It's Not Easy for Jilleanne to Be Good

If your name is Jilleanne Rookard, it is very hard to be a great speed skater. Jilleanne surprised everyone at the U.S. Speedskating Trials in Milwaukee by winning the 5,000 meter race last Sunday as well as winning the 3,000 earlier. She claimed positions on the World Cup Team in the 1,500 and the 1,000 to qualify her to skate as many as four events in Vancouver. Her position on the Olympic Team appears to be secure after her performance at the Pettit National Ice Center, even though the Olympic team will be picked based on the results of five World Cup meets.

The hard part of this story is that Rookard, a former inline skater, is experiencing very difficult financial times since her father passed away eight years ago and now her mother has cancer. But Jilleanne is a tough inline-to-ice survivor, and hopes to find Olympic success in spite of her current circumstances.