Katherine Reutter
Encyclopedia
Katherine Reutter is an American short track speed skater
. She is a two-time medalist (one silver, one bronze) in the Winter Olympics, 2011 overall world silver medalist and the 2010-2011 overall ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup champion.
At the 2010 Winter Olympics
, Reutter won silver in the 1000 m and bronze in the 3000 m relay. She has won one gold, two silvers, and four bronze medals at the World Championships
, including overall silver medal at the 2011 World Championships. She has also won two bronze medal at the World Team Championships
.
. Reutter was inspired to become a speed skater after meeting five-time Olympic gold medalist Bonnie Blair
at her high school. She learned to skate with her mother during a figure skating class when she was four years old, but immediately found she was more interested in speed skating. Reutter first started speed skating professionally in 2005 at the age of 17. She began training at the Olympic Training Center
in Marquette, Michigan
that year. Reutter graduated from Centennial High School in 2006. She has trained in Salt Lake City, Utah
since 2007, where she has paid for room, board, and training at her own expense.
, Reutter won a bronze medal in the 3000 m with a time of 5:46.518, finishing behind Zhou Yang and Jung Eun-Ju
.
In February 2009, Reutter completed a 1000 m race in 1:29.667 in Dresden
, Germany
. It was less than 0.2 of a second short of the world record set the previous year by Chinese
short track speed skater Wang Meng. At the 2009 World Short Track Speed Skating Team Championships, in March 2009, Reutter won a bronze medal along with Kimberly Derrick
, Alyson Dudek
, Lana Gehring
, and Jessica Smith.
Reutter won four silver medals at the 2009 Short Track Speed Skating World Cup
. She won the women's 1500 m at the 2009–10 Short Track Speed Skating World Cup
on November 7, 2009, finishing in 2:23.275, beating Cho Ha-Ri
of South Korea
. Reutter made the 2010 U.S. Olympic team after winning the 1000 and 1500 m at the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in September 2009.
with a time of 44.187. She then set an Olympic record in the first quarterfinal with a time of 43.834 but the record was beaten by Wang Meng of China
in the next heat, with a time of 43.284. Reutter started slow in the semifinals, resulting in a fourth place finish, eliminating her from medal contention. She finished seventh overall in the women's 500 m.
Reutter competed in the semifinals for the 3000 m relay
with teammates Alyson Dudek
, Allison Baver
and Kimberly Derrick
. The U.S. team qualified for the final in second place behind South Korea
with a time of 4:15.376. Reutter finished in fourth place in the 1500 m
final, behind Zhou Yang of China, with Lee Eun-Byul of South Korea in second, and Park Seung-Hi
of South Korea in third. Reutter got tangled up with Wang Meng in the semifinal, causing both skaters and Cho Ha-Ri
of South Korea to fall, resulting in Meng being disqualified from the final. Reutter repeated the same move in the final, bumping into Park, and later expressed remorse for both mistakes, stating "I think the room was there but maybe I just wasn't there. I don't know. But ... I messed up and messed up some people around me, which I'm very sorry for." In the heats of the 1000 m, Reutter set an Olympic record and finished first overall in the heats. About an hour and a half later, Reutter competed in the 3000 m relay (with Allison Baver, Alyson Dudek, Lana Gehring
) and won bronze behind China and Canada due to the disqualification of South Korea. In the final of the 1000 m, Reutter was edged out for the gold medal by Wang Meng, finishing behind her 1:29.324 to 1:29.213.
. Reutter then combined with Alyson Dudek
, Kimberly Derrick
, and Lana Gehring
in the 3000 m relay to finish third behind South Korea
and Canada
with a time of 4:14.231. Reutter also placed 6th in the 500 m, 4th in the 1500 m, and 4th in the 3000 m.
, England
, Reutter won one gold, two silvers, and one bronze. She finished second overall with 68 points. In her first event, the 1500 m, Reutter won the gold ahead of Koreans Park Seung-Hi
and Cho Ha-Ri
in a time of 2:33.978. In winning the gold, Reutter became the first American woman to win a gold medal at a World Short Track Speed Skating Championships since Bonnie Blair
did in 1986. After the 1500 m, Reutter competed in the 3000 m relay semifinals but fell during the race, resulting in the United States not advancing to the final. In her next event, the 500 m, Reutter did not advance past the semifinals, finishing 6th overall. In the 1000 m, Reutter finished in third place behind Cho Ha-Ri and Italian Arianna Fontana
in a time of 2:23.268 even though she tripped on a lane block. In her last event, the 3000 m, Reutter just missed the gold medal, finishing behind Cho Ha-Ri 5:13.677 to 5:13.353.
