Back in the saddle

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Sep 13, 2006 | by MERI-JO BORZILLERI THE GAZETTE

But there has been an emotional toll from the stalking. Taormina receives counseling from a sports psychologist and is slowly rebuilding relationships.

Taormina says her best strategy to defend herself is to go on the offensive. She wants to get the word out about Conyers.

"Part of why other athletes need to know about him is this guy just wants to live the life of being a pro, Olympic athlete," she said. "So this being the Olympic Training Center is a place he wants to be, to hang out and interact with the athletes here."

ATHLETES AND STALKING

SHEILA TAORMINA

Birth date: March 18, 1969

Hometown: Colorado Springs

Achievements: 1996 Olympics, gold medalist, swimming, 800 freestyle relay; 2000 Olympics, sixth place, triathlon; 2004 world champion, triathlon; 2004 Olympics, 23rd place, triathlon

JAMES EARNEST CONYERS

Offense: Aggravated stalking

Scheduled release from prison: Feb. 8, 2008

Birth date: Dec. 30, 1967

Height, weight: 6-0, 200 pounds Race: Black

Hair: Brown

Eyes: Green

Tattoos: As of 2003, Conyers' tattoos on his right arm included one that says "ITU World Cup" and another that said "US PRO," except the "US" is crossed out and "FRANCE" is written below.

FEMALE ATHLETES AND THEIR STALKERS:

2005 -- Tennis player Anna Kournikova. William Lepeska, a 40- year-old homeless man, swam naked across Biscayne Bay and wound up on the lawn of a Kournikova's neighbor.

2002-2003 -- Triathlete Sheila Taormina. James E. Conyers said he was a pro triathlete when he called asking Taormina for training tips. Days later, he wrote to Taormina saying he wanted her to have his baby.

2001 -- Tennis player Serena Williams. Albrecht Stromeyer, 34, is arrested at Wimbledon and later at the U.S. Open after following Williams to tournaments throughout Europe

2001 -- WNBA player Lauren Jackson. Unknown man sent love letters that "made your skin crawl," said Jackson, who changed her phone number numerous times and considered quitting basketball.

1998 -- Gymnast Shannon Miller. Former Oklahoma classmate kept 115 newspaper and magazine clippings, along with 15 videotapes of Miller.

1995 -- Golfer Laura Davies. Henry Lee, a Vancouver surgeon, stalked Davies for more than a decade. 1995 -- Golfer Michelle McGann. Patrick Hallett, a former caddie, was arrested near McGann's Florida home.

1993 -- Monica Seles. Gunter Parche, an unemployed German lathe operator, stabbed Seles as she sat in a courtside chair during a changeover. Parche said he wanted Steffi Graf to reclaim the No. 1 ranking from Seles.

1993 -- Swimmer Summer Sanders. Mason Crist, who was not over a breakup with a college girlfriend 16 years earlier, was arrested on Sanders' family porch.

1992 -- Figure skater Katarina Witt. Harry Veltman III, diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic, believed he was married to Witt.

Others who have been stalked: Golfer Annika Sorenstam; Olympians Janet Evans, Gabrielle Reese and Paralympian Aimee Mullins; basketball players Jamila Wideman and Kyra Elzy

SOURCE: ESPN.com

NOTE: For information on stalking: Colorado Springs Police Department, 911 (emergencies only) or 719-444-7000 (non- emergencies); TESSA's crisis line at 633-3819; or the National Center for Victims of Crime Hotline, Stalking Resource Center, 800- FYI-CALL or check www.ncvc.org