Antoine admires new city street bearing his last name
Team USA Skeleton racer Matt Antoine was in Prairie du Chien last week visiting family and friends before heading on to Lake Placid, N.Y., where he will begin preparing for the 2015-2016 season and the World Cup circuit. While here, he took a moment of his time to check out the new street named after him. (Photo by Correne Martin)
By Correne Martin
The Prairie du Chien Common Council decided in April to name two streets in its North Gateway Business Park after the community’s two Olympic medalists: Matt Antoine and Joe Delagrave. Antoine Way was named after the 2014 men’s skeleton bronze medalist and Delagrave Drive was chosen to honor the 2012 wheelchair rugby team bronze medalist.
While Antoine was back in Prairie du Chien last week visiting family and friends before heading to Lake Placid, N.Y., to start the 2015-2016 USA national skeleton season, he took some time to admire the street sign in his name and pose for pictures with it.
“It’s definitely an honor. It’s not something I expected,” he said. “It’s great to drive by here and see this. I’m especially proud that it’s an homage to my family, which has lots of roots in Prairie du Chien.”
City Administrator Aaron Kramer said the decision to name the two new streets in the business park after Antoine and Delagrave was the perfect fit.
“We had two streets and two Olympians. It was the easiest choice we had,” Kramer stated. “We’re proud of these men and what they’ve accomplished.”
Antoine said he recently moved from Colorado to Phoenix, Ariz., (where Delagrave also lives ironically) to be a part of the Altis elite athlete training program. “I needed a change of pace and to work with a different program,” he said. “Over the next three years, I feel it’s going to be beneficial toward my progress and getting better.”
In Lake Placid, Antoine will spend some time on the ice making training runs and otherwise preparing to race in the World Cup Nov. 23-29 in Altenberg, Germany.
Team USA is allotted two quota spots for both the women’s and men’s skeleton teams. Antoine earned a bye last season to lock up one of the men’s positions. He said most of the men’s and women’s skeleton athletes from last year have returned, except for two who retired.