's The Colbert Report on December 14, 2009. Host Stephen Colbert
autographed her thigh, an idea by Reutter that initially caught the comedian off guard (Although Reutter's website suggest that it was her manager's idea and they had discussed it with Colbert beforehand). Colbert began raising funds for the U.S. Speedskating team when their sponsor, the Dutch DSB Bank
, went bankrupt.
Reutter is sponsored by U.S. Speedskating, Verizon, EyeCare 20/20, Bioenergy Ribose, Nike
, Oakley
and the Champaign Police Department, who have helped pay the costs of her training in Utah.
A magazine
advertisement of Reutter appeared in the December 2010 issue of Prepared Foods from Bioenergy Ribose congratulating Reutter on her two medals won at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Short track speed skating
Short track speed skating is a form of competitive ice speed skating. In competitions, multiple skaters skate on an oval ice track with a circumference of 111.12 m...
. She is a two-time medalist (one silver, one bronze) in the Winter Olympics, 2011 overall world silver medalist and the 2010-2011 overall ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup champion.
At the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
, Reutter won silver in the 1000 m and bronze in the 3000 m relay. She has won one gold, two silvers, and four bronze medals at the World Championships
World Short Track Speed Skating Championships
The World Short Track Speed Skating Championships are a senior international short track speed skating competition held once a year to determine the World Champion in individual distances, relays and Overall Classification...
, including overall silver medal at the 2011 World Championships. She has also won two bronze medal at the World Team Championships
World Short Track Speed Skating Team Championships
The World Short Track Speed Skating Team Championships are a professional team short track speed skating event and held once a year in a different country.Top 8 countries from Short Track World Cup Series qualify automatically...
.
Personal life
Reutter was born and raised in Champaign, IllinoisChampaign, Illinois
Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of...
. Reutter was inspired to become a speed skater after meeting five-time Olympic gold medalist Bonnie Blair
Bonnie Blair
Bonnie Kathleen Blair is a retired American speedskater. She is one of the top skaters of her time, and one of the most decorated athletes in Olympic history. Blair competed for the United States in four Olympics, and in her Olympic career won five gold medals and one bronze medal.-Career:Blair...
at her high school. She learned to skate with her mother during a figure skating class when she was four years old, but immediately found she was more interested in speed skating. Reutter first started speed skating professionally in 2005 at the age of 17. She began training at the Olympic Training Center
United States Olympic Training Center
The United States Olympic Training Centers are three campuses created by the United States Olympic Committee as training facilities for its Olympic and Paralympic athletes. They are located in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Lake Placid, New York; and Chula Vista, California. There is a U.S. Olympic...
in Marquette, Michigan
Marquette, Michigan
Marquette is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Marquette County. The population was 21,355 at the 2010 census, making it the most populated city of the Upper Peninsula. Marquette is a major port on Lake Superior, primarily for shipping iron ore and is the home of Northern...
that year. Reutter graduated from Centennial High School in 2006. She has trained in Salt Lake City, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
since 2007, where she has paid for room, board, and training at her own expense.
2008–2009
At the 2008 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships2008 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships
The 2008 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships took place between March 7 and March 9, 2008 in Gangneung City, South Korea. The World Championships are organised by the ISU which also run world cups and championships in speed skating and figure skating....
, Reutter won a bronze medal in the 3000 m with a time of 5:46.518, finishing behind Zhou Yang and Jung Eun-Ju
Jung Eun-Ju
Jung Eun-Ju is a South Korean short track speed skater.-External links:*...
.
In February 2009, Reutter completed a 1000 m race in 1:29.667 in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It was less than 0.2 of a second short of the world record set the previous year by Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
short track speed skater Wang Meng. At the 2009 World Short Track Speed Skating Team Championships, in March 2009, Reutter won a bronze medal along with Kimberly Derrick
Kimberly Derrick
Kimberly Derrick is an American short track speed skater.-Biography:Derrick graduated from Northern Michigan University with a degree in elementary education.-2006 Winter Olympics:...
, Alyson Dudek
Alyson Dudek
Alyson Dudek in is an American short track speed skater and Olympic bronze medallist.-Biography:Dudek attended Divine Savior Holy Angels High School for three and a half years. Dudek qualified for her first World Cup team while still a high school student and finished her high school education...
