UD's Kimmie Meisser is bound for Turin

University mascot YoUDee gives Olympian Kimmie Meissner a hug for good luck.

5:28 p.m., Feb. 8, 2006--The University of Delaware Figure Skating Club's Kimmie Meissner bid farewell to campus on Wednesday afternoon following one final practice on home ice at the Fred Rust Ice Arena as she embarks for Turin, Italy, as a member of the U.S. Olympic Team.

With hugs all around, Meissner was wished well by UD President David P. Roselle, Betty Paulanka, dean of the College of Health Sciences, Ron Ludington, director of UD's Ice Skating Science Development Center and himself a former Olympian, and the University mascot YoUDee.

Meissner, who is coached by Pam Gregory, earned a spot on the Olympic team by winning the silver medal in the 2006 State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships held in January in St. Louis.

She is joined on the ladies figure skating team by U.S. champion Sasha Cohen and Michelle Kwan, who was unable to compete in the national championships because of injury but was added to the team later.

The 16-year-old Meissner is the youngest member of the U.S. Olympic Team by one and one-half months. Two other 16-year-olds are on the team, snowboarder Elena Hight and ski jumper Andres Johnson.

Trainer Jeff Schneider bids farewell to Meissner after her final practice session at UD before her departure for the Winter Games in Turin, Italy.

Meissner, who won bronze in 2005, has been featured in a number of national publications since becoming an Olympian. She was pictured on the cover of USA Weekend with popular former champion Peggy Fleming, the 1968 gold medalist at Grenoble who said she believes Meissner “absolutely could medal.”

Meissner, who attends Fallston High School in nearby Maryland, also was featured in a large two-page photograph in a Time magazine story on Olympic figure skating. Having arrived safe in Turin, she is scheduled to appear on NBC-TV's Today Show on Friday morning. NBC is the network that is broadcasting the Winter Olympics.

The XX Olympic Winter Games will be begin this Friday with the colorful opening ceremonies and will continue through Feb. 26. The ladies figure skating competition will begin Feb. 21 with the short program and will be decided Feb. 23 with the free skate, or long program. An exhibition gala will be held Feb. 24.

Article by Neil Thomas
Photos by Duane Perry

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