As many of the U.S. Olympians and Paralympians gathered in the nation’s capital Friday for an Olympic-style celebration at the White House, many other Olympians were busy competing. Winter sports are back in the mix as the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic takes place in Salt Lake City this weekend. Other U.S. Olympians and Olympic hopefuls are in action in soccer, tennis, wrestling, triathlon and other sports. Check out this Team USA Weekend Preview for all the details.
SOCCER
U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Australia, Sept. 16, Carson, Calif.
The U.S. Women’s National Team will return to its California training grounds for the first time since winning the gold medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games, as it faces Australia in an international friendly. The game will be played at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
The United States and Australia also will play Wednesday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo. In October, the women will face Germany in a pair of friendlies to be played in Bridgeview, Ill., and East Hartford, Conn.
The team’s first Olympic celebration friendly was held two weeks ago in Rochester, N.Y., when Rochester native Abby Wambach and Megan Rapinoe each scored twice in an 8-0 win over Costa Rica.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday, NBC
FIGURE SKATING
U.S. International Figure Skating Classic, Sept. 12-16, Salt Lake City
Gracie Gold, the 2012 U.S. junior women’s champion and World Championships junior silver medalist, will begin her first full senior season at the inaugural U.S. International Figure Skating Classic. The event continues through Sunday at the Salt Lake City Sports Complex, and is an ISU points-earning competition.
Gold, who will skate in the women’s short program Friday, is one of 16 U.S. skaters competing in the event. American Max Aaron was in first place with 74.69 points after the men’s short program Thursday, leading an American sweep of the top-three places. Also at the top was the ice dancing team of Madison Chock and Evan Bates, with 62.89 points; Lynn Kriengkrairut and Logan Giulietti-Schmitt were just behind in second place.
“It‘s nice to lead for a change,” said Aaron, who added that he had been working with a U.S. Olympic Committee sports psychologist leading up to the competition to help with his focus. “I have not done that in awhile. I would like to get my first senior international medal. But if I can come out with the experience of being able to focus is the big thing for me.”
The pairs competition, beginning Friday, will include Lindsay Davis and Mark Ladwig, who are making their competitive debut together. Ladwig is a 2010 Olympian and a five-time U.S. medalist with former partner Amanda Evora.
ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating, Sept. 12-16, Linz, Austria
Samantha Cesario, a two-time ISU Junior Grand Prix medalist, and 2012 U.S. junior champion Nathan Chen are among 14 U.S. skaters seeking podium finishes this weekend at a Junior Grand Prix event in Linz, Austria. Cesario, who earned bronze medals twice last fall, and U.S. junior bronze medalist Hannah Miller will compete in the women’s event.
Other U.S. skaters include Britney Simpson and Matthew Blackmer, bronze medalists in the pair competition at the 2011 JGP Final, and ice dancers Rachel and Michael Parsons. The Parsons competed in the World Junior Championships and at inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games held in Innsbruck.
TENNIS
Davis Cup semifinals, Sept. 14-16, Gijon, Spain
Sam Querrey and John Isner were scheduled to play in singles matches Friday for the United States in its weekend-long Davis Cup semifinals match against host Spain. Querrey was to play David Ferrer, Spain’s No. 1 player, and Isner, ranked No. 10 in the world, was to face Nicolas Almagro.
Olympic gold medalists and recently crowned U.S. Open doubles champions Bob and Mike Bryan will play Saturday against Marc Lopez and Marcel Granollers. Sunday, Querry and Isner will play their second singles matches.
“This is one of the best teams in the world,” Bob Bryan said of Lopez and Granollers. “They have won a Masters on clay and they have played us tough. There are going to be no surprises. We know we have our hands full.”
GYMNASTICS
Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions, Sept. 14-16, various sites, Arizona and California
The second weekend of the Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Championships will include a performance Saturday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, where Redfoo of LMFAO will also perform during the “Party Rock” floor exercise segment. The tour unfortunately, will not have cast member McKayla Maroney. The Olympic gold medalist member of the “Fierce Five” was injured on her uneven bars dismount at the Ontario, Calif., performance on the tour and an MRI showed a fractured tibia on her left leg. The Kellogg’s Tour also will stop Friday night in Glendale, Ariz., and Sunday at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
WRESTLING
U.S. Women’s World Team Wrestle-off, Sept. 15, Colorado Springs
Elena Pirozhkova, a 2012 Olympian, will be among the nation’s top women wrestlers attempting to win one of six spots on the U.S. Women’s World Team. Unlike the Olympic Games, which has four weight classes in women’s freestyle, the FILA Women’s World Championships will have competition in seven weight classes.
