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Speed skater's success started at home with a special drive

Twice a week Heidi Krueger would drive her sons from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. for speed skating training.
John-Henry Krueger hugs his mom, Heidi. 

Mom: Heidi Krueger

Athlete: John-Henry Krueger

Sport: Short track speed skating

Skating runs in the family for Pittsburgh native John-Henry Krueger.

For the last 30 years his mother, Heidi Krueger, has taught figure skating on the same rink that her mother helped build.

She's coached hundreds of figure skaters, but two students took a different route.

Heidi Krueger, mother of speed skater John-Henry Krueger, has taught figure skating for the last 30 years on the same rink that her mother helped build.

Her son, John-Henry, and his older brother, Cole, learned the basics at mom's second home.

"The first time they got on the ice, it wasn't love at first skate," Heidi Krueger recalled.

John-Henry never did take after his mom's love of figure skating. Instead a sport Heidi knew nothing about became her boys' obsession...speed skating.

And John-Henry's road to the Olympics started with a four hour and fifteen minute commute to practice.

Twice a week she would drive her sons from suburban Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C.

Olympian John-Henry Krueger and his brother, Cole, during one of their family's drives to practice.

"They would sleep all night and I would drive home. And we'd get home probably at about 4:30 in the morning and then they would get up and go to school," Heidi described.

Those long journeys were worth it, when Heidi watched John-Henry punch his ticket to PyeongChang.

"When he crossed that line, I just bent in half and started to cry."

John-Henry Krueger hugs his mom, Heidi. 

The 22-year-old qualified for the Olympics in three individual speed skating distances.

As her son packs his bags for the Winter Olympics, Heidi is packing the same advice she's used on the ice. "Enjoy it. Embrace the experience without allowing it to derail your focus. And I guess, you know, that sounds more like a coach than a mom, doesn't it? That's so bad! You know, I put that coach hat on, that just happens. I can't help it!"

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