The Mamas and the Papas

ByEurosport

Published 09/01/2006 at 11:26 GMT

Becoming the oldest man to finish on an Alpine World Cup podium this weekend, Fredrik Nyberg is just one of several veteran athletes who could teach the youngters a few lessons come Torino-time. We count off our top oldies but goodies to watch out for whe

Eurosport

Image credit: Eurosport

With such storied competitors as Norwegian Olympic legends Kjetil-Andre Aamodt and Lasse Kjus, German Biathlon queen Uschi Disl, and American NHL star Chris Chelios all promising to return for one last grasp at Olympic glory, the Turin Olympics promise no shortage of dramatic finales.

In this edition of Countdown to Torino we list our top six predictions (three men, three women) of athletes in that glorious group of post-35ers who have the chance to medal one last time.

Agree? Disagree? please email jstahl@eurosport.com.

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1. MEN'S ALPINE SKIING: Fredrik Nyberg, Sweden, 36

Okay, I know what you're thinking. Nyberg has not won a World Cup event in four years, he's never finished better than seventh in an Olympic event (downhill, Salt Lake City), and even if he is the oldest man to ever take a World Cup podium following his silver finish at Adelboden this week, so what?

Aren't proven Olympic stars Kjetil-Andre Aamodt and Lasse Kjus (11 Olympic medals between them in four Olympics including two golds for Aamodt at SLC) a safer bet?

Maybe they are, but that's not what prognostication is about.

Kjus (turns 35 the day before the opening ceremony) skied out after missing the first gate in Saturday's giant slalom competing in his first race in a month. Due to lingering injuries he may not even make it to Torino.

While Aamodt (35 in one week) performed well earlier this year with a second-place finish at Lake Louise, he skied out of his last race at Bormio's downhill in late December and failed to qualify in his previous GS attempt at Alta Badia.

Turning 37-years-old in March, Nyberg has impressed all season long, earning World Cup points in every race in which he's competed and finishing top-ten in all but one.

ALPINE SKIING 2005-2006 Adelboden Fredrik Nyberg 36-year old Swede

Image credit: Reuters

The 17-year veteran says his goal is the World Championships at home rather than the Olympics, but we think he has a shot at both. As the oldest man on the piste, Nyberg finished second behind Benjamin Raich at Adelboden's GS.

He took fourth at the Kranjska Gora GS and is third in World Cup points in the discipline. If this old horse does as well as we think he could, it could mean a shiny new medal in the giant slalom.

2. MEN'S ICE HOCKEY: Dominik Hasek, Czech Republic, 40

The legendary Hasek has played brilliantly this year for the Ottowa Senators renewing an incredible NHL legacy. He currently sits at second in every major goaltending statistical category including wins, shutouts, goals against average, and save percentage.

The Czech team that won the World Championships the last time out and the gold medal at the 1998 Nagano Games may not have performed to par at SLC, losing in the quarter-final stage.

ICE HOCKEY 2005-2006 NHL Ottawa Senators Hasek

Image credit: Reuters

But they are returning 10 veterans from the last Olympics and arguably have the best 1-2 goalie punch in the Games with Hasek and Nashville Predator Tomas Vokoun.

American defenceman Chris Chelios, 44, almost made this category. But he was forced to Czech out........ when we decided he didn't provide enough material for lame puns.

3. MEN'S LUGE: Georg Hackl, Germany, 39

The German Luge and Bobsleigh Federation made it official over the weekend by including triple-Olympic luge champion Georg Hackl in their lineup for Torino, though there was hardly ever any real doubt.

The 39-year-old Hackl, winner at Albertville (1992), Lillehammer (1994), Nagano (1998), and a silver medallist at SLC, suffered an early season setback after undergoing off-season back surgery, but has turned things around as of late.

LUGE Georg Hackl

Image credit: Imago

He finished second at the Calgary World Cup at the end of 2005 showing the form that should add one more chapter to what luge fans call "The Hackl Legend."

The picture says it all.

4. WOMEN'S BIATHLON: Uschi Disl, Germany, 35

We originally wanted to include current World No. 2 Anna Carin Olofsson in this category for a phenomenal season that has included the first three wins of her career, one in the 10km pursuit, one in the 15km individual, and one in the 7.5km sprint.

But sadly for the sharpshooting Swede, she's just too young for our list coming in right under the cutoff at 33.

This left the door open for perennial World Cup contender, double-world champion and German "Sportswoman of the Year" Uschi Disl.

While Disl is a twice-Olympic champion as a member of the German relay team, she has never won individual gold.

BIATHLON Uschi Disl Germany Oberhof women relay

Image credit: Reuters

Her best Olympic finish came in the form of silver medals at SLC and Nagano, and bronzes at Lillehammer and Albertville.

Disl is just three points behind Olofsson in the World Cup race, but as things stand now, we tip Olofsson for the Games. The Queen of Biathlon gets the consolation, however, of making our old-timers list.

Just kidding Uschi, we love you. See:

5. WOMEN'S CROSS-COUNTRY, Hilde Pedersen, Norway, 41

Pedersen is fifth in the current World Cup standings, having a year that can only be described as incredible at such an age. She has finished in the top-six of the overall standings for four straight seasons despite never having won a WC event before.

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING 2005-2006 Otepaeae 10 km C Hilde Pedersen

Image credit: dpa

The nine-year-veteran (Pedersen raced her first World Cup contest in 1984, though she didn't compete between 85' and 97') earned her first career WC victory in Saturday's 10km race at Otepaeae, Estonia.

She finished sixth in the event at the last Olympics, and if she's going to medal before she leaves the sport, it's going to be in that discipline.

6. WOMEN's FIGURE SKATING, Michelle Kwan, United States, 25

All right. We said this list was for athletes in the exclusive 35-and-up club, but in a sport in which the Grand Prix Champion was Japan's 15-year-old Mao Asada and the last Olympic champion was a 16-year-old Sarah Hughes, ages count differently.

FIGURE SKATING Michel Kwan

Image credit: Imago

Think of it like dog-years. While 25 is incredibly young by average sports standards, for figure skaters it's like 50...... That's exaggerating a little, but you get the point.

Kwan is still chasing that elusive gold medal that Tara Lipinski denied her eight years ago in Nagano.

Forced to settle for silver in 1998, she was determined to take home the prize at SLC. Then Hughes entered the picture.

Kwan was ultimately forced to settle for bronze behind the American youngster and Russia's Irina Slutskaya (another figure skating grandma likely to medal after turning 26 when the Games start).

FIGURE SKATING Michel Kwan

Image credit: Imago

This year, despite an injury that is forcing her to miss the Jan. 12 Olympic qualifications at her national championships, the fiery Kwan may not realize her golden dream, but she should medal one final time.

That is if her petition to the U.S. Olympic Committee to be given one of three spots on the American squad succeeds.

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