Emily Scott (born February 16, 1989) is an American short track speed skater who competed at 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.[2] As a young girl, Scott was a gymnast and roller skater. She discontinued gymnastics when it became too expensive, and took up inline speed skating. As an inline skater, she won five World Championship gold medals and set three national records.
In 2008 Scott transitioned from inline skating to short track speed skating on the ice. She made the United States' World Cup and World Championship teams from 2010 to 2013, winning a silver medal at the 2012 World Championships. With Scott's help, the United States' relay team placed third in the overall 2010–11 World Cup standings and second in the 2011–12 standings. In 2012, she placed second overall at the U.S. National Championships.
Following a poor 2012–13 season, the United States cut Scott's funding, prompting her to fill out an application for food stamps. Shortly thereafter USA Today ran a story on her situation. The story prompted an outpouring of donations from the public, allowing Scott to focus on her training. The increased focus paid off, as Scott finished 2013 as the top rated American in the 1000 meters, second in the 1500 meters, and third in the 500 meters. At the 2014 Olympic Trials, she placed second in all three events, qualifying her for her first Olympics. Scott made the finals of 1500 meters at the Olympics, placing fifth after another skater caused her to fall. She was eliminated in the quarter finals of the 500 and 1000 meter events.
Early life
Scott was born February 16, 1989, in Springfield, Missouri, to mother Carol and father Craig Scott.[1][3] She grew up in Springfield, Missouri. When she was in third grade, she and her sister were removed from their mother's house. They were subsequently raised by their father.[3] Scott graduated from Hillcrest High School in 2007.[4]
As a young girl, Scott made the Junior Olympics Gymnastics Team, but gave up the sport because it was too expensive for her family.[5] She first learned to roller skate at age two and a half, later taking up inline skating at the local roller rink, Skateport. At age 14, she moved to Florida for three years to focus on her inline training, returning to Springfield in time for high school graduation.[6]
Skating career
Scott competing at the 2014 Winter Olympics
Scott began her athletic career as an inline speed skater. In 2004, she teamed with Brittany Bowe to set the United States national record in the Sophomore 2000 meter two woman relay with a time of 3:12.574.[7] In 2005, Scott won the junior 15000 meter elimination at the 2006 World Inline Speed Skating Championships, passing Columbia's Carolina Upegui on the final lap.[8] At the 2008 World Championships, Bowe, Scott, and Sara Sayasane teamed up to win gold in the 3000 meter track relay.[9] Also in 2008, Scott set the Senior national record in the 5000 meter elimination with a time of 8:45.049 and teamed up with Kirsten Attipoe to set the national record in the 3000 meter relay with a time of 4:53.179.[7]
In all, Scott won five World Championship crowns before transitioning to the ice in 2008.[10] She found the transition very difficult and nearly quit, but continued on the advice of her father.[5] At the 2010 Olympic Trials, her third ever meet, Scott placed ninth overall.[11][12] She quickly improved, making the United States' World Cup and World Championship Teams every year from 2010 to 2013.[11]
Scott placed fourth overall at the 2010 and 2011 National Championships.[11] As a member of the National Short Track Team, she has focused primarily on team relay events, helping the United States to place third in the 2010–2011 World Cup standings.[10] At the 2011 World Team Championships, Scott helped the United States to a bronze medal.[1] At the 2012 National Championships, Scott finished second overall.[5] She helped the United States to a second-place finish in the 2011–12 World Cup relay standings and a silver medal at the 2012 World Championships.[3][10] During the 2012–2013 season, the United States placed eighth in the World Cup relay standing.[10] In total, Scott has won five World Cup medals – 1 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze, all for relay events.[11]
After the relay team failed to place in the top eight at the 2013 World Championships, US Speedskating cut Scott's monthly stipend from $1950 to $600.[10] She set up a GoFundMe campaign, but it generated little interest, prompting her to fill out an application for food stamps. USA Today ran a story on Scott's situation in July. Within 24 hours of the story, Scott had raised $30,000, more than double her stated goal.[13] By August, she had generated over $48,000 in donations from 689 people.[14] "It saved my career without a doubt," Scott remarked.[14] She ended up not submitting the food stamp application and quit her part-time job at a surgical supply factory to focus on training.[13][14] The support lifted an emotional burden and her increased focus allowed Scott to finish 2013 as the top rated American in the 1000 meters, second in the 1500 meters, and third in the 500 meters.[14] The United States finished ninth in the World Cup relay standings for the 2013–14 season.[10]
At the 2014 United States Olympic Trials, Scott placed second in both 500-meter short track races to secure a spot on the Olympic team. "I had no idea [I'd qualified]," she said after the second race. "My coach brought me over. I thought I was in trouble for not winning the race, and he congratulated me. I’m speechless."[15] She also finished second in the 1000 and 1500 meter events at the Trials.[10]
Scott made her Olympic debut in the 500 metres. She advanced through her opening round heat, but was eliminated in the quarter finals.[1] In the 1500 metres, she coasted through the opening round, winning her heat. In the semi-finals, she was in qualifying position when pushed by a rival skater near the finish line. She placed last in the heat, but was advanced to the finals when the judges ruled she had been illegally inhibited by the skater who pushed her. In the final, a South Korean fell, taking Scott down in the process.[16] She got up, but finished fifth. She concluded her Olympics by advancing out of the opening round of the 1000 metres before being eliminated in the quarter finals.[1]
The 1000 and 1500 meters are considered Scott's stronger events, and she lists endurance as her greatest strength.[6][11] She is coached by Stephen Gough.[11]
Personal life
Scott's mother, Carol, was jailed for selling methamphetamine.[16] When she got out, Scott would occasionally send her money, but Carol soon fell back into the drug trade and Scott stopped sending money.[3][16] She has not heard from her mother since.[3] Carol and her other daughter are in prison on drug charges as of 2014. Scott's brother died as an infant when she was a teenager. Her father makes his living installing signage.[16]
Scott is close friends with 2002 Olympic gold medalist Derek Parra who helped her transition to ice speed skating with his Wheels on Ice Program (WhIP). "[Parra is] like a fun uncle.. we go to lunch and dinner and he’ll always be just kind of my mentor and I can talk to him if I’m having a rough time", Scott explained. "He’s always been there for me."[5] Scott says her father is her best friend and idol.[11]
Scott is a big fan of the St. Louis Cardinals.[5] When not skating, she enjoys playing golf, watching movies, and talking to her family over Skype.[11] She lists her father as the greatest influence in her life.[1] As of 2014, Scott is pursuing a business degree at Ashworth College.[17]
Related Research Articles
Chad Hedrick is an American inline speed skater and ice speed skater. He was born in Spring, Texas.
