Katherine Reutter’s Father Says She Already Has Sights Set on Olympic Gold in 2014

The father of speed skater and Champaign native Katherine Reutter says the amount of effort put into Winter Olympic events should be viewed as a victory in itself.

Jay Reutter says getting past the intensity level in Vancouver served as a wakeup call for a daughter whose highest competition prior to last month was in the 2009 Speed Skating World Cup. Before Reutter earned silver and bronze medals, she competed in the women's 1,500 meter finals, finishing fourth. Jay Reutter says getting anywhere near the top in that event is a struggle, with a lot of bumping and pushing along the way. "I was happy with the way she fought," says Reutter. "I was happy with the way she handled herself in the races. She never gave up. She fought as hard as she could, and that's all I could have ever asked of her. But it was probably significantly more intense than she was prepared for. And some of that she had to try to play down just to try to keep control and be able to perform well."

Reutter later won the bronze medal in the ladies' speed skating 3,000 meter relay, and the silver medal Friday night in the ladies' 1,000 meter race. Jay Reutter coached her daughter through much of her youth, but says he can't take sole credit. He says former Olympic figure skater Erin Gleason did some additional coaching, while Champaign Centennial High School football coach Mike McDonell helped out on Katherine's approach to sports. She graduated from Centennial High in 2006. Jay Reutter says his daughter probably won't be satisfied until she's recognized as the world's top speed skater, and already plans to start training for the 2014 Winter Games in Russia.

After winning the silver medal, Reutter told her parents she'd donate the monetary value of both her medals, about $25,000, to her parents to remodel their basement. But Jay Reutter says they won't hold her to that pledge.