Athletes with ties to the Delaware Valley will be hitting the ice and snow to represent Team USA at the Vancouver Winter Olympics.
The Philly-area Olympic hopefuls are headlined by the dynamic ice-dancing duo of Ben Agosto and Tanith Belbin.
The ice dancers are favorites to bring home the gold in Vancouver. Agosto originally hails from Chicago and Belbin was born in Canada (she became an American citizen before the 2006 Games) but they now train at the Ice Works Skating Complex in Aston, Pa. and make their home in Delaware County.
Belbin & Agosto took home the silver in Torino in 2006 and they hope to make it gold in 2010. And, even though their chemistry is amazing on the ice is undeniable they aren't dating off the ice.
There is also a big area connection to two figure skaters.
Stylish male figure skater Johnny Weir is one of the most dynamic and controversial skaters of his time. A native of Chester County he hopes to take home a medal and reverse his fate from the last Olympics when he finished fifth.
Americans will also be hanging medal hopes in women’s figure skating on a girl with local ties.
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Ashley Wagner, 18, hopes to make her first Olympic team. An army kid that has lived all around the country she now trains at the Skating Club of Wilmington in Wilmington, Del. to train for 2010.
Also hitting the ice for Team USA in Vancouver is speed skater Allison Baver who will be going to her third Winter Games. She is set to compete in short-track speed skating at the 1,000m and 1,500m distances in 2010.
This skating beauty was born and raised in Reading, Pa. She got her start as a speed roller-skater before making the switch to the ice. The 29-year-old Penn State alum also models on the side and even once dated fellow speed skater Apolo Ohno.
South Jersey’s own Bobby Ryan will be taking time away from the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks to represent his country in Vancouver.
The winger was born and raised in Cherry Hill, N.J. He was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2005 NHL Draft. He hopes to show off his scoring ability with Team USA as they battle the best hockey players in the world.
Ryan isn't the only local NHLer to get the call. Flyers Mike Richards and Chris Pronger will skate for Team Canada and Oskars Bartulis represents Latvia. The most interesting Flyer in the Olympics could be defenseman Ole-Kristian Tollefsen who is the only NHLer to skate for Norway.
Back to Team USA, which could feature four locals on the skeleton and bobsled teams.
Eric Bernotas, a graduate of Malvern High School and Avondale, Pa. native, made his Olympic debut by finishing sixth in the skeleton at the Torino Games. He hopes to build on that effort as he races to gold in Vancouver.
An Olympic hopeful and American hero, Philly’s own Michael Bradley hopes to earn Olympic gold in the bobsled at the 2010 Vancouver games.
He is not only an Olympic hopeful to drive one of America’s bobsleds but he is also in the U.S. Air Force and served in Iraq.
While Bradley hopes to drive the sled to gold, TJ Burns hopes to push it along. The Blue Bell, Pa.-native is geared up to possibly make his first Olympic team.
Also pushing the sled for team USA could be Newtown, Pa.-native Jamie Greubel. The former Cornell University track star made the transition to bobsled about three years ago and is now in the running to make Team USA.
In the coming days the official U.S. team will be announced but in any case there should be a good amount of Tri-Staters going for gold next month.
