February 17, 2002. The Utah Olympic Oval, Salt Lake City,
Utah. The women’s long track speed skating 1000m final of the 2002 Winter
Olympic Games.
Jennifer Rodriguez takes her place at the starting line.
She’s not thinking about the gold medal she won in this
event at a world cup the previous fall. She’s not thinking about her two dozen
friends and family members in the stands. She’s not thinking about performing
well for her country in the wake of the September 11th terrorist
attacks.
She thinks nothing. She sees nothing but the ice in front of
her, doesn’t notice the waving flags or the red, white and blue face paint worn
by spectators in the crowd. She’s focused. She’s ready.
The gun sounds.
Rodriguez takes off. The start is always her weakest part of
her race, and she knows that if she can sprint through the first few hundred
meters, she’ll be okay. But in the first turn –
She slips.