Lanny Barnes is heading to the Sochi Olympics with all the incentive in the world after her twin sister gave up her own spot in the biathlon to let her compete for the US.
Lanny narrowly missed out on a place in the US team for Sochi after she fell ill last month and was unable to compete in the final qualifying events.
She was given a reprieve when her 31-year-old twin sister Tracy, who did make the team, pulled out to let Lanny go in her place.
“Usually I always know what Tracy is thinking, and she shocked me. I didn’t see this coming,” Lanny said in an interview with NBC on Thursday.
“I was like, ‘Tracy, there’s no way. This is your spot. You earned this,’” she said.
“She was very adamant about me going and she said, ‘No, I want you to go.’ It was a very emotional moment for both of us,” Lanny told NBC’s Today program.
The two Colorado sisters competed together at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, but only Lanny made the US team for Vancouver in 2010.
Tracy earned her spot on a second Olympic team when she qualified as the fifth-best American, one place ahead of Lanny.
Yet with only the top five allowed to go to Sochi, Tracy opted to sacrifice her position so her sibling could instead grab the last spot.
“She’s having a great year, and I think when you care enough about someone you’re willing to make that kind of sacrifice,” Tracy said.
“I think right away when I heard she got sick because I knew that the likelihood of her making the team was pretty slim being sick,” she said.
“I’ve trained with her for 15 years right alongside her. I know how hard she works. I know how much she wants it,” Tracy added.
Lanny said she was grateful to her sister for giving her another opportunity after conceding her chances of making the team had been all but ruined by illness.
“It was brutal,” she said.
“It’s hard to explain how you can train so hard for something and luck just wouldn’t have it your way. It was disappointing for sure,” she added.
And although she is a long-shot to win a medal, Lanny said her sister’s gracious act had given her added motivation to try and get on the podium at the Feb. 7 to Feb. 23 Games in Russia.
“I want to do my best for Tracy, and I always do better under pressure,” she said.
“So I’m definitely going to push as hard as a I can and just fight that much harder for her,” she added.
Tracy said she had no regrets about her decision, which has quickly become one of the rare feelgood stories of an Olympics dominated by security fears.
She said she knew how hard her sister had trained for the grueling sport, which combines cross country skiing and shooting.
“All of us who are training for something like that, that’s your dream, that’s your goal, that’s what you work towards,” she said.
“I think I felt so strongly about this, and that outweighed any effort that I wanted to do to go to Sochi,” she added.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely