Timothy Goebel Looks Forward to Last U.S. Championships
Troy Schwindt
 (St. Louis, Mo., 1/11/06) - 2002 Olympic bronze medalist Timothy Goebel told reporters today that his long career holds many special memories, but he’s looking forward to a post-skating life that hopefully won’t begin until after next month’s Olympic Winter Games.
Goebel, 25, is competing this week in St. Louis at the State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships, vying for one of three Olympic men’s berths.
“I’m feeling better than I have all season,” Goebel said during the afternoon press conference at SavvisCenter. “I’ve had some really good weeks of training at home and have been skating really well. I’m healthy and in one piece, and I’m hoping to have a really good week here.”
The men’s short program begins Thursday at 3:15 p.m. at SavvisCenter.
Goebel has competed in 13 U.S. Championships dating back to 1994. He said the plan since 1999 was to “hopefully make the (Olympic) team in 2002 and then stay around for 2006. I never planned on skating competitively past that.”
Goebel, known historically as the “Quad King,” said he’s incorporated a quad in the short program and a quad in the free skate this week, and two triple Lutzes in the free.
“I didn’t want to throw my first quad in during the Olympic short,” he said. “Strategically I don’t think that would be a very good move. I really want to go after it this week.”
In looking back on his career, Goebel said his first U.S. Championships experience in 1994 was “very memorable. “ I won and that was a good start to my career. It’s been a pretty methodical, steady trip up. I made the World Team in 1999 for the first time, and then Salt Lake City. I have pretty much been able to hold on to that status ever since. It’s been a wild ride.”
Experiencing the Olympics one more time has been a goal, he said.
“It was a huge honor taking part in the Opening Ceremonies at the Olympics and just everything about it,” Goebel said. “I wanted to experience that again.”
After his skating career, Goebel wants to take some time off to rest and plan out his future, which will include a college career.
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