The 2014 Winter Olympics have started, and not surprisingly, the dominant United States has 230 athletes competing in Sochi. And this year, Massachusetts is very well represented: from curlers to freestyle skiing, from figure skating to hockey, there seems to be a Massachusetts native participating in almost every event.
In figure skating, Simon Shnapir of Sudbury will be competing with his partner, Marissa Castelli of Rhode Island. This is the duo’s first Olympic appearance; however, they have been very successful in previous national and international competitions.
From Saugus, Jonathan Cheever will be competing in snowboarding. The Malden Catholic graduate has done very well in the past, placing in World Cups and participating in the X games. Also, the six-time U.S. Champion from Belmont, MA, Emily Cook will be competing in Aerial Skiing. In the 2010 Olympics, Cook failed to place but has done extremely well in World Cups, coming in the top ten 44 times.
Competing in Freestyle skiing, Annalisa Drew, the young Andover, MA native, has done very well in competitions, coming away with victories in several large competitions. A native of Amesbury, MA, Dylan Ferguson will be competing in Aerials in the Freestyle Skiing competition. The veteran Olympian has come away with silver and bronze medals in international competitions. He placed first, second, and third in NorAm aerials several times, and is a two time winner of the US National Championship. Ferguson looks to do very well in the 2014 Olympics.
In Alpine Skiing, Bostonian Michelle Gorgone looks to improve on her past two Olympic appearances. Gorgone has won national championships in 2004 and 2008, as well as medaling in various large national and international competitions. Fellow Boston native Tyler Jewell will compete in Alpine Skiing in Sochi. The skier has an impressive 40 career podiums and nine World Cup top-ten finishes. Northeastern alum, Michael Morse of Duxbury, MA, looks to add to his repertoire of NorAm and World Cup finishes an Olympic medal.
Bobsledder Alex Ivanov, from Carlisle MA, will be joining the large United States’ Bobsled Skeleton Federation. 2008 Rookie of the Year and 2010 Olympic Veteran, Steve Langton will also be travelling from his hometown, Melrose, MA to compete in Bobsledding in Sochi. Chris Langton, Steve Langton’s younger brother, will be competing in his first Olympics, also in Bobsledding.
A large number of Massachusetts natives will represent the US in the curling competition at Sochi. From Falmouth, MA, 53 year old Elizabeth Abeltin will compete. Laura Bernier, of Upton, MA, will also compete in the Women’s Curling competition. 70 year old Vietnam veteran, Tim Clafin of Brookline is fifth in the curling line up for the US men’s team. He describes himself as “the oldest guys in the tournament and maybe the shortest.” Vice Skip Benjamin Clark is making his first Olympic appearance in Sochi.
After successful trips to Junior Nationals and Junior Playdowns, Alex Colacchio, a Falmouth native, is representing the United States for the first time in the Olympics. From East Falmouth, MA, Mary Colacchio will also be making her Olympic curling debut. Brothers from Southborough, Stephen and Korey Dropkin will join the large number of Bay State natives competing in curling. Another sibling curling duo is Ryan and Laura Hallisey, who will be going to the Olympics this year. Both 28 year old Laura and 24 year old Ryan have impressive resumes of National, and Junior National competitions. Other Massachusetts curlers include Matina Heisler, Connor Hoge, Fred and Alex Leichter, Meghan Linio, Marinna Martini, Abigail Morrison, Laura Murphy, Dayton Neill, David Palmer, Britt Rjankikov, Nikki Rossetti, Wendy Scholes, Leila and Richard Smith, Barbara Thomson, Nicole Vassar, Jeffrey Wadsworth, Julian Walker and Monica Walker. A larger number of members of the diverse delegation are from Falmouth, MA.
The Men’s and Women’s Hockey teams also have a large number of people with Massachusetts roots. On the Women’s team, Kacey Bellamy, Alex Carpenter, Lisa Chesson, Meghan Duggan, Katie King, Erika Lawler, Sarah Parsons, Helen Resor and Molly Schaus will compete in the hopes beating their silver medal performance of 2010 against rivals Canada. The women will be coached by Harvard Hockey coach, Katey Stone, the winningest head coach in women’s college hockey history. On the Men’s team, John Carlson, Rick DiPietro, Keith Tkachuk and Ryan Whitney also look to medal and beat rivals Canada.
Ashley Walden of Westborough, MA will compete alongside her husband, Bengt Walden in the Luge competitions.
Be sure to watch for your fellow Massachusetts natives as you watch the Olympics over the next few weeks.
