Athletes Head North – Best of Chicago Olympians

The start of February brings us both slightly less brutal weather, and pure enjoyment in the highly anticipated 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. At CRAVE, we believe in not only supporting local businesses and organizations, but also showcasing extraordinary women and their personal accomplishments. Here’s a peek at a few local Chicago ladies to keep an eye on during the Winter Games.

Lisa Chesson: Hockey Currently a junior at Ohio State, Lisa Chesson will be competing in her first Olympics as a member of the U.S. Women’s Hockey Team. Raised in Plainfield, IL, Lisa started as a figure skater, but around the age of five she convinced her parents to let her switch to hockey. Luckily, the obliged and the rest is history. During the 2009 World Championships, she scored a crucial goal, which helped the U.S. take home the gold over Canada. Keep an eye out for her and the rest of the U.S. Olympic Team as they go for the gold in Vancouver!

Lana Gehring: Short Track Speed Skating A 2009 graduate from Glenbrook South, Lana is one of speed skating’ brightest stars. In 2005, she became the first female member of the Junior World Team to qualify for both short and long track in the same season. From Beijing to Berlin, this youngster has had the opportunity to travel across the globe thanks to her athleticism and drive… and has no plans on stopping. Hopefully Vancouver is ready, because Lana sure is.

Katherine Reutter: Short Track Speed Skating Three-time National Champion Katherine Reutter will be making her Olympic debut in Vancouver. The Champaign, Illinois native {also home to Olympic legend Bonnie Blair} began to seriously train after Blair came and addressed a group of students at her high school. Reutter decided to move to Michigan to begin intense training and later that year she won the 2004-2005 Junior National Championships. At only 22 years old, we can expect many more years of athletic excellence from Katherine.

Nancy Swider-Peltz Jr.: Long Track Speed Skating Wheaton native, Nancy Swider-Peltz Jr., is the 16th-ranked 3000m skater in the world. Coached by her mother, a four-time Olympian, Swider-Peltz Jr. will be competing in her first appearance in the Olympics at this year’s Winter Games. An all-around athlete, Swider-Peltz Jr. said if Chicago won the 2016 Summer Games, she would try putting her background in running, swimming and cycling to use in a triathlon. Nancy’s website chronicles her experiences and adventures prepping and training for the 2010 Games.

We wish each of these women great luck and will surely be watching their events later this month!