As Beijing welcomes the world for the wintry installment of back-to-back Olympics, an estimated 3,000 athletes will find themselves competing at the pinnacle of their sport. For local skiers, snowboarders, sliders, and gliders—who were too young to experience the 2002 Games in their own backyard—the Olympic dream is very much alive, even in the shadow of a pandemic. Despite truncated competition seasons, travel roadblocks, temporarily closed training facilities, and, for some, bouts with Covid, several of Park City’s own are on track for an Olympic berth in 2022.
Here, we highlight six local athletes to watch as we turn to the slopes of Zhangjiakou, the oval in Beijing, and the icy track in Yanqing this winter. Cue the cowbells!
Editor’s Note: As of press time, Team USA rosters were not yet named for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. It should be noted that prospective 2022 Olympians who call Park City home number well beyond these six.
Published in the Visit Like a Local issue of Park City Magazine.
Hometown Hopefuls: Casey Dawson, Speedskating
The Park City native and former Junior World Championship medalist pursues more U.S. distance records and his Beijing Olympic dream.
Hometown Hopefuls: Colby Stevenson, Slopestyle
Freeskier Colby Stevenson has been ripping it up on the slopestyle scene, winning comps and pushing the limits of an already extreme sport.
Hometown Hopefuls: Nick Page, Freestyle Moguls
Now in his third season on the U.S. Ski Team and ranked No. 9 in the world, FIS Rookie of the Year Nick Page is well on his way to making his Olympic dream a reality.
Hometown Hopefuls: Ashley Caldwell, Freestyle Aerials
Three-time Olympian Ashley Caldwell is known for pushing boundaries, topping podiums, and not letting any setbacks squash her passion for her sport.
Hometown Hopefuls: Ashley Farquharson & Brittney Arndt, Luge
At age 12, Farquharson and Arndt took their very first luge run on the very same track on the very same day. A decade later, they're vying for 2 of the 3 spots on the Beijing-bound USA Luge Team.
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