Because she is an Olympian, Pirozhkova advances directly to the best-of-three championship series in the 63kg/138.75 pounds weight class. Clarissa Chun automatically fills one of the seven U.S. spots at 48kg/105.5 pounds because she earned a bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Other top athletes in the wrestle-off include 2005 world champion Iris Smith, 72kg; 2011 world bronze medalist Adeline Gray, 67kg; two-time junior world champion Victoria Anthony, 51kg; and two-time U.S. World Team member Helen Maroulis, 55kg.
CYCLING
UCI Road World Championships, Sept. 15-23, Limburg, Netherlands
A week of world championship road racing begins Saturday with the opening ceremonies and Sunday with team time trials as the UCI Road World Championships open up in Limburg, Netherlands. Elite time trials begin Tuesday although the elite road races aren’t scheduled until next weekend.
The United States has a full team of elite, junior and development riders that will compete for podium finishes. A number of 2012 Olympians will compete, including Shelley Olds, Amber Neben, Evelyn Stevens, Taylor Phinney, Timmy Duggan and Tyler Farrar.
USA Cycling Mountain Bike Marathon National Championships, Sept. 15, Bend, Ore.
Three-time Olympian Todd Wells will chase after the winning Stars-and-Stripes jersey Saturday at the USA Cycling Mountain Bike Marathon National Championships. The Oregon course is 54 miles long and includes a 6,000-foot climb.
In addition to Wells, other elite cyclists include defending national champion Adam Craig, 2011 runner-up Carl Decker. Monique Mata, the defending women’s champion, will be challenged by 2011 runner-up Kelli Emmett and Kelly Boniface, among others.
SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING
FINA World Junior Championships, Sept. 12-16, Volos, Greece
Twelve members of the U.S. Junior National Synchronized Swimming Team are competing in the FINA World Junior Championships through Sunday in Volos, Greece. Competition consists of solo, duet, team, free combination and figures. Swimmers from 26 countries are participating.
Lorraine Hack and Sandra Ortellado combined for an eighth-place finish in the duet preliminaries, and the United States was ninth in the team prelims. Other members of the U.S. team are: Claire Burton, Morgan Boneberg, Karina Boyle, Alyson Haylor, Rachel Hyon, Jamie Kuchan, Rebecca Moody, Kaitlin Staines, Marisa Tashima and Alexa Tchekmarev.
TRACK AND FIELD
USA 5km Championships, Sept. 16, Providence, R.I.
Molly Huddle, a 2012 Olympian, and 2011 men’s 5-kilometer champion Ben True will attempt to capture gold Sunday at the USA 5km Championships in Providence, R.I. Huddle, a Providence resident, is a two-time national champion and women’s American record holder at 5,000 meters (14:44.76). She placed 11th at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
True, who won 2011 national championships at 5 and 10 kilometers, will be pushed by 2010 5km national champion Robert Cheseret, American mile record holder Alan Webb, and Andrew Bumbalough, who placed fourth at 5,000 meters in the U.S. Olympic Trials.
Also in track:
Great North City Games, Sept. 15, Newcastle Gateshead, England
TRIATHLON
USA Triathlon Elite National Championship and ITU Pan American Cup, Sept. 15, Buffalo, N.Y.
Three U.S. Olympians, including 2012 Olympian Manuel Huerta, will be among nearly 100 international athletes will compete Saturday in the USA Triathlon Elite National Championship and ITU Pan American Cup in Buffalo, N.Y. The event is a part of the annual Nickel City Triathlon.
Also competing will be 2008 Olympians Jarrod Shoemaker and Sarah Haskins. Shoemaker won the 2010 elite national title and Haskins won the women’s championship in 2006 and the Pan American gold medal in 2011. Huerta placed third, earning his first career ITU World Cup podium finish, last week at the Guatape ITU Triathlon World Cup. Other top U.S. athletes include defending Under-23 national champion Greg Billington; Kaleb VanOrt, runner-up at last year’s elite nationals; Kaitlin Shiver, defending Under-20 women’s national champion; Jessica Broderick, two-time runner-up at the under-23 nationals; and Anna Battiata, a top-10 finisher at three Pan American Cup events this year.
