range in this field we have it Julie and mamey who are
traditionally five hundred meters skaters they're very
competent in this distance they are athletes to watch out for
but they're not natural that the distance like current Stoddard
and Christensen does again Kristin with the opportunity to
to earn her spot on this team in this race
current also with the chance depending on how everyone finishes
and appoints Dr
so is there going to be in essence a spoiler every
individual here trying to
reach their own dreams
or is it the moment for Christensen tells her fiance is
here
both parents sister and husband cousin and husband friends from
school she just graduated from the university of Utah this
year friends from California
injuries %HESITATION all the obstacles we expect or and now
it is her chance
Diggs
three
thirteen and I have left
how fast
Smith
Katherine Sandoz likes to skate the front she does and I'll
tell you what the energy is
right now in the Utah Olympic oval I think everyone can
feel it those nerves that the athletes are feeling
and now that the race is under way
we're seeing that it is a slow start
that makes sense there's no fast is the third here
it would be to the benefit of many of the skaters to conserve
as much energy as possible and push the pace closer to seven
months ago or maybe even four laps to go
Subban a piety on front and we
reference mommy's bunch four five hundred meters Nader
March to be up front I'm assuming that she is hoping for
someone to come around the outside and take the lead
number it is easier to follow in the sport than it is to lead
and so we second is a very valuable place first grader
just sit here in middle contention you can move to
first easily and you get to conserve energy
Santos is sitting well right now with forty what does she do
it how quickly they should be doing
Christian should be patient here she doesn't need to do
much she is a she's one of the strongest women years she's
earned her right to be confident we can see that she's
a little nervous back in
fourth place so this year she moves up to the front
page ahead of stoner
third place right now is
this is good timing for Kristen she's right back where she
likes to be in the front controlling the pace she's
strong she's doing that progressively she's the media
only picked up the pace you can expect the last time to get
faster and faster
from here on out
five one
with Stoddard looked
be there that
day
for
for national team program please
so what they've learned from coach Steve
here's a final
Diggs
three
she was
she can
be
this is your chance with
Diggs
she really nailed
so much speed so much praise the French controlling the pace
with nine to go speak to her strength and her insurance
can the other skaters they all know what this means
stated in these trials with a cast on her hand
four years ago when there were only three qualifying spots for
the women
and coming so close in two thousand and eighteen to making
that team it really came down to the last lap the thousand
meter number two in twenty eighteen
to the nail with Jessica Smith to see who would qualify for
those Olympics Kristin had to wait her turn on the veteran
Jessica Smith took that spot but no Kristin is the better in
and I will say she's created a great culture on the national
team every single athlete looks up to her including current
Stoddard who says I would be just like her one day I want to
call World Cup gold medal
she took the lead early on nine to go Christensen Sosa number
forty moving around the outside number forty eight Kerens
Stoddard you're going to see Kristen settle in here so what
that means is
start skating her own pace you see a she goes faster she
actually starts to set lower she takes what's called a pivot
that means she's on her right skate going around the peak of
the corner she's putting her hand
down
Schering your speed and making the two thousand and twenty two
Olympic team
Christensen tells the other day had a fascinating point with us
she said I've reached a point where
it's more than just trying to be on the Olympic team
I want to make a difference at the Olympics and she won her
first World Cup medal this fall her first gold World Cup medal
in the thousand meter she's put herself in the perfect position
peeking on an Olympic year
putting yourself exactly where she needs to be
two races for the women's fifteen hundred metres at these trials
one performer dancer collectibles Santos daughter hi
and finally there are the overall standings
but we have a first member of the United States Olympic team
in short track it is Kristin centos and she's with Andrea
well Ted you know Kristen has waited a long time for this
everything you went through four years ago with the injury
just missing the team can you describe your emotions right
now able to get onto your first Olympic team
it's honestly hard to describe %HESITATION
this morning started off really tough for me after falling in
the thousand which is my favorite race so to come out
here and
give it everything
you
would think do you
it's really important to me
what are the emotions
like I can't even explain
it's really overwhelming
I'm I'm really glad about my family is all here
with me
this is really been a breakthrough season for you
three times on the podium in the World Cup now you snagged
the first spot for the twenty twenty two Olympics
what's been the biggest difference for you physically
and mentally
I really just tried to like focus on myself in every race
I think in the past I get
really caught up in other people
and what they're doing so just focusing on myself I think I've
made a big difference you always joke about
not being very good under pressure does this mean that
you can actually have some fun tomorrow
yeah it's actually really nice because
I feel like I cannot go into tomorrow and do things that
instead of like trying to focus on winning I can do what's
going to set me up best for the games and learn things
and
I think that'll set me up really well going into it
congratulations to you tomorrow