HIS BOMB BURST

“I can’t wait to sing the national anthem.”

Pause.

“If anybody here has that written down, I’d love to see the words.”

That was snowboarder Adam Hostetter’s response during a news conference in Nagano last Friday when asked how he felt about competing in the Winter Olympics.

Hostetter, 23, of Tahoe City, Calif., said he never gave much thought to becoming an Olympian. Perhaps that’s the reason he never gave much thought to learning the words to “The Star Spangled Banner” until a few days ago.

As it turned out, it didn’t pose a problem for him.

His medal chances ended on the first run of the giant slalom competition Sunday, when he was disqualified for missing a gate.