Koos to Sit Out Team Cross-Country Sprint
U.S. skier Torin Koos hopes to be ready for the individual sprint on Feb. 22.
(By Sandra Behne -- Getty Images)
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First-time Olympians Chris Cook and Andy Newell will compete in today's team cross-country sprint after the United States decided not to use Torin Koos, who is recovering from a respiratory illness.
The 25-year-old Koos, competing in his second Olympics, has a mucus buildup in one of his lungs that has kept him from doing much on the Olympic course so far. Team doctors have monitored his condition and he was able to train yesterday -- a positive sign that he will be strong enough to race later in the Games.
Koos's condition worsened Sunday, and ski team officials hinted his progress might have been slowed slightly because he has exercise-induced asthma and is trying to get healthy at the high altitude of the Italian Alps. The cross-country venue is at more than 5,000 feet.
Still, the coaches were confident Koos will be ready for the individual sprint Feb. 22, especially after holding him out of today's competition.
"He went out training today and he's getting better," U.S. Nordic director Luke Bodensteiner said. Koos, the son of a former U.S. biathlete, has been in Europe competing and training since Dec. 21. He had skied well recently and won a sprint last month in Oberstdorf, Germany.
Cook, from Rhinelander, Wis., won the individual sprint at last month's U.S. championships.
"We've got three good guys," Bodensteiner said.
Cross-Country Skiing Team Sprints Skiers use the classical method, each team of two skis alternate laps (1.4km for men, 1.2 for women), a total of six. The top five teams advance to the finals, which use the same format. U.S. Men's Team Chris Cook Andy Newell On TV NBC, 12:05-1:30 a.m. U.S. Women's Team Kikkan Randall Wendy Wagner On TV NBC, 4-5 p.m.