Shani Earl Davis is an American former speed skater.
Christine Nesbitt is a Canadian retired long track speed skater who currently resides in Vancouver, British Columbia. She won the gold medal in the 1000 metres event at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. She had previously won a silver medal in the team pursuit at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. She is also the 2011 sprint champion, 2012 1500 metres world champion, three-time world champion for 1000 metres, and three-time world champion for team pursuit. On 4 June 2015 she announced her retirement.
Katherine Reutter-Adamek is an American short track speed skater. She is a two-time medalist in the Winter Olympics, 2011 overall world silver medalist and the 2010–2011 overall ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup champion.
Kimberly Derrick is an American short track speed skater.
Joey Mantia is an American speed skater and inline speed skater, an Olympic bronze medalist, 28-time world champion, and a world record holder. He also won two gold medals at the 2003 Pan American Games and a gold medal at the 2007 Pan American Games. He won the American Speed Skater of the Year award three times in a row, in 2005, 2006, and 2007, and the 2007 Elmer Ringeisen Sportsmanship Award. In October 2010, after winning two world titles at the inline skating championships in Colombia, he was ranked second among male competitors in the USOC Athlete of the Month competition.
Shim Suk-hee is a South Korean short track speed skater. She is a two-time Olympic Champion and a World Champion (2014).
Brittany Starr Bowe is an American speed skater and former inline skater and basketball player. She has won eight gold, one silver, and two bronze medals from the world inline speedskating championships. From her junior years, she has another 21 world championship medals. She also has a gold medal from the combined sprint event in roller skating at the 2007 Pan American Games.
Jonathan Garcia is an American speed skater. Garcia began his skating career as inline speed skater, winning his first national title in 2004. He represented the United States three times in the World Championships, winning a bronze medal in 2006. In 2007, he represented the United States at the Pan American Games before transitioning to short track speed skating on the ice.
Jorien ter Mors is a retired Dutch speed skater on both short track and long track. She was the Olympic champion in the 1500 metres and team pursuit at the 2014 Winter Olympics and the 1000 metres at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Anna Ringsred is an American speed skater who represented the United States at the 2014 Winter Olympics. She began speed skating at age 13 and made the United States junior team while in high school. In 2004, she qualified for the Junior World Allround Championships, placing 22nd. She qualified for World Championship events in 2007, 2008, and 2010, with her best finish being a fifth place in the 2007 team pursuit.
Sugar Raeshelle-Faye Chelsea Todd is an American speed skater who qualified for the 2014 Winter Olympics in the 500-meter and 1000-meter events. Todd began speed skating at age eight and quickly excelled at the sport, convincing her parents to move to Wisconsin to further her training. In 2003, she set five national records and won the United States and North American titles for her age group. From 2008–2010, she made the junior world team. In 2010, she participated in the Olympic trials and made her first senior World Cup team.
Kelly Gunther is an American speed skater who participated in the 2014 Winter Olympics. She began roller skating at age six, briefly tried figure skating, then took up inline speed skating. As an inline skater, she won multiple World Championship gold medals on the United States relay team. In 2009, she transitioned to ice speed skating.
Christopher Creveling is an American short track speed skater who represented the United States at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Growing up, his family owned a roller rink and was highly involved in the sport of roller skating. Creveling followed in the footsteps of his older siblings, learning to skate as soon as he could walk. He was selected for the 2003 United States' Junior World roller skating team in 2003 and for the Senior World Team from 2004 to 2006. At the 2004 World Championships, he won a gold medal as part of the US relay team.
Christopher Kyle Carr is an American short track speed skater who has qualified for the 2014 Winter Olympics. The son of a nationally ranked skater, Carr grew up roller skating. In 2001, he switched from inline speed skating to short track. While still in high school, he moved to Marquette, Michigan, to further his training.
Jessica Smith is an American long track speed skater and short track speed skater and former World Champion inline speed skater. As a young girl, Smith was involved in a variety of activities including ballet, modeling, roller skating, and ice hockey. She eventually settled on roller skating and made the United States' Junior World Inline Championships Team at age 12. She won 15 gold medals at the junior level before moving up the senior level at age 16. By 2007, Smith had collected 16 senior World Championships gold medals.
Erin Jackson is an American speed skater, roller derby player, and Olympic gold medalist. Jackson is the first Black woman to win a Winter Olympic gold medal in an individual sport. She qualified for The World Games 2017 in Wroclaw, Poland, where she competed in inline speed skating in various distances on road and track. She also qualified to compete in the 500 meters long track speed skating event at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.
Kristen Santos-Griswold is an American short-track speed skater.
Corinne Stoddard is an American short track speed skater. She represented the United States at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
