Help Spotlight Mormons Competing in 2014 Winter Olympics

Contributed By By Christine Rappleye, Church News contributor

  • 9 January 2014

Utahn and skeleton rider Noelle Pikus-Pace, who is Mormon, talked to the media about wanting to compete in the 2014 Olympics during the United States Olympic Committee 2013 Media Summit at the Canyons Monday, September 30, 2013, in Park City. She competed in the 2010 Olympics in Canada.  Photo by Tom Smart, Deseret News.

From February 7 through February 23, the world spotlight will be pointed to Sochi, Russia, on the Black Sea, for the 2014 Winter Olympics as some of the best athletes skate, ski, and slide in hopes of winning a medal.

As Olympic trials are completed, the Deseret News Mormon Times would like to highlight members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who will be competing in the games.

Utahn Chris Fogt, who is a returned LDS missionary, is looking forward to Olympic bobsled during interviews at the United States Olympic Committee 2013 Media Summit at the Canyons Monday, September 30, 2013, in Park City. He competed in the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. Photo by Tom Smart, Deseret News.

Please send their names, country, and the sport they are competing in to MormonTimes@desnews.com.

In the 2010 Games in Vancouver, British Columbia, there were eight LDS athletes from three different countries on rosters.

Australian snowboarder Torah Bright took gold in the halfpipe, Canadian bobsledder David Bissett took bronze in the 4-man event, and Noelle Pikus-Place missed bronze by one-tenth of a second in the skeleton for the United States. Christian Niccum took sixth in the men’s doubles luge for the U.S.

Others competing four years ago included U.S. bobsledders Shauna Rohbock and returned missionary Chris Fogt and U.S. skiers Erik Fisher and Steven Nyman.

In the 2012 Summer Games in London, two dozen LDS athletes were on rosters and represented 10 countries.

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