by Jay Innes
February 4, 2007
Kelly Duran, participating in her second Deaflympics, won the United States first 2007 Winter Deaflympics medal, a Silver in the Women’s Downhill event.
Duran was one of only two racers to break the 56 second barrier on Park City’s downhill course, registering a 55.98 first run and a combined time of 1:52.03 for her two runs. Gold medalist Tereza Kmochova of Czechoslovakia was the other racer, beating the standard in both of her runs to finish at 1:51.7. Petra Kurkova of Czechoslovakia joined her country mate on the medal podium, capturing the Bronze with a combined time of 1:52.32.
Duran, an All-American ski racer at Smith College, is currently a graduate student in Linguistics at Gallaudet University. A competitive skier since she was a young girl, Kelly first made the team in 1999 but suffered a devastating knee injury during a training run a short time before the team left for Davos, Switzerland. She still traveled with the team but the anguish on her face was clearly evident as she watched other racers cross the finish line, capturing medals she believed were rightfully hers. Four years later in Sundsvall, Sweden, she proved herself, reaping her first Deaflympic medals. With additional events on her schedule during these games, there is a good possibility she will garner even more medals.
Also racing for the U.S. today was Terry Brill (2:01.09) who finished 9th, Raeden Zavis (2:02.87) who was 11th, and Carina Crosby (2:05.27) who came in 13th.
In the Men’s Downhill, Nicolas Yopp was the highest U.S. finisher with a time of 1:48.57, good enough for 9th place. Immediately behind him was John Austin Nelson (1:48.95) and Keith Doane (1:52.14) followed in 14th place.