The first attempt to post this entry failed yesterday, but we are going through with it nonetheless.
Alas, the United States' women's curling team had their own frustrations as they lost to Team Canada by a 9-2 margin yesterday, but that does not take away from the human interest involving American curler Tracy Sachtjen, who just turned 41 on Saturday.
Sachtjen, pictured here (it should be pointed the image of the curling team is that of Great Britian's) is the oldest member of the American Olympic delegation. The oldest male athlete is also a curler as John Benton is 40. The youngest American athlete is female aerialist skier Ashley Caldwell, a former elite gymnast, who is just 16.
The American women's curler lives in Lodi, Wisc., where she works as a sports and events coordinator at a local YMCA.
She started curling in 1982, and made her junior debut five years later.
Sachtjen's team placed sixth at an international competition in Switzerland at the 1997 curling championships. During her career, she has won one gold medal and one silver medal from competiting internationally.
On her team's web site, Sachtjen said that 2009 was an inspiritanional year for her and her curling teammates.
In her spare time, the curler enjoys playing golf and swimming.
Sachtjen is married with one daughter Sierra (16) and one son Desmon (9).
Other international curlers have unique careers away from the ice. Canadian Colleen Jones, 46, is a weather woman for Canadian television. Danish curler Angelina Jensen sells insurance.
SIDEBAR: American moguls skier Shannon Bahrke founded the Silver Bean Coffee Company with her fiance Matt Happe in Salt Lake City, Utah. Interestingly enough, though she is a skier, Bahrke professes to hating the cold!
SIDEBAR TWO: We almost profiled Sidney Crosby, the Canadian superstar hockey player for the Pittsburgh Penguins, as an American! But, in spite, Team USA pulled a shocking upset last night by defeating Canada 5-3.
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