Speedskater Talbot Says Her Special Burden Is Not Heavy

Kristen Talbot was ready to put her Olympic speedskating hopes on hold after her 19-year-old brother, Jason, was told he has aplastic anemia.

“It hit us all pretty hard,” she said. “It changed our lives in a matter of seconds.”

But Jason, also a speedskater, told her not to change her Olympic plans. She is racing in the U.S. long-track trials, but after competition ends next weekend, she will go to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore to donate bone marrow for her brother.

Jason’s condition affects bone marrow from producing red blood cells and platelets. Kristen and her other three brothers were tested for marrow matches, and she was judged the best donor because her general good health makes her likely to recover quickly from the procedure. She said the chances are 80% Jason’s body will accept the marrow and be cured.

Talbot, 23, is struggling to put aside the burden of Jason’s illness and her own hospital stay. She was sixth Sunday in the second staging of the women’s 1,000-meter race and overall is seventh with one 1,000-meter race left. She is fourth overall after two stagings of the 500 meters, with two more scheduled next weekend at the Pettit National Ice Center. In each event, the United States can send four skaters to the Lillehammer Olympics.

“(Concentrating) hasn’t been too bad because I know they’re doing everything they can for my brother back home,” said Talbot, who is from Schuylerville, N.Y., near Albany. “I’ve been able to put my head together. I would have liked to have skated better this weekend, but each race is a little better and I hope next weekend I’ll continue to get better.”

Bonnie Blair of Champaign, Ill., broke her track record in the 1,000 with a time of 1 minute 20.64 seconds, and Dan Jansen of Greenfield, Wis., did the same in the men’s 1,000, in 1:13.37. Blair leads the 1,000-meter standings with 80.75 points, followed by Chantal Bailey at 83.26, Chris Witty at 84.045 and Michelle Kline at 84.135. Jansen leads the men with 73.48 points, followed by Nathaniel Mills at 75.565, David Besteman at 75.815 and Brendan Eppert at 76.045.

Blair, who has set track records in each of her five races, received treatment on her sore left leg Sunday and didn’t talk with reporters.

Bailey, of Boulder, Colo., won the first of two women’s 3,000-meter races in 4:35.01. The surprise leader in the men’s 5,000 was KC Boutiette of Tacoma, Wash., an in-line roller blade racer who began speed skating less than two months ago. His time was 7:07.49, which he says he can improve upon next weekend in the second and final running of the 5,000.

Even if he does, he might not make the U.S. team because qualifiers’ times must be among the 32 fastest 5,000 times in the world by Jan. 31.

“If I make the team, it’ll be great,” said Boutiette, who wears in-line skating boots fitted with speed skating blades. “I could quit right now and be satisfied. I’ve done everything I wanted just by qualifying for the Olympic trials.”

Talbot said soreness from the marrow procedure won’t deter her from donating again--even to a stranger--and it won’t keep her from competing in the Olympics. But first, she has to qualify.

“I think just another week of training is going to help me,” said Talbot, who was 25th in the 500 meters in 1988 and 17th in 1992.

“I have to have some good races next weekend, but I’m pretty happy with where I am.”