Many U students volunteered for the Games or attended an event, but only four actually competed as Olympians. Two of those four went on to get the silver, giving the U as many medals as Australia, Poland, Japan, Spain and the Czech Republic each had.
Shannon Bahrke
Some U students pride themselves on earning scholarships or making the dean’s list?only one can claim bringing home the first U.S. medal of the 2002 Olympics.
Shannon Bahrke, a freshman studying pharmacy at the U, took home a silver medal in women’s freestyle moguls.
“This has been the most amazing experience of my life. These will definitely be the most amazing memories of my life,” she said. “I didn’t even realize it was the first American medal until people told me, it is a huge honor because the team had so much success with 34 medals.”
Although Bahrke is a medal winning Olympian, she is still a student. She would like to finish school, but she realizes she won’t do it in a typical four-year schedule.
“I’ve gone to the U for three semesters over three years,” she said. “Skiing has been my main focus, and with my training time, I just haven’t been able to attend.”
The last time Bahrke took classes at the U was the Fall Semester of 2000.
“Being at the U is so busy, I’m usually doing other things at the same time,” she said. “I have a job and I train for three hours a day.”
However, the college experience is something Bahrke wants.
“I haven’t gotten the full experience of going to college, but I’m trying to chip away at what I can do,” she said. “I moved here because it’s close to a good school and great training facilities, which allowed me to do everything I wanted.”
Bahrke’s training paid off, and having a home-court advantage helped too.
“For some people [being at home] can be a detriment while others can really use the energy,” she said. “I definitely used the energy.”
Bahrke loves having fans cheer her on, especially Americans.
“There are no other fans like American fans,” she said. “I’ll never forget standing at the top of the run and seeing 15,000 people cheering. It was amazing. I definitely benefitted from the crowd.”
Bahrke plans to return to the U next fall, but for now will finish out the season with the U.S. Ski Team.
“Right now, I’m going to the Grammy’s, and then I’m flying from there to Japan, then Finland, then National’s and then to the beach where it’s warm,” she said.
Joe Pack
The decision to go to college or enter the work force after high school can be difficult?the decision between college and the Olympics can be even harder.
Joe Pack, silver medalist in men’s freestyle aerials and U freshman, feels he made the right decision.
“My experience at the U was great, but training is a full time job,” Pack said. “It was a tough decision, but I talked to my parents and they supported me, but now I want to go back.”
Pack felt he couldn’t dedicate himself fully to both training and school.
“I believe in doing things to the fullest, and I couldn’t do both at the same time,” he said. “I had to quit, but I want to get back very soon.”
Pack plans to pursue a business degree.
“It’s just something to go after,” he said. “I will probably own a company someday.”
Although Pack has a strong desire to return to the U, he needs to look at his future first.
“[Training has] been a full time job up to this point, but now I just need to sit back and re-evaluate what I’m doing,” he said. “I would love to go back tomorrow?as soon as I can.”
Pack likes the U because of its location.
“The U is close. It’s only a half-hour away from my house,” the Park City resident said.
Pack recalled his semester at the U. He came because he injured his knee and couldn’t train. He remembered hobbling around on crutches at the beginning of Spring Semester, and then standing in the same place as he marched into Rice Eccles Stadium for the Opening Ceremony.
“I just remember as a student looking around and saying ‘wow,’ and then as an Olympian looking around and saying the same thing,” he said.
Torin Koos
Olympic competitor and U student Torin Koos enjoyed competing in the Games although he didn’t do as well as he wanted to.
Koos, a junior studying pre architecture, placed 37th in the men’s cross country sprint qualifier.
“It’s been a really good experience,” he said. “But I wasn’t satisfied with that result. It wasn’t a bad place to be, I don’t really have an excuse or reason why I finished 37th. There were just 36 better guys out there that day.”
Regardless of his finish, Koos thought the experience was great.
“The Opening Ceremony was quite a spectacle, and racing was the biggest thrill,” he said. “It was an eye-opening experience?the sheer electricity on the course with 15,000 people cheering me on.”
Because of Koos’ age, this probably won’t be his last Olympics.
“Twenty-one is young for a cross-country skier, most guys don’t peak until they’re 30,” he said.
Koos credits the U ski team for pushing him toward Olympic competition.
“The U ski team really got the ball rolling in this direction,” he said. “I wouldn’t have made the team without the support being a college athlete has afforded me. [U ski coach] Kevin Sweeney has helped me a lot.”
While Koos enjoyed the fans, he didn’t meet many athletes from other countries.
“There wasn’t a huge amount of interaction among members of different national teams,” he said. “There was no great Olympic bonding or anything.”
Koos stayed in the Olympic Village for one night, and spent the rest of the time before his competition in Midway. He enjoyed both locations.
“I lived in the dorms last year, the buildings are all the same, but there are so many people around and so much craziness,” he said. “You can get a free cup of coffee or go to the salon and get your nails done if you want to.”
Midway was calmer, but still very enjoyable.
“It was really good, there was basically the U.S. athletes house, and I got to talk to some of the people I knew,” he said.
Although the Olympics ended Feb. 24, he will compete in the NCAA Western Regional in Anchorage, AL, on Feb. 27 and 28.
“I’ve had so much buildup this season, now I don’t really have that expectation of how I should do,” he said. “Now I just want to race for the excitement of racing.”
Kristina Joder
Kristina Joder finished her parks, recreation and tourism degree in December, and then competed in the Games two months later.
The cross country skier finished 48th in the sprint qualifiers and 54th in the women’s 15k.
“I didn’t go in with any expectations,” she said. “I felt OK with my finish, but they weren’t peak performances.”
Regardless of her performance, she loved the crowds.
“These competitions were so different because there were 20,000 people cheering you on,” she said. “It was an experience?it was huge.”
Joder realizes she is young for a cross country Olympic competitor, and is looking forward to future Games.
“Most women peak between 28 and 32, but there were women at the top of the field who were 35,” the 23-year-old said. “I plan on competing in four years, but I’ll still be young then.”
The U has definitely influenced her skiing, especially Sweeney.
“Kevin has been the biggest supporter,” she said. “He’s a great guy and a great coach.”
After Joder finished her Olympic runs, she flew out to Wisconsin to compete, and flew back in right before the Closing Ceremony, she said.
As far as future plans go, Joder will go through her graduation ceremony this May, and then move to Sun Valley, ID, to get involved in tourism.