SALT LAKE CITY — Olympic champions are sharing their stories with Utah elementary students, hoping to inspire the next generation of athletes who will come of age just as the 2034 Winter Olympics arrive in their home state.
When the Olympics are held in Utah in 2034, current 4th graders will be graduating from high school. This timing makes them the perfect students to learn about working toward goals that sometimes end with gold.
At Guadalupe School, students listened intently as Olympic legends shared their experiences and wisdom. "It's the athlete against the mountain, it's the athlete against gravity, it's the athlete against themselves," said Doug Lewis, who competed in the 1984 and 1988 Olympics.
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Lewis loves sharing his Olympic stories with young audiences. "Olympians come from within themselves so if you can light that fire in a kid and just start their engine, start that work ethic, inspire them to go after that dream, there is nothing better than that," Lewis said.
Lewis was joined by Tristan Gale, who won gold in skeleton at the 2002 Salt Lake Games. She believes the Olympics present Utah youth with unmatched opportunities. "When you grow up in Utah, because every venue is here, you can try all of it," Gale said.
The Olympians want kids to know that anything is possible. Chris Mazdzer proved that in 2018 when his silver medal in luge made history.
"I am actually the only non-European man to medal in the men's luge," Mazdzer said.
His achievement demonstrates that Olympic dreams can come from anywhere. "100 percent an Olympian can come from anywhere," Mazdzer said.
That's the lesson PE teacher Amber Rigdon hoped students would learn when she invited the Olympians to her class. "I really stress they train for years, they don't just go out there and do it. They train super hard," Rigdon said.
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Great results aren't given - they are earned. When 4th grader Brentley was asked how hard someone has to work to get a gold medal, he understood the commitment required. "Really hard," he said. "Years!"
The message wasn't lost on these 4th graders who may go for gold in eight years. "When you try and keep working on it you'll achieve it," said Sofia, another 4th-grade student.
Utah 2034 organized the meeting with Olympic athletes at Guadalupe School.
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