Cranston's Castelli Picked to Skate Thursday Olympic Event

While most American Olympic fans were sleeping, Simon Shnapir and Marissa Castelli were receiving exciting news in Russia.

Castelli, a Cranston native and Shnapir, a Sudbury resident, were selected to the United States roster for the team figure skating event that begins on Thursday night in Sochi.

The announcement was posted around 1:15 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, according to a report on NBCOlympics.com. 

Cranston residents can watch their local skater Thursday night in primetime. The team figure skating event airs during the 8 p.m. time slot of Olympic coverage on NBC.

Medals for the team figure skating event will be awarded on Sunday. Experts list Team Canada as the favorite while Russia is expected to challenge for the gold.

Check back with Cranston Patch for updates on Castelli and Shnapir's performance during the Olympics.