Clan-Members » me struggling.Before I do a ro

MOUNT TREBEVIC, Bosnia-Herzegovina -- Sports enthusiasts and former athletes in Bosnia have taken it upon themselves to reclaim some of the glory Sarajevo savored as host of the 1984 Olympics -- and in the process rekindled the flame of international cooperation.Since the country lacks the resources to rebuild the Olympic facilities that were destroyed in the deadly war that followed the breakup of Yugoslavia, volunteers bought tools, rolled up their sleeves and got to work.At first, they planned to restore the bobsled and luge track on Mount Trebevic just so it could be used by the Bosnian national team for summer training. But the previously abandoned facility became a draw for athletes from throughout Europe.We bought some tools with our own money and started cleaning the track from vegetation, debris and mud, Senad Omanovic, the head of Bosnias Bobsleigh Federation, recalled. We had trees growing out of the track.The 1992-95 Bosnian war was the most brutal conflict on European soil since World War II. It took over 100,000 lives and turned more than half the population into refugees.It also trashed the decade-old Olympic facilities on the mountains around Sarajevo, venues residents once proudly looked up to from downtown as symbols of one of the citys most glorious moments. During the war, Sarajevans hid from the artillery and snipers Bosnian Serbs had placed on the Dinaric Alps.War turned the bobsled and luge track on Mount Trebevic, overlooking Sarajevo, into a concrete skeleton that eventually became covered with graffiti and trash. Little remains of the ski-jump facilities on Mount Igman, another site of fierce fighting. The mens downhill courses on Bjelasnica were resurrected as the citys main ski resort, but only after the land mines around them were cleared.It took Omanovic and his teammates years to clean the bob- and luge track where in 1984 teams from the German Democratic Republic took the gold and silver medals. They could only approach the Trebevic track after mine-removal experts cleared its entire length.As word spread through Eastern Europe that the Olympic track had been fixed up, teams in other countries approached Omanovic to ask about practicing there. The first was from Slovakia.Omanovic recalled frankly telling the Slovaks the facility lacked locker rooms, timing sensors and even toilets. They insisted the Sarajevo track, despite its rough history and condition, was among the best of the nine tracks available around the world for summer training.Tackling the course on wheeled equipment, racers can achieve speeds of 130 kilometers (81 miles) per hour. After Slovakia, teams from Poland, Turkey, Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia followed.So this became a regional training center, said Omanovic, who now hopes the track will one day achieve its old glory.Jacob Simonek, a member of the Slovakian team that has practiced in Sarajevo six times now, said the track was a bit bumpy but good despite its age and battle scars.On the other end of town, the ski-jump facilities on Mount Igman still stand as sad relics of war.Selver Merdanovic, a former ski jumper for Bosnia, has started working to revive the two small jumps so the 15 children from his club team can practice there. Rebuilding the high jumps, an expensive endeavor, remains a distance dream.Im trying to return this sport to Bosnia, Merdanovic said. I wish this to be my legacy.---Aida Cerkez in Sarajevo contributed to this story. Pedro Jersey . LOUIS -- Lance Lynn was one of the more enthusiastic participants as the St. Willy Caballero Chelsea Jersey . - The Washington Redskins have cut defensive lineman Adam Carriker and punter Sav Rocca. http://www.chelseasoccerjerseysonline.com/womens-victor-moses-chelsea-jersey/ . Colin Wilson had two goals and an assist, and Mike Fisher scored a goal and helped set up two others in the Predators 6-4 victory over the Red Wings on Monday night. Mateo Kovacic Chelsea Jersey . Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan scored shootout goals, and backup goalie Cam Talbot earned his second win in two nights as the Rangers shook off a late tying tally and beat the Maple Leafs 2-1 Monday night. Olivier Giroud Jersey . It was the kind of score that might make everyone else wonder which course he was playing. Except that Graeme McDowell saw the whole thing. Crouched behind the 10th green at Sheshan International, McDowell looked over at the powerful American and said, "Ive probably seen 18 of the best drives Ive seen all year in the last two days. Gabby Douglas won the Olympic all-around title in 2012 as a 16-year-old, then took a two-year break from the sport after London to pursue endorsements and other opportunities. Now shes back -- with a reality TV show and a Barbie doll in her likeness -- and shes hoping for a chance to defend her all-around title at the Rio Olympics. But it wont be easy. U.S. teammate Simone Biles is the hands-down favorite for all-around gold after winning the last three straight world all-around titles, and Douglas path to the Olympic team was a