‘Grandma’ Claudia Pechstein skates into 8th Olympics

By BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer

Claudia Pechstein is decades into a decorated speedskating career and she’s still achieving firsts. The 49-year-old German skater will become the oldest woman to compete at a Winter Olympics in Beijing and the second athlete, and only woman, to compete in eight Winter Games. Pechstein is a five-time Olympic champion who will turn 50 on Feb. 22, two days after the closing ceremony in Beijing. Pechstein served a two-year doping suspension that kept her off the ice until 2011. She continues to battle in court over an arbitration process that she believes is unfair to athletes.