Covenant News

Covenanter in Hunt for Olympic Gold Thursday

WEST VALLEY CITY, UT (February 20, 2002) - The United States women's Olympic hockey team advanced to the gold medal game with a 4-0 semifinal victory over Sweden at the E Center Tuesday as Krissy Wendell of Redeemer Covenant Church in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, contributed two assists.

Wendell assisted on a first-period goal by Cammi Granato that put the U.S. ahead 1-0. She and Granato assisted on a third-period goal by Natalie Darwitz that closed out the scoring.

The U.S. team will play Canada Thursday in the gold medal game. Canada beat Finland 7-3 Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Amy Sannes of Salem Covenant Church in New Brighton, Minnesota, finished her 2002 Winter Olympics competition on a positive note, placing eighth in the 1,500-meter women's speedskating event Wednesday afternoon. It was the third event Sannes had competed in during this year's Olympics - she also raced in the 500 and 1,000. The St. Paul, Minnesota, resident is the daughter of Carl and Peggy Sannes.

Sannes was clocked in 1:56.29 in a competition that saw gold medalist Anni Friesinger of Germany set a world record with her 1:54.02 effort. Sannes' United States teammate, Jennifer Rodriguez, won the bronze medal with a 1:55.32 clocking. Chris Witty, who recently won the 1,000-meter race in world record time, placed fifth in the 1,500.

Olympic competition was not so kind to Covenanter Tasha Nelson, however. The 27-year-old from Mound, Minnesota, did not finish her run in the Olympic Alpine Skiing women's slalom on Wednesday.

Nelson, of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Buffalo, Minnesota, was competing in her second Olympics.

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