Paralympian Chris Waddell is part of the steering committee, an advisory group to the Organizing Committee for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
During a quarterly meeting Wednesday, he and other steering committee members shared their favorite Olympic moments and what they want the 2034 Olympics legacy to be.
Despite competing in four Winter Paralympic Games, three Summer Paralympics and earning 13 medals in alpine skiing and track and field, Waddell didn’t share a memory from his time competing.
Instead, he said one of the greatest moments he experienced in the Olympics was lighting the cauldron at the start of the 2002 Winter Games and meeting his heroes.
“Steve Mahre was there, you know, he was the guy on my wall when I was a kid. Kristi Yamaguchi, John Stockton,” he said. “Prince Albert [of Monaco] was in the front with his TV crew and one of them said, ‘Prince, what are we calling you?’ And he said, ‘Well, Albert would be fine.’ And that's the cool part, is when people get to be human.”
Waddell said he wants the 2034 Games to continue that ideal. He said Utah Olympic leaders need to make an effort to connect the Games with everyone in the state, especially kids.
Two-time Olympic gold medalist Ted Ligety shared a similar sentiment. During the 2002 Games, he wasn’t competing, but he remembers sitting at a table next to his own heroes who were about to get medals.
“They were talking just like my 17-year-old buddies and I were, and I'm like, holy smokes, these guys are humans. They're not superhuman,” Ligety said. “I was like, ‘Okay, this is something I could do. I just need to get a lot faster.’”
Ligety said he wants to see more access to winter sports in Utah so every child can experience the joy they bring.
Committee member Jack Hollis, of Accrual Equity Partners, said Utah has the opportunity to do something special with the 2034 Games: close the gap between the Olympic and Paralympic movements.
He said he wants to see the same amount of broadcasts, viewers and energy for the Paralympics as the Olympics.
Carine Clark, who has led multiple high-growth tech companies, said the 2034 Games is an opportunity to show the world how great Utah is. She said it’s also a chance for Utahns to get involved.
Clark said in 2002, she heard from a lot of people who said they didn’t sign up to support or volunteer for the Games because they thought it would be a hassle. Now, they want to get involved in 2034.
She said she spent a lot of personal capital to get her company to sponsor speed skating in 2002 — and that’s her favorite memory. Her name was on the thigh of the speed suit worn by eight-time Olympic medalist Apollo Ohno.
“I was pregnant, high-risk pregnancy with triplets, and I ended up losing two of the kids. But I didn't miss any of his heats, because I was so excited for him as a young person, and to be part of this adventure,” Clark said.
U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirschland had larger goals for the state.
“My hope is that at the end of 2034 everybody in the state, the governor, all the mayors, the whole committee and everyone in this room is ready to get back in line for the next one,” she said to claps and cheers.
The steering committee’s next meeting is in December.