tricky one, with inconsistent performances at U.S. nationals and Olympic trials. Shell have to make the U.S. team lineup on all four events in the qualifications on Sunday in order to have a chance to qualify into the all-around, and thats not a given.Douglas has never been afraid to voice her biggest dreams, though, and just getting to Rio has been one of them. She talked to us about her comeback, her goals for the Olympics and how she handles the enormous pressure of the spotlight.Im a different gymnast than I was in 2012. Maturing over the years and the competitive experience Ive had is going to help me in Rio. I know the process and what the journey is like. Im just more confident, more bold and more aggressive going into routines and skills. Im physically and mentally a little bit stronger this time than last time.But in some ways, it all kind of feels the same as it did before London. Competing feels the same, and I feel like I know what to expect.This U.S. team is the team to beat. We are experienced, we know what to do and we are going for gold. Even Laurie Hernandez?--?whos the youngest, and 16 like I was last time -- shes confident already. Im like, Girl, yes, youve got it. This is going to be so easy for you. I love pumping the younger girls up and filling them with energy because I used to be there when I was younger, looking for advice.I got advice from everybody in the lead-up to 2012: my siblings, my moms, my coaches, my friends, other gymnasts. Alicia Sacramone and Dominique Dawes helped me along the way too. Older gymnasts would tell me to go out there and enjoy the moment. I was so bouncy, and Id always go out of bounds, so they told me to calm down, take it one step at a time and dont let the pressure get to you. And, to have fun! Easier said than done.Competing on beam in the 2012 team finals was the most nerve-wracking time of my life. I was so nervous. My beam had been inconsistent, and I wasnt supposed to be on beam for finals, but Martha Karolyi, the head coordinator of the U.S. gymnastics team, switched the lineup. She put me in instead of Jordyn Wieber because I had done really well in prelims. After bars though, I thought, I dont know if I can do this. What if I fall? What if I cost USA the gold medal? Put Jordyn back in on beam!But at that point, even if she wanted to, Martha couldnt because the lineeup was already set, and you cant change it.dddddddddddd So I looked to Aly Raisman and was like, I cant do this. I dont know if I can. I was freaking out. She was like, Gabby, be quiet. Just... no. You got it. Youve been looking so good in training. Youve got this. So she calmed me down, and then I started to believe again.I felt so good when I hit that beam routine. And it was a good thing I didnt fall because that would have been really bad! I was glad I could deliver. Needless to say, its really special that Aly is on the team again with me. We shared a lot in London, and were ready to do it all over again in Rio.There have been tough days this time around, definitely. But thats with anything. Experiences like that one from London have made this comeback much easier. Yes, I had some mistakes at Olympic trials. But my confidence is really good. Its so amazing that everyone believes in me. I feel like I have a lot of people in my camp.I felt the pressure more this time at Olympic trials than last time in 2012. I didnt expect that. But I have a plan going into Rio. Im going to focus on how every turn counts and work on the mental game. I think physically Im good, but mentally I needed some more preparation. I need to not let anything get to me and to fight for every skill.The wait for the Olympic team to be named was extremely hard -- it was five minutes, but it felt like an hour. It was very emotional for everybody. The suspeeeeeeense! And then, I just was so happy when I was named to the team.I dont look at all of this as pressure; I look at it as a great opportunity. My mind feels right, my body feels good and this is an amazing opportunity I have to compete at another Games. At least thats what I try to say to myself! When the doubt starts to get to me, I like to meditate on Scripture, and when I see my teammates, it also helps me realize sometimes that I need to get my game up. I cant let them see me struggling.Before I do a routine in a meet, I give myself a little pep talk. I say, I can do this one, right now. Ive done so many before. Its the scariest time right then, because theres no turning back!My goal is still to repeat as Olympic champion. I want to defend my title in the all-around. No U.S. gymnast has ever done it before. So I aim to do the impossible.When I look back at my comeback, Im most proud of staying with it. Whatever happens in Rio, I already feel like this comeback has been a success. I went to another world championships after being out for two years, and came in second all-around. I got to do the American Cup earlier this year -- this competition that I always wanted to do since I was a little girl. Im already feeling successful. To have more titles under my belt would just be icing on the cake. ' ' '