There’s just one day remaining until the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, and with that we look at the athletes who make up the one and only Team USA.
Once again, the U.S. will send the largest delegation of any nation, the 244 athletes an increase of 14 over what Team USA sent to Sochi in 2014. It is the largest number of athletes from one nation ever to participate in the Olympic Winter Games.
The roster includes 135 men and 109 women competing across seven sports and 15 disciplines. Colorado leads the way in terms of state representation with 31 athletes, followed by California with 22. A total of 31 states are represented on the U.S. roster.
Of the 243 athletes, 103 are returning Olympians, while 141 will be competing for the first time. There are three five-time Olympians on the roster, 37 medalists, 10 Olympic champions and five defending gold medalists.
Hockey has the largest number of athletes at 48, followed by freestyle skiing with 29 and snowboarding with 26. Skeleton has the fewest athletes, with four, while Nordic combined has five.
Men’s ice hockey player Brian Gionta, who will be competing in the Olympics for the second time and the first since 2006, holds the distinction of being the oldest member of Team USA this year at 39 years old. Figure skater Vincent Zhou is one of six 17-year-olds, and is the youngest athlete on the team. The average age of the 2018 U.S. Olympian is 26.5 years.
Seven sets of siblings including one set of twins — women’s ice hockey players Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson and Monique Lamoureux-Morando — will compete, in addition to one married couple, pairs figure skaters Alexa Scimeca-Knierim and Chris Knierim, who are the first husband and wife to compete for the U.S. since 2006.
Snowboarder Kelly Clark is the most decorated female athlete competing for the U.S., with three medals including one gold, and speedskater Shani Davis is the most decorated male athlete with four medals and two golds.
Each and every one will be worth keeping an eye on as the Games begin tomorrow.
Karen Price is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has covered Olympic sports for various publications. She is a freelance contributor to TeamUSA.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.
