Today’s Video: Mexico’s Paralympics hope

Tonight we end our video theme of Latino and Latin American athletes who will be competing at this month’s Winter Games with a look at the Paralympics.

This tenth version of the Winter Paralympics will be held next month in Vancouver and will include sports such as wheelchair curling and sledge hockey. The lone Latin American representatives come from Mexico: alpine skiers Arly Velásquez and Armando Ruiz. Both will compete in the slalom and giant slalom and, as you can see in the following video, Ruiz demonstrates his prowess on the “monoski”:

This week’s videos:

• Monday – Hubertus von Hohenlohe (Mexico)
• Tuesday – Isabel Clark Rebeiro (Brazil)
• Wednesday – Errol Kerr (Jamaica)
• Thursday – Jennifer Rodriguez (U.S.)
  

Online Sources- The Latin Americanist, El Universal, Vancouver 2010 Paralympics, YouTube

Today’s Video: "Miami Ice"

Over the past three days we’ve highlighted athletes from Mexico, Brazil, and Jamaica who will be competing at this year’s Winter Games. Tonight we’re going to take a quick look at U.S. speed skater Jennifer Rodriguez.

The Cuban-American speed skater reportedly nicknamed "Miami Ice" won several titles and two gold medals before retiring in 2006. Yet the 33-year-old returned to the sport in 2008 and she’s a favorite to reach the medal stand in Vancouver.

In the following interview, Rodriguez discusses how she became a speed skater despite being raised in Miami as well as her impact on the Latino community:

Online Sources- Wikipedia, YouTube, U.S. Speedskating, The Latin Americanist