July 25, 1996
Dubnicoff armed with fiery will
By KEN FIDLIN -- At The Olympics
STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. -- It's been three years since Tanya Dubnicoff ruled women's sprint cycling, but it's not for lack of confidence.
The 26-year-old former world champion from Winnipeg breezed into the Olympic preliminary, qualifying eighth in a time trial yesterday.
She'll go head to head with Yan Wang, of China, the fifth qualifier, in today's race and isn't a bit shy about her chances.
"I can beat this girl," Dubnicoff said. "I know I can. And I will."
Now, c'mon Tanya stop beating around the bush. Spit it out.
Dubnicoff's timed lap on the 250-metre Olympic Velodrome was 11.566, about one-third of a second slower than No. 1 seed Michelle Ferris of Australia, who set an Olympic record at 11.212.
Yan stopped the timer at 11.519 but failed to impress the Canadian.
"I wanted to go faster and I think I could have," Dubnicoff said. "But my preparation lap was a little quick. I like the track and I think it suits my strength and ability."
The sprint match races are over in a heartbeat. Not unlike the 100-metre dash in track, if you blink, you'll miss it.
MODEST SUCCESS
"You just need to know one thing," Dubnicoff said. "The person who goes into the third turn first (50 metres from the finish) will win."
Ferris had been watching minutes before her race when fellow Australian and defending world champion Shane Kelly lost a toe clip and his balance at the start of what should have been a breeze for him in the men's one-kilometre time trial.
"It's one of those accidents that haunts your dreams," Ferris said. "I felt so badly for him and I think in a way it gave me some motivation."
Dubnicoff more or less burst upon cycling's international elite in 1993 by winning the world title at the age of 23. Since then, she has had some modest success, including a Commonwealth Games gold in 1994 and a Pan-Am Games gold in 1995. However, she has never been able to regain her edge, finishing second at the world championships last year.
"I came on the scene so quick," she reflected yesterday. "Maybe almost too fast. Maybe I wasn't ready for it."
Perhaps, but there have been some serious distractions in her life, including a controversy surrounding her former coach and a brush with what could have been a tragic medical problem last year.
Her former coach, Des Dickie, was suspended for alleged misconduct, including inappropriate sexual behavior, a charge that Dubnicoff found unbelievable. She has supported Dickie's side of the argument.
Back in the spring of 1995, just after her Pan-Am win, Dubnicoff attended a training camp at the Cuban team velodrome near Havana.
A few days into the camp, the Winnipeg native began experiencing excruciatingly painful stomach cramps. A doctor at the camp suspected some type of tropical virus and prescribed medication.
It didn't help. Dubnicoff couldn't keep the medicine down, let alone anything else. In a span of a couple of days, she lost about 10 pounds and her condition continued to degenerate. Canadian officials decided to get her home for treatment.
In the absence of any available direct flights, Dubnicoff managed to line up a flight to Canada via Miami, but the U.S. immigration department dusted that option.
On top of the routine hassles travelling to the U.S. from Cuba, Dubnicoff was told she would have to sign a statement supporting the U.S. boycott against Cuba - a ridiculous proposition considering she had trained there.
Finally, three days after first attempting to make her escape home, Dubnicoff, with the help of the Canadian Cycling Association, Sport Canada and the Canadian embassy in Havana, secured a flight via Jamaica and Toronto.
BLEEDING ULCER
Almost immediately after being checked into the hospital, doctors diagnosed a bleeding ulcer. Treatment was swift and successful. Canadian team officials shudder over what might have happened if their prize athlete had to wait much longer for treatment.
Dubnicoff is delightfully cocky, hard as nails. She revels in the gamesmanship and the tension of a big event.
"This is where the fun begins," she said after yesterday's qualifier. "No matter who you race against, it's a real tough fight. At the last Olympics, Erika Salumae qualified seventh and won the gold. It's just a matter of taking control of what you can do.
"This thing is not over yet. Not by a long shot."
