Multiple athletes grew up on farms
During the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, Italy, about 3,000 athletes from 90 countries will test their mettle against one another in the quest for gold medals.
As it turns out, multiple Olympians have ties to agriculture.
With that at top of mind, here are some athletes to watch who are helping to represent ag on the biggest sports stage.
Ryan Cochran-Siegle, a silver medallist in Beijing 2022, will represent the U.S. in alpine skiing, as well as his family’s maple syrup operation.
His cousins own Slopeside Syrup in Richmond, Vt., where Ryan helps with production including pulling taps and processing sap.
“I put maple syrup on everything,” Cochran-Siegle said in an interview before the 2022 games that also tested his tastebuds in a blind syrup taste test.
Also representing the U.S. and ag is Jordan Stolz, a speedskater from Kewaskum, Wis.
He grew up on his family’s 65-acre farm where his parents bred deer and elk and sold the stock.
“It’s pretty cool having a tame deer walking in and out of your house,” Jordan told NBC in January. “Not something everybody experiences, right?”
In women’s hockey, Jenni Hiirikoski, the captain of the Finnish national team, grew up on her family’s farm in Lempäälä.
A short video in 2022 followed her back to the farm as she discussed the challenges she faced from playing with boys to managing injuries.
At least one athlete from New Zealand is from a farm too.
James Becker, who will compete in curling, grew up on a farm in Patearoa where his family raised sheep and beef.
A Chinese athlete will also represent her ag upbringing during the Olympics.
Cidan Yuzhen, a ski mountaineering athlete, grew up on her family’s farm where she herded sheep and harvested barley as a child.
If that’s not enough Olympic ag coverage for you, here are some additional ties to ag.
- The ingredients in the Olympic torch’s biofuel include ag residue, animal fat, and used cooking oil.
- A policy at the Games dictates unconsumed food waste unsuitable for human consumption will be diverted for animal feed.
- Keely Cashman, an alpine skier for Team USA, is from Strawberry, Calif.
- Figure skater Emilea Zingas was born and raised in Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.
- Shaniko Wool Company from Oregon is providing the wool for Team USA’s Olympic uniforms.
More Olympic ties to ag can be found here.