Allison Baver is competing in the Winter Olympics 2010 in Vancouver in short track.
Allison Baver competed in three events in Torino, her second Olympics. Her best finish as fourth in the 3000m relay; she also finished seventh in the 500m and 12th in the 1500m. Baver earned a spot as an alternate on the U.S. relay team at the 2002 Salt Lake Games, but she did not compete. Baver, who had never competed in an international competition before Salt Lake, said despite not participating in the event she still had a great time at the Olympics and was proud to march in the Opening Ceremony.
Since 2002, Baver has been one of America's best female short-track skaters. The Pennsylvania native was the U.S. national champion in 2006-07, also finishing eighth overall at the 2007 World Championships. She suffered a neck injury at the beginning of the 2007-08 season, which left her unable to train, but Baver returned midseason to finish strong. She continued her success in 2008-09, when she was sixth overall in the 1500m World Cup standings, despite breaking her leg late in the season.
At the second-to-last World Cup event of the 2008-09 season, Baver collided with teammate Katherine Reutter in the 1500m final. She fractured her tibia in several places, and had to leave the event in Sofia, Bulgaria, to return home for surgery. She missed the rest of the season and spent time in Colorado Springs rehabbing and preparing for the pre-Olympic season.
Baver graduated from Penn State in 2003. She later earned her MBA in an online business program through Ellis College at the New York Institute of Technology and is also considering law school. Baver is now sponsored by Penske Truck Rental, which is based in her hometown of Reading, Pennsylvania. She also is represented by Wilhelmina Modeling agency's sports division.
After competing in inline skating for eight years, Baver started short track skating in 1999. She was first attracted to the sport after her coach and friend, Shawn Walb, took her to see the 1998 Olympic Trials. Baver eventually joined the national program in September 1999.
When Baver first transferred to short track she used a makeshift pair of skates made of her old inline boots with a blade attached. She finally got a pair of short track skates in 2000 when her family bought her a pair of custom boots for Christmas.
After making the switch from inline to short track, Baver moved to the U.S. Olympic Education Center in Marquette, Michigan, in September 2000. She returned to the training center the following year, after which she qualified for the 2002 U.S. Olympic team. She lived at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs until 2007, when she moved to Salt Lake City, the home of U.S. Speedskating.
Baver enjoys shopping, cheerleading, photography and dancing. She also recently took up yoga, after an injury limited her to only minimal activity. Baver said she tried it because stretching was one of the only things she could do, and yoga allowed her to maintain her fitness during that time. She still makes time for it, whenever she has an afternoon off from training.
Allison Baver competed in three events in Torino, her second Olympics. Her best finish as fourth in the 3000m relay; she also finished seventh in the 500m and 12th in the 1500m. Baver earned a spot as an alternate on the U.S. relay team at the 2002 Salt Lake Games, but she did not compete. Baver, who had never competed in an international competition before Salt Lake, said despite not participating in the event she still had a great time at the Olympics and was proud to march in the Opening Ceremony.
Since 2002, Baver has been one of America's best female short-track skaters. The Pennsylvania native was the U.S. national champion in 2006-07, also finishing eighth overall at the 2007 World Championships. She suffered a neck injury at the beginning of the 2007-08 season, which left her unable to train, but Baver returned midseason to finish strong. She continued her success in 2008-09, when she was sixth overall in the 1500m World Cup standings, despite breaking her leg late in the season.
At the second-to-last World Cup event of the 2008-09 season, Baver collided with teammate Katherine Reutter in the 1500m final. She fractured her tibia in several places, and had to leave the event in Sofia, Bulgaria, to return home for surgery. She missed the rest of the season and spent time in Colorado Springs rehabbing and preparing for the pre-Olympic season.
Baver graduated from Penn State in 2003. She later earned her MBA in an online business program through Ellis College at the New York Institute of Technology and is also considering law school. Baver is now sponsored by Penske Truck Rental, which is based in her hometown of Reading, Pennsylvania. She also is represented by Wilhelmina Modeling agency's sports division.
After competing in inline skating for eight years, Baver started short track skating in 1999. She was first attracted to the sport after her coach and friend, Shawn Walb, took her to see the 1998 Olympic Trials. Baver eventually joined the national program in September 1999.
When Baver first transferred to short track she used a makeshift pair of skates made of her old inline boots with a blade attached. She finally got a pair of short track skates in 2000 when her family bought her a pair of custom boots for Christmas.
After making the switch from inline to short track, Baver moved to the U.S. Olympic Education Center in Marquette, Michigan, in September 2000. She returned to the training center the following year, after which she qualified for the 2002 U.S. Olympic team. She lived at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs until 2007, when she moved to Salt Lake City, the home of U.S. Speedskating.
Baver enjoys shopping, cheerleading, photography and dancing. She also recently took up yoga, after an injury limited her to only minimal activity. Baver said she tried it because stretching was one of the only things she could do, and yoga allowed her to maintain her fitness during that time. She still makes time for it, whenever she has an afternoon off from training.