Show Greenspan looks at the strengths and weaknesses of the US Olympic Team As the Ziillehammer Games begin the sports historian Bud Greenspan an Emmy Award-winnin- g filmmaker wilt be in Lillehammer to produce the officialfilm of the Winter Games He hot awarded the Olympic Order by International Olympic President Juan Antonio Samaranchfor his movie “16 Days of Glory” on the Las Angeles Olympics and he subsequently produced films on the Calgary Seoul and Barcelona Games that were seen in more than 100 countries XSnd fee’s Power On EXT SATURDAY A SKI JUMPER carrying the Olympic torch will leap off a jump in Lillehammer Norway After landing the jumper will pass the torch which will be used to light the Olympic urn opening the 17th Winter Games These Games could turn out to be the best for the US since the Winter Olympics began in 1924 Why? Traditionally American athletes have been strong on ice (Of 46 gold medals won 38 have been in ice events —20 in speed skating 1 1 in figure skating five in bobsledding and two in hockey) This year the US is expected to win medals again in those four events and is favored to score for the first time in the luge another ice sport In snow events —although the US has won only eight gold medals in Winter Olympic history— there is a chance for two golds in freestyle skiing and medals in Alpine skiing Here’s a look at the events and the competitors to watch in these Winter Games: SPEED SKATING America's best hopes to bring home the gold may rest with three speed skaters: Bonnie Blair Dan Jansen and Cathy Turner They have a chance to win a total of five gold medals Blair who will reach her 30th birthday a month after the Games could become a record setter in Lillehammer if she wins the 300- - and races She won gold medals in those events in Albertville two yean ago and a gold in the 300 meters in Calgary in 1988 Winning two more would give Blair five making her America’s greatest female gold medalist ever Three US women have won four gold medals in the Summer Games "You can't get caught up in that kind of stuff” says Blair “What I have to prove to myself is that I'll be two yean older than in the last Olympics and still be competitive” But if Blair is destined to become America's heroine in the sprints she may be edged out for total titles by Gunda Niemann of Germany who is favored lo win three events In Albertville Niemann was the favorite to sweep the gold medals in the 1300 3000 and 3000 meters She ended up with two golds teammate and a silver losing the On the men's side Dan Jansen 28 will make his fourth and final attempt to stand on the victory podium When he finished fourth 10 years ago in the 300 meters in Sarajevo it was predicted he would win in the Calgary Games But in Calgary—despite his courageous decision to compete only hours af-1000-met- (j tint er ter he learned that his sister Jane had died of with the return of Cathy Turner 31 to defend the leukemia—Jansen fell and did not come home with short track title she won in Albertville a medal He held the world record for the 300 mewhere the event was introduced In short track skaters ters but finished fourth in that event in Albertville race against each other (not the clock) in a pack and and was out of the running in the 1000 meters the first to cross the finish line wins Turner who "I know I'm one of the best and have been for the won the gold in '92 by an inch was an unlikely vicpast couple of Olympics" Jansen says "But for tor She started as a speed skater but quit to become whatever reasons it didn't happen” A week from a songwriter and singer returning to sports when the tomorrow Jansen will come to the starting line again short track competition was added to the Olympics d the holder and the favorite in the 300 LUGE It is ironic that Duncan Kennedy’s herometers If he wins the race he will certainly be a fa- ic act on the evening of Oct 29 1993 in Oberhof vorite to win the 1000 meters four days later Germany gained greater recognition for his sport Last May a daughter was bom to Dan and his the luge than he and his teammates were able to wife Robin They named her Jane Danielle in honachieve with their 75 mph rides down an icy chute or of his sister "I know I can win and still really similar to the bobsled run want to” Jansen says "But I always have Baby Jane That night Kennedy 26 leader of the US luge to come home to” team singlehandedly took on 15 Nazi "skinheads” America's other great chance for a gold comes who were threatening his black teammate Robert 300-met- er world-recor- B covts k 7 ntoTOGMAPHser tOHALDC-- HOOMTom nju'vmtDimMKiuiD BUD wtuMut uuabouomo wnvt CtXlEENSPAH |