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
World University Championships, Sept. 12-16, Maceio, Brazil
Both U.S. women’s U-26 beach volleyball teams went unbeaten through the first two days of competition at the World University Championships in Maceio, Brazil. Emily Day of Loyola Marymount and Summer Ross of Pepperdine, and Caitlin Ledoux of Long Beach State and Geena Urango of the University of Southern California, each won three times. Ross won gold at both the FIVB Beach Junior World Championships and Youth World Championships in 2010.
The men’s teams of Jeremy Casebeer of UCLA and Will Montgomery of UC Irvine, and Adam Cabbage of New Mexico and Connor Hughes of UC Irvine each advanced to the second round of double-elimination play. Cabbage and Hughes won twice Thursday, including 21-13, 21-11 over Paraguay in their final pool play match. The tournament, which continues through Sunday, includes 40 teams from 17 countries.
Also in beach volleyball:
NVL Best of the Beach Las Vegas Championships, Sept. 13-15, Las Vegas
ARCHERY
Texas Shootout, Sept. 14-16, College Station, Texas
The final USA Archery qualifying shoot will be held this weekend at the Texas Shootout at Texas A&M University in College Station. The event is the final tournament in which archers can attempt to win spots on the 2013 USA Archery National Team. Gold-medal winners at the last qualifying event in Chula Vista, Calif., included Joe Fanchin in men’s recurve, 2012 Olympian Miranda Leek in women’s recurve, Reo Wilde in men’s compound and Erika Anschutz in women’s compound.
FIELD HOCKEY
Junior Pan American Championships, Sept. 10-23, Guadalajara, Mexico
The USA Field Hockey Junior Women’s National Team will play Trinidad on Friday, Chile, on Saturday and Jamaica on Monday in the pool-play portion of the Junior Pan American Championships in Guadalajara, Mexico. The United States won its first two matches by a combined 17-0 earlier this week. The top two teams in the tournament qualify for the IHF Women’s Junior World Cup.
The Junior Men’s National Team, which also won its first two matches, will close pool play with a game against Chile on Friday. The playoff round begins Monday. The United States topped Barbados 5-4 on Thursday. The top two teams will qualify for the IHF Men’s Junior World Cup; the third-place team will be the first reserve team.
EQUESTRIAN
FEI World Driving Championships for Singles, Sept. 13-16, Lezirias, Portugal
Sterling Graburn, who won the 2012 USEF National Single Horse Championships, will be among three U.S. drivers competing in this weekend‘s FEI World Driving Championships for Singles in Lezirias, Portugal. Graburn will drive Ulano. Other U.S. drivers are Donna Crookston, the national runner-up to Graburn, and Leslie Berndl.
WATER SKIING
Malibu Pan American Water Ski Championships, Sept. 12-15, Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.
Six members of the USA Water Ski Elite Team will compete Friday and Saturday in the Malibu Pan American Water Ski Championships at Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. The competition began Thursday in veteran and under-13 age divisions. Brooke Baldwin won two gold medals in U-13 jumping and overall, and Brenda Baldwin won gold in women’s jumping, slalom and overall.
Also competing Friday and Saturday will be the Junior and 17-20 national teams.
Also in water skiing:
World Show Ski Tournament, Sept. 15-16, Janesville, Wis.
ROLLER SPORTS
Inline Speed Skating World Championships, Sept. 6-15, Italy
More than 20 U.S. athletes are competing in the Inline Speed Skating World Championships, which conclude Saturday in Italy. Top U.S. results earlier this week included fourth-place finishes in the junior women’s 3000-meter relay and junior men’s 3000 relay, and an eighth-place finish Thursday by Darian O’Neil in the junior women‘s 20-kilometer elimination race.
ROWING
USRowing Masters National Head Race Championships, Sept. 16, Cleveland
More than 400 rowers from the United States and Canada are expected to compete Sunday in the USRowing Masters National Head Race Championships on the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland.
Story courtesy Red Line Editorial, Inc. Paul D. Bowker is a freelance contributor for TeamUSA.org. Material from various news services and press releases from National Governing Bodies was used to compile this report. This story was not subject to the approval of any National Governing Bodies.