VANCOUVER -- Two skaters coached by four-time Olympian Nancy Swider-Peltz of Wheaton, Ill., played roles in huge upsets by U.S. trios in the speedskating team pursuit Friday.
The women knocked off top-ranked Canada in the quarterfinals as the coach's daughter, Nancy Jr., joined Jilleanne Rookard and Jennifer Rodriguez to win by 5/100ths of a second. They move on to a Saturday semifinal against Germany, the defending Olympic champions.
Brian Hansen of Glenview, Il., also coached by Swider-Peltz, teamed with Jonathan Kuck of Champaign, Il. and Chad Hedrick to rout the top-ranked Dutch in the semis. After trailing for the first minute of the 3-minute, 42-second race, they built up a lead of 1.43 seconds before winning by .4.
They meet No. 3 Canada in Saturday's final.
Nancy Swider-Peltz Sr. competed at the 1976, 1980, 1984 and 1988 Olympics, with her top finish a 7th in the 3,000 meters in 1976. Her daughter and Hansen are skating in their first Olympics.
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