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Skricki, Davidon make double sculls finals Associated Press PENRITH, Australia -- Anyone who thinks it's too late to start a world-class athletic career, especially in a sport they've never tried, should look at Carol Skricki. Skricki was getting over the breakup of her alternative rock band in 1991 when she took her first sculling lesson only because a friend dragged her along. She was so hooked, she quickly traded her bass guitar for an oar. On Tuesday, Skricki and partner Ruth Davidon advanced to the Olympic finals in the double scull by winning their second-chance classifying heat. "Every day, I'm amazed," said Skricki, who was 30 when she first climbed into a scull and 35 when she moved to the double. "Sometimes when we're out practicing, it just hits me. It's a great thing." The women's coxless pair of Missy Ryan and Karen Kraft also won their heat in the consolation repechage round. The 1996 Olympic silver medalists also move straight to the finals Saturday. They, too, are an inspiring group, having given up the sport immediately after a close defeat in Atlanta and then reuniting two years ago. Ryan's comeback is special because two months after the last Olympics, she donated a kidney to her brother. "There's always some nerves to get into the final, so we're happy to be there," said Kraft, who used the time off to begin working on a master's degree. The other three U.S. teams that competed Tuesday advanced to the semifinals Thursday: single scullers Monica Tranel Michini and Don Smith, and the men's double scull of Henry Nuzum and Mike Ferry. Another round of repechage will be held Wednesday for the other seven rowing events. The United States is the only country that qualified for all 14 events and so far is on pace to make all the finals. Davidon making the finals is no surprise considering she finished sixth in the single sculls in Atlanta. Skricki was among the people she beat in the Olympic trials that year. Skricki entered the race mainly to try catching the eye of the U.S. coaches in hopes of earning a spot on the national team. A few months later, national sculling coach Igor Grinko invited her to a training camp in Augusta, Ga., because he was intrigued by her 6-foot-2 frame and raw strength. Skricki was switched to the double and success came quickly. She won on national champion crews in 1997 and '98, then won the '99 national team trials. Early this year she was teamed with Davidon, who had retired after Atlanta to pursue a medical degree. They finished second at the Olympic qualifying regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland, and took bronze at a World Cup stop in Vienna. "It may seem like I have risen quickly, but I don't feel like I've sat in one place," said Skricki, who now lives in Augusta. "I've gone up in a pretty methodical way." Skricki doesn't play much guitar any more. In case you couldn't tell, she's the type who goes all out into whatever she's doing and demands a lot from herself. So if she can't play at her best, she would rather not do it at all. "Rowing takes so much mental and physical energy," she said. "I like to be very focused on one point. Ruth can multitask. We're very different, but when we're in the boat, we have one mind." |  | ALSO SEE U.S. men, women eights don't measure up to expectations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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