With Salt Lake City expected to host the world again for the 2034 Winter Olympics, the countdown is already on for those who expect to compete in those Games.
"This is the best place to host the Winter Olympics," said Kaysha Love, a bobsled pilot from Herriman.
Love already has her Olympic chops after competing in Beijing in 2022.
"It's every person's dream to be able to represent the greatest country, and to stand for something bigger than yourself," she said Love. "I think in every sport everyone's goal is to make it to the top, and for most sports it's the Olympics."
Riverton's Orson Colby hopes to join Love as an Olympian one day. The luge athlete is well on his way after competing in the Youth Olympic Games in South Korea earlier this year.
"It's still amazing to be able to say I am a youth Olympian," said Orson. "But to be able to up the level and compete on a higher stage is just unbelievably cool to say."
At 26 years old, Kaysha is entering the prime of her career, coming off a great World Cup season where she won two gold medals. She is focused on making the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, with the long term goal of competing in the 2034 Games when the return to Utah.
"It would be unreal," she said. "I think if you would have asked me this question maybe two to five years ago, I would have been like that's just out of reach to be able to stay at this top tier for another ten [years], but then I have ladies in my sport, and other sports around the world, are showing me that you can have families, you can be in your late 30's, even early 40's and still be at your top game.
"So, I can keep going for another 10 years and still be able to bring home medals and represent my country and the state at the best of my abilities."
As an 18-year-old member of U.S. junior national team, Colby will compete on the World Cup circuit this upcoming season. He's hoping to be on the U.S. Olympic team in 2026, but his main goal is the 2030 and 2034 Games when he would be in the prime of his career.
"Luge athletes at around 30, and then getting up into the 40 range, some people start to tap out because of the G-forces being harsh on your body, but it's still a prime age for a luge athlete," Colby explained..
If Kaysha and Orson do make it to the 2034 Olympics, they'll have a huge advantage sliding down their home track at Utah Olympic Park.
"Not everybody gets to train here, and to be able to train and get that home court advantage I think is huge," said Love. "There is just a special connection with this track, and also with the community around that I think will help give myself and other Utah athletes a special edge come the Games."
"Just going on one of my most favorite tracks in the whole wide world that I've been on, and just getting to compete on that on the Olympic level would be so cool to have that back here and just experience that," added Orson.
It will take a lot of work to be on that track in 2034, but becoming an Olympian is life changing.
"Just chasing that dream of trying to chase athletic excellence gave me a life-changing experience, and then to become an Olympian, that changed my life," said Love. "From the people and the connections that I've made, to be able to keep pursuing something that I've been chasing since I was 4 years old is just an incredible opportunity.
"You know, once you are an Olympian you are always an Olympian."
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