, Lana Gehring
Lana Gehring
Lana Gehring is an American short track speed skater.-Career:At the 2010 Winter Olympics, in Vancouver, Gehring won a bronze medal as part of the 3000 m relay team.-External links:*...
, and Jessica Smith.
Reutter won four silver medals at the 2009 Short Track Speed Skating World Cup
2009 Short Track Speed Skating World Cup
The 2008-09 Short Track Speed Skating World Cup was a multi race tournament over a season for Short track speed skating. The season began on October 18, 2008, and lasted until February 15, 2009...
. She won the women's 1500 m at the 2009–10 Short Track Speed Skating World Cup
2009–10 Short Track Speed Skating World Cup
The 2009-10 Short Track Speed Skating World Cup was a multi race tournament over a season for Short track speed skating. The season began on September 17, 2009 and lasted till November 15, 2009. The World cup was shortened this year and consisted of only 4 events due the 2010 Winter Olympics in...
on November 7, 2009, finishing in 2:23.275, beating Cho Ha-Ri
Cho Ha-Ri
Cho Ha-Ri is a short track speed skater who competes for South Korea. She is the 2011 Overall World Champion.-Career:...
of South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. Reutter made the 2010 U.S. Olympic team after winning the 1000 and 1500 m at the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in September 2009.
2010 Winter Olympics
Reutter ranked 1st in her qualifying heats for the 500 mShort track speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Women's 500 metres
The women's 500 metres in short track speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics began on 13 February, with the final held on 17 February, at the Pacific Coliseum.-Heats:-Quarterfinals:-Semifinals:-Final B :...
with a time of 44.187. She then set an Olympic record in the first quarterfinal with a time of 43.834 but the record was beaten by Wang Meng of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in the next heat, with a time of 43.284. Reutter started slow in the semifinals, resulting in a fourth place finish, eliminating her from medal contention. She finished seventh overall in the women's 500 m.
Reutter competed in the semifinals for the 3000 m relay
Short track speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Women's 3000 metre relay
The finals in the women's 3000 metre relay in short track speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics took place on 24 February, at the Pacific Coliseum. In the final, the event was won by the Chinese team, which set a new world record...
with teammates Alyson Dudek
Alyson Dudek
Alyson Dudek in is an American short track speed skater and Olympic bronze medallist.-Biography:Dudek attended Divine Savior Holy Angels High School for three and a half years. Dudek qualified for her first World Cup team while still a high school student and finished her high school education...
, Allison Baver
Allison Baver
Allison Baver is an American short track speed skater. Baver trains with the US permanent winter sports Olympic team, in Salt Lake City, Utah. In the 2005-2006 season, she was ranked third overall in the World Rankings...
and Kimberly Derrick
Kimberly Derrick
Kimberly Derrick is an American short track speed skater.-Biography:Derrick graduated from Northern Michigan University with a degree in elementary education.-2006 Winter Olympics:...
. The U.S. team qualified for the final in second place behind South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
with a time of 4:15.376. Reutter finished in fourth place in the 1500 m
Short track speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Women's 1500 metres
The women's 1500 metres in short track speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics was held on 20 February, at the Pacific Coliseum.-Heats:-Semifinals:-Final B :-Final A :-External links:...
final, behind Zhou Yang of China, with Lee Eun-Byul of South Korea in second, and Park Seung-Hi
Park Seung-Hi
Park Seung-Hi is an Korean short track speed skater. She is the 2010 Overall World Champion. She won two bronze medals at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.- 2010 Winter Olympics :...
of South Korea in third. Reutter got tangled up with Wang Meng in the semifinal, causing both skaters and Cho Ha-Ri
Cho Ha-Ri
Cho Ha-Ri is a short track speed skater who competes for South Korea. She is the 2011 Overall World Champion.-Career:...
of South Korea to fall, resulting in Meng being disqualified from the final. Reutter repeated the same move in the final, bumping into Park, and later expressed remorse for both mistakes, stating "I think the room was there but maybe I just wasn't there. I don't know. But ... I messed up and messed up some people around me, which I'm very sorry for." In the heats of the 1000 m, Reutter set an Olympic record and finished first overall in the heats. About an hour and a half later, Reutter competed in the 3000 m relay (with Allison Baver, Alyson Dudek, Lana Gehring
Lana Gehring
Lana Gehring is an American short track speed skater.-Career:At the 2010 Winter Olympics, in Vancouver, Gehring won a bronze medal as part of the 3000 m relay team.-External links:*...
