Sochi Winter Olympics 2014

The 2014 Winter Olympics will be held in Sochi, Russia!  This worldwide event will begin in just a few days, and like always, it has quickly become a media frenzy.  From the terrorist threats that have turned this resort city into an “Iron Clad” security system, plus the exciting fact that this is the first year the Olympics will recognize female ski jumping, a bobsledding team from Jamaica, and a cross-country skiing team from Kenya  – Trust me, this year’s Olympics will definitely be a spectacle to see!

There will be a few athletes to keep your eye on, as they are expected to make some major headlines.  Mikaela Shiffrin will be representing USA for alpine skiing, and although Lindsay Vonn has been the queen of the slopes for quite some time, this young 17 year old is right on her tail; already winning two first-place finishes in the world cup.  A better-known athlete, Shawn White, is expected by everyone to win some major gold, something he’s already well versed at obtaining with his insane snowboarding skills!  In addition to those two athletes, make sure to keep an eye out for Elana Meyers for bobsledding, Meryl Davis and Charlie White for Ice Dancing, and of course Ashley Wagner for Figure Skating.  Call me biased, but these American athletes will definitely be on my must watch list!

In closing, Sochi is definitely in for a treat, hosting an Olympics is a major honor for a city.  Here in Salt Lake, the residents know all too well about the excitement of hosting the Olympic games, as we were the host city back in 2002.  Seeing the love for sports that the athletes have, bringing different people and cultures together for two weeks, the performances, and the passion involved is really a wonderful thing to experience.  So make sure to tune in to the games, leave us some comments about all the excitement, and enjoy!  Check back in for more updates on the 2014 Winter Olympics!

And of course…GO USA!

-Jessica Honeycutt