Antoine eyes better days
PYEONGCHANG, South Korea - Matt Antoine knows now that his bronze medal from the 2014 Winter Olympics will not be elevated to silver.
That ruling came down just before the start of the Pyeongchang Games when the Court of Arbitration for Sport issued a split decision of sorts pertaining to Russian athletes accused of doping violations. CAS overturned lifetime bans on reinstated 2014 Olympic medals for 28 Russians, including skeleton gold medalist Alexander Tretiakov, leaving Antoine as bronze medalist from the Sochi Olympics.
Tretiakov, though, was among 47 Russians whose appeal to be allowed to compete in Pyeongchang was dismissed by CAS. So the two-time Olympic medalist will not be among those blocking Antoine’s path to a second medal. Skeleton competition takes place on Thursday and Friday, with two runs each day.
“It’s something I’ve been able to separate going into the competition,” Antoine said. “Whatever happens, I have no control over at this point. Obviously I have a lot of opinions on it that I’ve expressed, but I can’t change anything.”
What will matter is how well Antoine, 32, has done revamping his sled to turn around a disappointing World Cup season – eighth place overall and no finishes higher than seventh.
Antoine realized halfway through that he needed to make equipment changes normally reserved for the off season. The payoff, if there is to be one will be on the biggest stage. He was 13th, 10th and ninth in World Cup races during January.
“Really every year since 2011 I’ve been on a different sled,” Antoine said. “It’s something I’m used to. I’m experienced enough in the sport that I have confidence I can make that change and still be able to be successful.”
Antoine has lived in Arizona since 2015, remodeling his Phoenix home when he’s in town – “I bought the ugliest house on the block” – and working out at Zone Athletic Performance in Scottsdale. He originally is from Prairie du Chien, Wis., where his mother still lives and takes care of his golden retriever Dixie when Matt is competing around the world.
Antoine trained in Calgary for a week before coming to Korea and is pleased with his start times there and in the last three World Cups.
“Everything is peaking in the right direction,” he said. “We think we’ve got a really good equipment set-up here. I really do feel like I’m trending in the right direction.
“No one really remembers what result you took in the fifth World Cup race of the season, but they’ll remember what you did at the Olympics.”