is much better and I have made some awesome improvements every single day.  The pain upon impact has gotten better and I'm able to do a lot more now in regards to training than before the Olympic Trials."

Baver is also working on building technique and muscle memory. She says her major strength is endurance and she is counting on it to keep her momentum in training. She anticipates it could take until January before she is 100 percent ready to compete in Vancouver.

Meanwhile, Baver was recently announced as a Procter and Gamble sponsored athlete through the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games, on top of being sponsored by Penske Truck Rental. She is a spokesperson for a variety of Procter and Gamble products including COVER GIRL®, Olay®, Olay Quench, Pantene®, Secret®, and Venus®.

"I represent not only the U.S. but women and young girls," said Baver. "It's about being you. I think it's so cool that [Procter and Gamble] support females, beauty and sport."

Being sponsored by Procter and Gamble gave Baver the opportunity to participate in a photo shoot; photos from which will be featured on Yahoo!'s website as part of their Yahoo! Shine section. The site will feature four winter Olympians as Yahoo! Shine athletes: Allison Baver, Tanith Belbin, Vonetta Flowers and Lindsey Vonn.

"There's this stereotype that you can't be a female athlete and wear mascara," said Baver "That you can't be a girl, but that's not true. That's who I am and Procter and Gamble allows me to express it."

The photo shoot allowed the athletes to show their femininity in fashionable clothing and makeup.

"It (the photo shoot) rocked!" said Baver. "It was so much fun. The photographer has shot everyone, including Beyoncé."

Baver keeps her spirits high as she continues to see improvement in her performance. It is only a matter of time before she is in perfect speed skating form, once again, and ready to fight for a podium in Vancouver.

Tags: Allison Baver, Lindsey Vonn, Making Team USA, Procter and Gamble, Tanith Belbin, Taylor Carlson, US Speedskating, Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, Vonetta Flowers, Yahoo! Shine