USOC holds NYC festival for Vancouver Games kickoff

The next Olympics is around the corner, and the U.S. Olympic Committee celebrated the 100-day countdown Wednesday in New York by kicking off a new marketing campaign and officially nominating the first 20 Americans for the 2010 Vancouver Games.

Hilton will lead the “Making Team USA” program, in which the journeys of an estimated 220 U.S. athletes who land Olympic berths are being chronicled on the USOC’s Web site (teamusa.org) before the Feb. 12 Opening Ceremony.

Five-time Olympic medalist Apolo Anton Ohno headlines 10 short-track speedskaters for Vancouver. In biathlon, Jay Hakkinen returns for his fourth Olympics, while Tim Burke is back after a poor showing in 2006. Curlers Debbie McCormick and John Shuster have Olympic experience – Shuster helped the U.S. pull an upset with a bronze medal in 2006.

Five other USOC sponsors (Acer, Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and 24 Hour Fitness) played roles in holding a 10-hour festival at Rockefeller Center, where Nike and Polo Ralph Lauren unveiled podium apparel and the “Today” show filmed a segment.

Eight Olympic national governing bodies will name most athletes by Jan. 1, when the 23-player men’s ice hockey team should be announced. U.S. Figure Skating is waiting until after the U.S. Championships (Jan. 15-23 in Spokane, Wash.) to set its team – Broadmoor Skating Club members Rachael Flatt and Brandon Mroz are strong contenders.

Shooters on podium

Olympic Training Center shooter Matt Emmons won a gold medal last week in 50-meter rifle 3-position and took 10th in prone at the World Cup Final in Wuxi, China. Colorado-Colorado Springs graduate Jeff Holguin claimed a bronze in double trap.

Skaters overseas

Broadmoor Skating Club ice dancers Jane Summersett and Todd Gilles start competition Friday at the NHK Trophy in Nagano, Japan. Broadmoor skater Tatyana Khazova begins action Saturday at the Coupe de Nice in France.

Etc.

Colorado Springs wrestler Tori Adams won the 147-pound division of the U.S. grappling world team trials last month in Phoenix. … OTC judo player Jake Larsen dropped a first-round match Sunday at the Swedish Open in Boras. … The U.S. Paralympic soccer team, with Cheyenne Mountain High School graduate Bryce Boarman, placed 10th at the world championships last month in Arnhem, Netherlands. … Former Colorado College players Noah Clarke, Justin Morrison and Lee Sweatt start action with the U.S. select ice hockey team Friday at the Deutschland Cup in Munich. … U.S. Anti-Doping Agency boss Travis Tygart testified Tuesday in Washington about two Minnesota Vikings players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. … U.S. Olympic Committee chairman Larry Probst and USOC acting chief executive officer Stephanie Streeter are attending the Pan American Sports Organization general assembly this week in Guadalajara, Mexico.