The following article ran in USA Today on February 1st:

U.S. Talent Flowing Out Of Lake Placid

By Meri-Jo Borzilleri, Special for USA TODAY

Before they raced for Olympic medals, Tim Burke and Bill Demong raced for lollipops as kids in Lake Placid, N.Y.

Burke, who’ll turn 28 Wednesday, led the World Cup rankings in biathlon (cross-country skiing and shooting) at one point this season. Demong, 29, is a world champion in Nordic combined (cross country and ski jumping).

They grew up 5 miles apart on the same road in Paul Smiths, N.Y., a half-hour drive from Lake Placid.

“He was probably about 10 houses down, at the most,” Demong said. “My (earliest) memories of Tim are playing horse and cops-and-robbers around the house.”

Read the full article here.