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Torch Talk

The Lake Country area will have its share of interest in the 2008 Summer Olympics when the United States competes in Beijing. Former Arrowhead High School wrestler Ben Askren will be competing, sailors Sally Barkow of Nashotah and John Ruf of Pewaukee will navigate China's waters, and Pretty Lake native Chellsie Memmel will represent her country in gymnastics. Stay tuned to Torch Talk for reactions from the athletes and their traveling party in Beijing, as well as updates from LivingLakeCountry.com staff.

Adventures in navigation

By Ben Askren
Tuesday, Aug 12 2008, 09:47 AM

So this morning I woke up to a huge surprise, I saw the first blue skies since I got here. Now they are just faintly visible, but at this point, any blue skies will make me happy. After rain the last two days, the temperature has gone way down also. It is awesome. 

So yesterday we worked out twice, a hard practice in the morning, then in the afternoon I just drilled with Max. I also made another sweet purchase yesterday, it was a bicycle. Everything in the village is so far apart, and I have been extremely jealous of the folks biking around this place, so I finally decided to buy a bike. It is this really sweet kind that folds up all small, so I can probably take it home to the States with me.

Then in the afternoon, Max and I missed the bus from the village to the BNU, so we had to cab it. Well, I forgot my map and the cab driver got us lost, then dropped us off in the middle of nowhere with no map and no Chinese to speak. Luckily, we were able to make some calls and get a translator on the line and flag a cab down and get everything figured out. 

Everything is getting really low key here, I am getting all settled in. I have two more days of two-a-days, then I will coast into the competition. Greco starts today, so I am excited to see how Spencer does. He is so explosive. I have to think he has a good chance to take it all. We will see.

Also some people were asking, and it is looking good that Mike Zadick will get in. Bulgaria's No. 1 guy, runnerup in the world last year, tore his Achilles, then the backup got in a car accident and the Georgian team is threatening to boycott after the Russian invasion, so I would expect to see Mike wrestling.  Also Alexis Rodrigues, the Cuban heavyweight, defected to Spain, so he won't be competing in these games. 

OK, I think I am going to be brave and run outside. The smog scared me before, but with the blue skies, my courage is getting up.

(Editor's note: for more information on Olympic wrestling, check out the official site or the NBC wrestling site.)

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