Preview : 2010 Vancouver Women's Short Track Events

2010 brings about the Winter Olympics in Vancouver and with the Olympics comes the opportunity to watch different competitors from all around the world compete in different events, like the Woman's Short Track competition. The Short Track is an event where a group of skaters, normally between four and six, line up and race around an oval track. Because this track is so short the competitors involved in the event are continuously fighting for position as well as crashing into each other to get the best position.

However, speed skating on a short track has only been around for a little over 20 years when it was first introduced in 1992. Since than it has become one of the more popular events and now has between four and eight events for competitors to choose from.

Some of the major competitors that are considered to be major threats in the short track event for speed skating come from countries like Canada, China, South Korea, Italy, Japan, and the United States and if anyone recalls the 2006 short track event South Korea took home more medals than any other country.

Wang Meng is considered to be the best female skater in the world today, according to the Vancouver 2010 website. Meng, representing China, has already known gold when she won the gold medal in the 500m back in Torino. Not only has Meng won gold she also holds both silver and bronze medals from the 2006 Olympics and is considered to be a top contender for the gold in all four of the the 2010 female short track events.

A possible rival for Meng is Katherine Reutter, a three time national champion who is representing the United States. Even though this is Reutter first Olympic appearance she is considered to be a medal contender in all events and has proven she can do it by taking the gold medal in her first World Cup race back in September 2009.

The former inline skater Kimberly Derrick is also representing the United States as she enters the short track division for her second Olympics. After finishing fifth in the world at the end of last year, Derrick is believed to be a medal contender in both the 1500m and 3000m relay.

Even with a broken leg she sustained in a plane crash last year, three time Olympian Allison Baver of the United States is ready to go and has proved to be a contender by ranking in sixth in the World Cup standings for the 1500m making this her best season ever.

Introducing to the United States team this year is Simon Cho who will be making her debut in the 500m and Alyson Dudek who is making her debut in both the 500m and the 3000m relay.

However, we can not forget the veteran of Fu Tianyu of China who is making her second attempt at gold in the 500m and 3000m relay after being disqualified in the 500m back in Torino for cross-drafting. Tianyu is considered to be the "hardest worker" on her team and with her "strong legs and fast starts she is an ideal sprinter" according to the Vancouver 2010.

Even though the list of known competitors is short according the Wikipedia there are currently 113 competitors in both men and woman's events involved in the short track events hailing from countries like Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the United States. Out of all of the countries representing the Woman's Division of the 2010 short track events Canada, China, Italy, South Korea, and the United States have the most competitors giving these countries the strongest chance to bring medals back home. However, out of all of these countries there are only two that are destine to dominant the 2010 Olmypics and that is China and the United States with Meng facing off against Reutter.