) and won bronze behind China and Canada due to the disqualification of South Korea. In the final of the 1000 m, Reutter was edged out for the gold medal by Wang Meng, finishing behind her 1:29.324 to 1:29.213.
2010 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships
At the 2010 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships, in Sofia, Bulgaria, Reutter, who was fighting the flu, won bronze medals in the 1000 m and the 3000 m relay. In her first event, the 1000 m, Reutter placed third with a time of 1:31.747, finishing behind Wang Meng and Cho Ha-RiCho Ha-Ri
Cho Ha-Ri is a short track speed skater who competes for South Korea. She is the 2011 Overall World Champion.-Career:...
. Reutter then combined with Alyson Dudek
Alyson Dudek
Alyson Dudek in is an American short track speed skater and Olympic bronze medallist.-Biography:Dudek attended Divine Savior Holy Angels High School for three and a half years. Dudek qualified for her first World Cup team while still a high school student and finished her high school education...
, Kimberly Derrick
Kimberly Derrick
Kimberly Derrick is an American short track speed skater.-Biography:Derrick graduated from Northern Michigan University with a degree in elementary education.-2006 Winter Olympics:...
, and Lana Gehring
Lana Gehring
Lana Gehring is an American short track speed skater.-Career:At the 2010 Winter Olympics, in Vancouver, Gehring won a bronze medal as part of the 3000 m relay team.-External links:*...
in the 3000 m relay to finish third behind South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
with a time of 4:14.231. Reutter also placed 6th in the 500 m, 4th in the 1500 m, and 4th in the 3000 m.
2011 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships
At the 2011 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in SheffieldSheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Reutter won one gold, two silvers, and one bronze. She finished second overall with 68 points. In her first event, the 1500 m, Reutter won the gold ahead of Koreans Park Seung-Hi
Park Seung-Hi
Park Seung-Hi is an Korean short track speed skater. She is the 2010 Overall World Champion. She won two bronze medals at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.- 2010 Winter Olympics :...
and Cho Ha-Ri
Cho Ha-Ri
Cho Ha-Ri is a short track speed skater who competes for South Korea. She is the 2011 Overall World Champion.-Career:...
in a time of 2:33.978. In winning the gold, Reutter became the first American woman to win a gold medal at a World Short Track Speed Skating Championships since Bonnie Blair
Bonnie Blair
Bonnie Kathleen Blair is a retired American speedskater. She is one of the top skaters of her time, and one of the most decorated athletes in Olympic history. Blair competed for the United States in four Olympics, and in her Olympic career won five gold medals and one bronze medal.-Career:Blair...
did in 1986. After the 1500 m, Reutter competed in the 3000 m relay semifinals but fell during the race, resulting in the United States not advancing to the final. In her next event, the 500 m, Reutter did not advance past the semifinals, finishing 6th overall. In the 1000 m, Reutter finished in third place behind Cho Ha-Ri and Italian Arianna Fontana
Arianna Fontana
Arianna Fontana is an Italian short track speed skater, who won bronze in the 3000m relay at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin...
in a time of 2:23.268 even though she tripped on a lane block. In her last event, the 3000 m, Reutter just missed the gold medal, finishing behind Cho Ha-Ri 5:13.677 to 5:13.353.
Appearances and endorsements
Reutter appeared as a guest on Comedy CentralComedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
's The Colbert Report on December 14, 2009. Host Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
autographed her thigh, an idea by Reutter that initially caught the comedian off guard (Although Reutter's website suggest that it was her manager's idea and they had discussed it with Colbert beforehand). Colbert began raising funds for the U.S. Speedskating team when their sponsor, the Dutch DSB Bank
DSB Bank
DSB Bank was a Dutch bank and insurer. The company was founded in 1975 by Dirk Scheringa, a former police officer. It was originally called Buro Frisia, but in 1998 the DSB Groep was founded which included Buro Frisia...
, went bankrupt.
Reutter is sponsored by U.S. Speedskating, Verizon, EyeCare 20/20, Bioenergy Ribose, Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
, Oakley
Oakley, Inc.
Oakley, Inc., based in Foothill Ranch, California, makes sport equipment including sunglasses, sports visors, and ski goggles, as well as watches, clothing, bags, backpacks, shoes, prescription glasses, football and hockey eyewear, Golf gear and other accessories...
and the Champaign Police Department, who have helped pay the costs of her training in Utah.
A magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
advertisement of Reutter appeared in the December 2010 issue of Prepared Foods from Bioenergy Ribose congratulating Reutter on her two medals won at the 2010 Winter Olympics.