Well-Seasoned: Aerials Skier Named Winter To Fly At Olympics
Feb 11, 2022, 11:10 AM
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
ZHANGJIAKOU, China (AP) — American freestyle skier Winter Vinecki is set to become the first athlete with the first name Winter to compete at the Winter Games.
It’s just another in a long line of notable accomplishments for the 23-year-old who hunts and fishes, grows her own vegetables, launched her own foundation dedicated to her late father, has run a marathon on all seven continents and just so happens to fly high over the snow.
Here to support ❤️ #Beijing2022@AshleySkis, @WinterVinecki, Megan Nick, and Kaila Kuhn 👋 pic.twitter.com/2AemB5vyvp
— U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team (@usskiteam) February 10, 2022
She’s trying to become the first American woman to take home an Olympic medal in the aerials individual competition since Nikki Stone’s gold in 1998.
She became the youngest person to complete a marathon on all seven continents before turning 15 years old! 🗺️
Meet @TeamUSA aerial skier @WinterVinecki who will be flipping and twisting her way to the 2022 #WinterOlympics. @usskiteam pic.twitter.com/2mVpdoyBS4
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) January 23, 2022
The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics
Just a year after Japan’s summer Olympics, the Games are back for a winter show in Beijing, China. The unusually short gap between Games is due to the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Strict precautions and enforced virus prevention protocol are in place to help keep athletes, coaches and personnel safe.
Beijing is the capital of China, with a population of more than 20 million people and the first city to host both a Summer and Winter Olympic games. It is one of the largest cities in the world and 15 hours ahead of Mountain Time. There are 13 different venues in and around Beijing that will be used for the Winter Olympics. A total of 109 events will be held in 15 different sports, and there will be a lot of Utah locals competing for medals. Keep up to date with them at our Olympic headquarters.
Follow along on social for Olympic stories, news and medal updates.
Follow our Olympic team for special coverage and exclusive content.