NOTES

Now that Duncan Kennedy has missed his chance for the first U.S. medal in luge, it’s Cammy Myler’s turn, beginning today.

“The Olympics are not over,” Coach Wolfgang Schaedler said. “We have a really good chance for a medal. It’s really possible. Cammy, she has an excellent chance. I think she looks good.”

Myler, 24, of Lake Placid, N.Y., majoring in premed and geography at Dartmouth, said she refuses to worry about the pressure of being the last U.S. medal contender in luge.

“I think any pressure may come from the press, but I don’t put any pressure on myself,” she said. “I’m not thinking about medaling, but having the best four possible runs I can have.”

Robert Pipkins, the first black to race in luge, remembered when he made his breakthrough.

“I kind of opened my eyes my first season in Europe,” said Pipkins, 18, the world junior champion from Staten Island, N.Y. “At first, somebody would laugh and say ‘There’s the one.’ After I started beating some of them, they didn’t laugh too much anymore.”

Pipkins finished 21st in his Olympic debut.

“I’m glad I’ve done well, I’d hate to be the first at something and be bad at it,” he said. “I kind of feel good I’m the first at something. I can show people any race can do any sport.”

The U.S. Olympic movement is heading in the right direction, according to USOC Vice President George Steinbrenner.

Wearing a “Top Gun” baseball cap, Steinbrenner continued his 11-venue, four-day Olympic jaunt by watching the men’s luge singles final and talking to the athletes.

“When the athletes talk to me, I want to know what they need so I can see,” Steinbrenner said.

“We’re ahead of schedule,” he said. “We won six medals in Calgary, (so) any improvement over that shows we’re making progress. The 1994 Games will tell us where we are. By the ’98 Games, we should be there.”