OLYMPIC NOTES: Broadmoor skater Flatt ready for senior debut

Rachael Flatt wants an encore. And this time, she can skate with the big girls.

The Cheyenne Mountain High School figure skater is preparing for her senior-level international debut, five months after being denied a world championships appearance because she was 20 days too young by International Skating Union rules.

Flatt, 15, ended her junior career in style, winning a gold medal at the world junior championships following runner-up finishes at the U.S. Championships and the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series Final.

She has two new programs choreographed by Lori Nichol. Each consists of what Flatt called "similar elements" to last season's routines.

"I'm comfortable with how they're coming along," said Flatt, a Broadmoor Skating Club member. "They're a little bit more mature, but it's not so mature that it's not age-appropriate. They're really exciting."

Flatt will skate next month at the Liberty Summer Competition in Aston, Pa. She's scheduled for two Grand Prix events - Skate America in October in Everett, Wash., and the Cup of Russia in November in Moscow.

The U.S. Championships are in January in Cleveland. The world championships, a qualifier for the 2010 Vancouver Games, are in March in Los Angeles.

Mountain bike worlds

Colorado Springs cyclists Kelli Emmett and Sam Jurekovic competed last weekend at the Mountain Bike World Championships in Trentino, Italy. Emmett placed 47th in elite women's cross country and Jurekovic failed to finish in under-23 men's cross country.

Cardona loses bout

Colorado Springs boxer Izaak Cardona dropped a 22-3 decision to Donald Anderson last weekend in the 165-pound finals of the Junior Olympic National Championships in Marquette, Mich.

Stewart qualifies

Olympic Training Center wrestler Roger Stewart has qualified for the 2009 Summer Deaflympics in the 121-pound Greco-Roman and men's freestyle divisions. The Deaflympics are in Taiwan.

Trampoline update

Six OTC gymnasts will compete Tuesday at the U.S. Olympic trampoline trials in Kansas City, Mo. The group features Erin Blanchard, Logan Dooley, Chris Estrada, Alaina Hebert, Ryan Walsh and Alaina Williams.

Blanchard and Hebert won a gold medal in synchronized trampoline and Estrada and Michael Devine took sixth June 21 at the Nissen Cup in Arosa, Switzerland. In individual trampoline, Blanchard finished 10th, Hebert was 13th and Estrada was 18th.

Inline alternates

Colorado Springs residents Jon Ingrum and Stephanie Metcalf are alternates to the U.S. teams that will begin competition Saturday at the World Inline Hockey Championships in Dusseldorf, Germany. The men's squad includes three Colorado Springs players in Mike Ciolli, Brian Yingling and C.J. Yoder.

King in Adventure

Colorado Springs blind cyclist Matt King will compete today at The Real Deal Inclusive Sports Adventure, a team-building event in Vail. King is expected to raft the Colorado River, hike mountains and bike through alpine meadows.

Wrestling camps

A Greco-Roman wrestling camp gets under way today and a women's freestyle wrestling camp starts Monday at the OTC. Olympic coaches Steve Fraser, Jay Antonelli and Rich Estrella will direct the Greco-Roman camp, and Olympic coaches Terry Steiner and Tadaaki Hatta will run the women's freestyle camp.

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Contact the Writer: 636-0256 or brian.gomez@gazette.com. Check out our Olympics blog at gazetteolympics.freedomblogging.com