Team USA will bring 23 Coloradans to compete in Beijing during the 2022 Winter Olympics next month.
The Colorado Springs-based Olympic committee announced the complete national team Monday. This year’s roster includes 222 athletes from 31 states. Colorado has the second most people on the roster, behind only California.
Mikaela Shiffrin of Edwards has a chance to add to her two gold medals in alpine skiing. One more win would make her the most decorated U.S. alpine skier in history. Shiffrin will be one of 99 Team USA members going to Beijing with previous Olympic experience.
This year’s Winter Games will feature a new ski sport, known as freeski big air. Athletes, including Aspen’s Alex Ferreira, will slide down a 60-foot ramp that shoots them into the air, allowing them to perform thrilling flips and grabs in the air. The sport’s first Olympic qualifying event happened in Steamboat Springs in December.
The competition officially kicks off Feb. 2. The opening ceremony, when athletes gather to light the Olympic flame, will be held two days later. The Winter Paralympics will also start later this year, with rosters set to be announced shortly before the competition begins in March.
These are the Coloradans participating in the Winter Games and their sports:
- Nina O’Brien, Denver (alpine skiing)
- River Radamus, Edwards (alpine skiing)
- Mikaela Shiffrin, Edwards (alpine skiing)
- Hailey Swirbul, El Jebel (cross-country skiing)
- Brandon Frazier, Colorado Springs (figure skating)
- Aaron Blunck, Crested Butte (freestyle/freeski)
- Hanna Faulhaber, Basalt (freestyle/freeski)
- Alex Ferreira, Aspen (freestyle/freeski)
- Birk Irving, Winter Park (freestyle/freeski)
- Dylan Walczyk, Blue River (freestyle/freeski)
- Nicholas Shore, Denver (ice hockey)
- Nicole Hensley, Lakewood (ice hockey)
- Taylor Fletcher, Steamboat Springs (nordic combined)
- Jasper Good, Steamboat Springs (nordic combined)
- Chris Corning, Avon (snowboarding)
- Mick Dierdorff, Steamboat Springs (snowboarding)
- Lucas Foster, Telluride (snowboarding)
- Stacy Gaskill, Golden (snowboarding)
- Red Gerard, Silverthorne (snowboarding)
- Taylor Gold, Steamboat Springs (snowboarding)
- Hagen Kearney, Norwood (snowboarding)
- Meghan Tierney, Eagle (snowboarding)
- Cody Winters, Steamboat Springs (snowboarding)
Editor's note: Olympians are asked to self-identify by hometown, which is what this list is based on. Note that this could be different from their birthplace, where they grew up, or where they currently reside.
