[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 50 (Monday, April 12, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2204-S2205]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      2010 ALASKA WINTER OLYMPIANS

  Mr. BEGICH. Madam President, I wish to recognize the athleticism of 
the Alaska members of the 2010 U.S. Winter Olympic team. These six 
outstanding Alaskans represent not only some of the finest and most 
skilled athletes in the United States but are also incredible examples 
of Alaska's grit and determination. Alaska is very proud to have these 
six outstanding athletes competing in this year's Winter Olympics.
  Callan Chythlook Sifsof of Girdwood, AK, competed in the snowboard 
cross competition. Callan is the first Alaska Native to make the U.S. 
Winter Olympic team. She grew up in a part of Alaska known as ``the 
Bush'' and spent her first years in a village along the Bering Sea. 
Before moving to Girdwood, Callan never imagined herself as an 
Olympian. She holds the double title of 2007 U.S. national champion and 
junior national champion in boardercross.
  Jeremy Teela's home town is Anchorage, AK. He finished ninth in the 
10-kilometer biathlon sprint during the 2010 Winter Olympics, the best 
American result to date in biathlon. A member of the 2002, 2006, and 
2010 U.S. Olympic teams, Teela's career has spanned more than a decade 
of impressive finishes. He has been a member of the U.S. national team 
since 1996.
  Jay Hakkinen, of Kasilof, AK, is a three-time Olympian, and his 10th 
place finish in the Olympic 20-kilometer individual biathlon 
competition in 2006 solidified his reputation as one of the top 
biathletes in the United States. Jay's career began when he spent his 
junior year of high school in Norway as a foreign exchange student. 
There he found a biathlon club; it was then he decided to focus on 
biathlon and began pursuing the sport.
  Kikkan Randall, from Anchorage, AK, made her Olympic debut in the 
2002 Winter Olympics. At the 2006 Winter Olympics, Kikkan finished 
ninth in the Olympic sprint, the best Olympic result in cross-country 
skiing by an American woman. She topped that in 2010, finishing eighth 
in individual sprint classic. Kikkan helped her team finish in sixth 
place in the 2010 Winter Olympics women's team sprint freestyle race.
  James Southam is from Anchorage, AK. He started racing in high 
school, and, after training for 10 years, he won his first ski race at 
age 25. Since then, James has been one of the top distance racers in 
the country, representing the United States in the 2006 Olympic winter 
games and the past three world championships. In the 2010 Olympic 
winter games he placed 34th in the men's 30-kilometer pursuit.
  Holly Brooks moved to Alaska in 2004. Upon her arrival, she started 
her second coaching job as the head ski coach for West Anchorage High 
School and worked part time at a ski shop and for a local consulting 
firm. In 2006, she was offered a full-time ski coaching position at 
Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center. In 2010, Holly competed in 
the 10-kilometer freestyle and 15-kilometer pursuit at the Olympics.
  Kerry Weiland is originally from Palmer, AK. Kerry started playing 
hockey at age 5 and later excelled on the Palmer High School boys' 
hockey team and continued on at the University of Wisconsin, where she 
was a two-time All-American. Kerry scored a key goal in the game 
against Sweden, which moved the United States onto the gold medal 
round. She is now a proud member of the 2010 U.S. Winter Olympic silver 
medal hockey team.
  Madam President and colleagues, please join me in recognizing the 
efforts of Alaska's finest winter athletes. We thank them for their 
dedication, hard work, and representation of the United States and 
Alaska at the 2010 Winter Olympics.

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