Lowell Bailey is competing in the Winter Olympics 2010 in Vancouver in the biathlon.
Lowell Bailey's first three years were spent in the mild climes of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where his parents, George and Elizabeth were going to university. 25 years later, the Tar Heels fan does occasional summer training sessions on roller skis there. "People generally know more about basketball and football, and less about biathlon and skiing. They may not know what biathlon is, but they for sure know what the Olympics are."
Already a competitive cross-country skier, Bailey was introduced to biathlon when his family moved to Lake Placid at age 11. He and current teammate Tim Burke began training together and were both recruited during an aggressive national team campaign in the late 1990's. In 2002, he finished fifth at the U.S. trials and just missed qualifying for the Salt Lake Games. His Olympic dream was fulfilled at the following Games, in Torino, where he made the U.S. team and competed in four races.
While studying at Lake Placid High School, Bailey could day-dream about competing at the Olympics with a turn of the head. "In the science classroom, I could look out a window and see the 1980 Olympic hockey rink, and look the other way and see the 1980 Olympic speed skating oval." He went on to become a student-athlete at the University of Vermont, graduating in 2005 with a double degree in political science and environmental studies.
Like Burke, Bill Demong and several other Olympians who belonged to the Lake Placid Ski Club, Bailey ventured onto the ski bumps and jumps at some point during his early years. In his first two years, he mastered the basics of jumping on little hills and bumps. All dreams of becoming the next Matti Nykanen were shattered as soon as he got up to the 40-meter jump, however. In his first jump, he caught some air and landed hard on his face. He decided to focus on non-flying sports from there on out.
Besides being a biathlete in his prime, Bailey is also an accomplished musician. His forte lies in the mandolin, guitar and banjo. "My father was a musician, so he always had guitars lying around the house. Eventually I picked one up, started trying to figure it out, and fell in love with stringed instruments. I've been playing ever since." Most of Bailey's compositions—either solo or with his group, The George Bailey Trio—fall within the categories of bluegrass, rock and jazz, but he also grabbed the idea from his coach and created the theme song for the U.S. biathlon team, "Fire Them Down," complete with sound effects from the shooting range.
Lowell Bailey's first three years were spent in the mild climes of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where his parents, George and Elizabeth were going to university. 25 years later, the Tar Heels fan does occasional summer training sessions on roller skis there. "People generally know more about basketball and football, and less about biathlon and skiing. They may not know what biathlon is, but they for sure know what the Olympics are."
Already a competitive cross-country skier, Bailey was introduced to biathlon when his family moved to Lake Placid at age 11. He and current teammate Tim Burke began training together and were both recruited during an aggressive national team campaign in the late 1990's. In 2002, he finished fifth at the U.S. trials and just missed qualifying for the Salt Lake Games. His Olympic dream was fulfilled at the following Games, in Torino, where he made the U.S. team and competed in four races.
While studying at Lake Placid High School, Bailey could day-dream about competing at the Olympics with a turn of the head. "In the science classroom, I could look out a window and see the 1980 Olympic hockey rink, and look the other way and see the 1980 Olympic speed skating oval." He went on to become a student-athlete at the University of Vermont, graduating in 2005 with a double degree in political science and environmental studies.
Like Burke, Bill Demong and several other Olympians who belonged to the Lake Placid Ski Club, Bailey ventured onto the ski bumps and jumps at some point during his early years. In his first two years, he mastered the basics of jumping on little hills and bumps. All dreams of becoming the next Matti Nykanen were shattered as soon as he got up to the 40-meter jump, however. In his first jump, he caught some air and landed hard on his face. He decided to focus on non-flying sports from there on out.
Besides being a biathlete in his prime, Bailey is also an accomplished musician. His forte lies in the mandolin, guitar and banjo. "My father was a musician, so he always had guitars lying around the house. Eventually I picked one up, started trying to figure it out, and fell in love with stringed instruments. I've been playing ever since." Most of Bailey's compositions—either solo or with his group, The George Bailey Trio—fall within the categories of bluegrass, rock and jazz, but he also grabbed the idea from his coach and created the theme song for the U.S. biathlon team, "Fire Them Down," complete with sound effects from the shooting range.
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