Illinois athletes at the Vancouver Olympics
Ben Agosto
Home: Chicago
Birthday: Jan. 15, 1982
Event: Figure Skating - Ice Dancing (competition starts Feb. 19)
Bio: Agosto and partner Tanith Belbin are the most decorated ice dancing team in U.S. history and are hoping to improve upon their silver-medal showing in Torino. ... The duo missed its chance to claim a sixth straight U.S. title in February, bowing out because of Agosto's back injury, but came back to claim silver at the World Championships. ... From the did you know file: Agosto has always wanted to be the voice of a cartoon character and got a gig as the voice of a villain in a video game.
Lisa Chesson
Home: Plainfield
Birthday: Aug. 18, 1986
Event: Hockey (competition begins Feb. 13)
Bio: Member of the U.S. women's national team for the 2009 International Ice Hockey Federation World Women's Championship (gold) - Completed her career collegiate career at Ohio State with 89 points (27 goals, 62 assists) to stand ninth in the school's record book and fourth among defensemen. ... Named the 2000 Plainfield Central High School Female Athlete of the Year. ... Chesson was the only girl selected to compete in the boys' varsity all-star game in 2004.
Shani Davis
Home: Chicago
Birthday: Aug. 13, 1982
Event: Speedskating (competition begins Feb. 13)
Bio: 2009 World Single Distance Champion in 1500 meters, 2009 World Cup Champion in 1000 meters and 1500 meters, and 2009 World Sprint Champion. ... At the 2006 Winter Olympics, became the first black athlete to win a gold medal in an individual Winter Games sport (1000 meters). He also won the silver in the 1500. ... Has set a total of eight world records, three of them current. ...Started roller-skating at local rinks at age 2 and joined the Evanston Speedskating Club at age 6 and within two months started competing locally.
Lana Gehring
Home: Glenview
Birthday: Aug. 21, 1990
Event: Short Track Speedskating (competition begins Feb. 13)
Bio: One of the youngest members of the U.S. Speedskating Short Track Training Program, Gehring is a 2009 graduate of Glenbrook South High School. ... Started skating at age 9 immediately after being introduced to the sport as a spectator. ... With experience in both short and long track disciplines, secured a spot on each of the 2004 Junior Short and Long Track teams at age 14. ... Currently focused exclusively on short track competition, she was the 2009 U.S. Junior Short Track Champion while also competing on the 2008-09 World Cup circuit.
Brian Hansen
Home: Glenview
Birthday: Sept. 3, 1990
Event: Speedskating (competition begins Feb. 13)
Bio: Coached by four-time Olympian Nancy Swider-Peltz of Wheaton. ... Earned a second place spot at the 2008 and 2009 U.S. Junior Speedskating Championships, going on to compete at the 2008 and 2009 World Junior Speedskating Championships. ... At the 2009 World Junior Championships, he finished third overall, plus won silver in the 5000 and a bronze in the Team Pursuit. ... Currently holds four Junior American records and one Junior World record.
Jonathan Kuck
Home: Champaign
Birthday: March 14, 1990
Event: Speedskating (competition begins Feb. 13)
Bio: Earned a silver medal at 2009 World Junior Speedskating Championships. ... 2008 and 2009 U.S. Junior Speedskating Champion. ... At 10 years old, thought it would be interesting to try speedskating. Now, 10 years later, Kuck is skating the Team Pursuit at the Olympic Winter Games.
Evan Lysacek
Home: Naperville
Birthday: June 4, 1985
Event: Figure Skating (competition begins Feb. 16)
Bio: The 2009 world champion finished fourth at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games. ... Began skating at age 8 after his grandmother bought him skates for Christmas ... Started out playing hockey, but switched to figure skating where he found more success. ... Graduate of Neuqua Valley High School, and owns national titles in the juvenile, novice, junior and senior divisions.
Jamie Moriarty
Home: Winnetka
Birthday: March 26, 1981
Event: Bobsled (competition begins Feb. 20)
Bio: Competed in the 2009-10 World Cup as push athlete for John Napier in the four-man and two-man. ... The graduate of Cornell University became interested in bobsled after watching the 2006 Olympic Games, during which an injury sidelined him from an arena football training camp. ... Joined the U.S. bobsled team and competed in his first race during the 2006-07 season. ... Teamed with Napier to win two gold medals in four-man on the America's Cup tour during the 2008-2009 season.
Katherine Reutter
Home: Champaign
Birthday: July 30, 1988
Event: Short Track Speedskating (competition begins Feb. 13)
Bio: U.S. Ladies Short Track Champion for 2008, 2009 and 2010. ... The 2009-10 World Cup season brought Reutter her first two individual gold medals in the 1000 and 1500. ... Following her Olympic career, plans on attending the University of Illinois. ... Traveled three hours every weekend from Champaign to St. Louis to train as a youth and has recently returned to St. Louis to give coaching clinics.
Nancy Swider-Peltz Jr.
Home: Wheaton
Birthday: Jan. 10, 1987
Event: Speedskating (competition begins Feb. 14)
Bio: Coached by her mother and four-time Olympian Nancy Swider-Peltz, she is the 2009 U.S. Ladies' All round Champion. ... Was the 2005 U.S. Junior Ladies Overall Champion. ... Competed against her mother at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in 2001, even paired together in the first race. ... During the 2009-10 World Cup season, competed in five World Cup events, skating the 3000 and 5000 events.
Blackhawks in Vancouver
Men's hockey competition begins Feb. 16, and six Blackhawks are represented on three teams, although roster additions can be made before the games begin.
Team Canada: Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook
Team USA: Patrick Kane
Team Slovakia: Marian Hossa and Tomas Kopecky
Source: teamusa.com