Bay City represented again in 2014 Winter Olympics

Bay City's Alex Izykowski is going to the Winter Olympics again.  This time the Bay City native will be an assistant coach with the USA Speed Skating team in Sochi, Russia. 

The 30 year old Bay City native who was part of the 5000 meter Bronze medal speed skating relay team in Turin, Italy will be going to his 3rd Olympic games.  The son of Al and Joanne Izykowski now will serve in an official capacity as an Assistant Coach of the USA Speed Skating team.

Nagging injuries prevented Izykowski from competing again in  the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.  He had been training for 4 years but a bike accident really prevented him from competing on the world stage again.  However the U.S. Olympic team brought Izykowski along to Vancouver to assist the team in several behind the scene functions.  

Izykowski who has remained involved in the USA Speed Skating by becoming a coach of younger speed skaters in the developmental program.  These skaters then move on to compete for the U.S. Olympic Speed Skating team.

The 2014 Winter Olympics will be held in Sochi, Russia from February 6th through the 22nd.  There will be 98 events in 15 different winter sport disciplines.  Al Izykowski stated in speaking to son before leaving with the team "Alex is pumped to be taking part and looking forward to taking part in the Opening Ceremonies again representing the USA."

The Bay City area has been pretty well represented at the Winter Olympics with Essexville's Terry McDermott bringing home speedskating gold in the 1964 Olympics and then gaining a silver medal in the 1968 Olympics.  Bangor Township's John Glenn graduate Doug Sharpe won a bronze medal in the 2-man bobsled in the 2002 Winter Olympics.  All in all the Great Lakes Bay region seems to have a representative somehow in the Winter Games.