J.R. Celski
Short Track Speedskating
2010 Olympic hopeful
Personal Specs
Height: 5'8"
Short List Performance
- 2009 World Championships five-time medalist - gold (5000m relay, 3000m), silver (overall), bronze (1000m, 1500m)
- Two-time U.S. Junior overall champion (2007, 2008)
- 2008 U.S. Championships - overall silver medalist
- 2009 World Junior Championships - overall bronze medalist
Vancouver Watch
Many are making Celski out to be the next Apolo Anton Ohno, and the 18-year-old prodigy certainly lived up to even the highest expectations at the 2009 World Championships by winning five medals. Celski has quickly developed into a strong all-around skater as a teenager. Celski could give the U.S. Short Track Team a true medal contender in multiple distances at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
Personal
The youngest of three boys, Celski began skating inline at Pattison's West Roller Rink in Federal Way, Wash. His dad put all the brothers on skates when Celski was 3, and both Celski and his dad won national titles. He switched from inline skating to speed skating after watching Ohno star at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. He missed the minimum age requirement for competing in the 2006 Olympic Winter Games by 17 days. Celski had a breakthrough performance at the 2009 World Championships, finishing second in the overall standings.
When Celski needed to move to California to get the best coaching at age 14, it was not his parents, but instead his oldest brother, Chris, who moved with him.
Did You Know...?
- Avid user of Facebook
- Said in 2006 that the 2010 Olympic Winter Games were on his mind every day
- Fought homesickness when he moved to California for training at age 14
- Scored an 1810 on his second try at the SATs and graduated from Lakewood (Calif.) High School with a 3.71 GPA
- Plans to attend Cal-Berkeley after Vancouver