The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS – Kris Freeman didn’t let his diagnosis with Type 1 diabetes keep him from becoming the top U.S. male cross country skier.

His regimen involves far more than merely training and competing. Three days before each competition, he must measure the impact of every morsel of food he ingests. It’s a far cry from wolfing down a fistful of Fritos and then just hitting the trails.

If he didn’t take precise pre-race steps, he’d have no idea of how much insulin he would need.

“It’s a constant balancing act,” said Freeman, 25.

Everywhere he goes, he spreads the word that diabetes need not limit a person’s ambitions.

When Freeman, a New Hampshire native, was diagnosed at age 20, the first two doctors he saw told him his athletic career was history.

As he heads for the Turin Olympics, Freeman promotes his belief that a setback never should become an obstacle.

“I was very stubborn,” he said. “I was in the very early stages of diabetes when they caught it. Most of the time, I felt normal. I was in what’s known as the honeymoon phase.”

Freeman competed in the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, where his best finish was 15th in the 20-kilometer event. The U.S. does not count cross county among its main medal target areas in a sport dominated by Europeans who will be competing in Europe.

Freeman rises almost four hours before race time on a competition day. Three hours before the start, he eats the amount of oatmeal and other breakfast side dishes that his 72-hour meal check indicated he needed based on his post-meal insulin levels.

He does a stretching routine. He tests his blood sugar 30 minutes after breakfast and then one hour after the meal. Next, Freeman tests his equipment at the venue. Then he tests his blood sugar again to see if he needs a power bar or more insulin.

The World Anti-Doping Agency has approved his use of insulin, though Freeman said it is on the list of banned substances.

He said it can stimulate an artificial appetite that would lead some athletes requiring bulk to get an edge, though insulin would be of no performance-enhancing use to endurance athletes.

As for stopping during a cross-country race to inject himself, Freeman said an athlete in his discipline can’t afford to take any such breather. The top 20 finishers in a recent 30-kilometer World Cup event finished within 30 seconds of each other.

“I can’t stop and test my blood sugar once I get going,” Freeman said. “I feel I’m pioneering at an elite level.”

A medal with a view

Leave it to fashion-conscious Italy to come up with a fresh design for the Turin Olympic medals. The peek-a-boo design features a hole in the center of the metal disc. Visualize a supersized Cheerio or a squashed donut. The hole symbolizes the Italian landscaping concept of open space, as in “piazza,” not to be confused with “pizza.”

Winter sports version of Nastia Liukin

Maybe world champion Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas, and Mao Asada should become pen pals. They certainly are kindred spirits. Liukin already was one of the top gymnasts in the U.S. in 2004 but was ineligible for the Athens Olympics because international federation rules call for a gymnast to turn at least 16 during the Olympic year. Figure skating has its Nastia equivalent in Asada, 15, of Japan. She is outskating everyone, with recent upsets over reigning world champion Irina Slutskaya of Russia and Sasha Cohen, the two-time world silver medalist and top Turin Games medal prospect among the U.S. women.

Dallasite Kevin Ellis closes in on Turin berth

Dallas accountant Kevin Ellis, a former SFA track standout, is close to a ticket to Turin as an athlete in skeleton. “I am really pleased with my racing up to this point in the season,” Ellis told The Dallas Morning News. “I am especially happy with my second-place finish in Igls, Austria. That race may have been the result that gets me onto the Olympic team. We have such a strong team this year, and I am glad that I have been able to contribute.”

Did you know?

NASCAR driver Geoff Bodine got the inspiration for the Bo-Dyn project to construct an American-made bobsled when he saw the U.S. bobsledders racing in second-hand European equipment at the 1992 Albertville Olympics.

BY THE NUMBERS

10

Number of hours required to make each medal for the Turin Games

650

Judges and referees for the Turin Games

1,026

Number of medals made for the Turin Games

Questions about the figure skaters can’t offset success in Alpine, speed skating, luge and bobsled. The figure skaters could win between three and five medals, depending on injury recoveries.

Team USA had its most successful Winter Games with 34 medals in Salt Lake City in 2002. Here’s a weekly projection of the over-under, based on the milestone 34.

Last games – 34

Turin over-under – 29

CALENDAR

Tuesday:

USA Hockey’s announcement of its women’s Olympic hockey roster.

Tuesday-Jan. 3:

Biathlon’s U.S. Olympic team trials, Fort Kent, Maine Thursday-Saturday:

Freestyle skiing’s U.S. Olympic team trials, Steamboat Springs, Colo.

Jan. 4-10:

Cross country skiing’s U.S. championships, Soldier Hollow, Utah Jan. 5-8:

Snowboarding’s U.S. Grand Prix, Mt. Bachelor, Ore.

Jan. 7-15:

Figure skating’s U.S. championships-Olympic trials, St. Louis