A World Cup full of memorable moments was also marked by exclusion, exploitation and unprecedented political meddling, writes JAMES NALTON
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Smeding looking to put long-track speed-skating in limelight at Olympics
From Barry McGuigan and Carl Frampton to Tyrone McKenna and Lewis Crocker, the city’s fighters carry a complex history into the ring, writes JOHN WIGHT
ELLIA SMEDING hopes to inspire a new generation of “control freaks” as she prepares to become the first female long-track speed-skater for 42 years to represent Great Britain at an Olympic Games.
The last British long-tracker to grace the Olympic Oval was Craig McNicoll in 1992, where Robin Cousins reigned supreme and Torvill and Dean were inexperienced also-rans.
The 23-year-old Smeding said it never crossed her mind to pursue the more available route into the unpredictable world of short-track, with which the nation is more readily associated.
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