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2018 WINTER OLYMPIC WRAP UP
Bend ’ s four Olympic athletes had stellar performances against the world ’ s best this February . All four placed top 20 in their respective disciplines . From February 9th to 25th the world was focused on Pyeongchang , but here in Bend our focus was Tommy , Laurenne , Ben and Kent . For Tommy , Laurenne and Kent it was their second Olympics , but it was Ben ’ s first .
Bend also has a small contingency of people working at the Olympics . Dave Cieslowski , who is a DPT at Focus Physical Therapy , was there working with the US Nordic Combined team ( see Dave ’ s article below ). Bend journalist Jason Albert was there covering all the Nordic events for FasterSkier . com . Tate & Aimee Metcalf , owners of Sisters Athletic Club , went to spectate the games . The Metcalfs are no strangers to the Olympics and international competition . Tate , a former track coach , worked with and mentored Ashton Eaton while at Mountain View . The Metcalf ’ s continued to follow him through his college career and right up to his retirement after Ashton won his final World Championship . The Metcalfs have been to two summer Olympic games in Beijing and London , as well as two Track and Field World Championships .
Tommy , Laurenne , Ben and Kent all had their immediate and extended families in attendance to support them . Qualifying and competing in the Olympic Games is really a family affair . Years and years of family backing , financially , emotionally dealing with the extreme highs and lows . This is what makes the Olympics so special for a family of an athlete that even qualifies to get into the Olympics .
For Laurenne Ross , just making the 2018 Olympic team was an incredible accomplishment . Just last March , at the US Nationals , she suffered the worst injury of her career . Laurenne crashed and destroyed her right knee . She went through reconstruction , rest , and rehab , then in just eleven months she was in the gate in Pyeongchang .
CONGRATULATION TO OUR BEND ATHLETES AT THE 2018 PYEONGCHANG WINTER OLYMPICS !
Tommy Ford Giant Slalom 20th - Team USA Laurenne Ross - Super G 15th -Team USA Ben Ferguson - Halfpipe 4th - Team USA Kent Callister - Halfpipe 10th - Team Australia
Recently , I was given the opportunity to participate in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang , South Korea . I am the Physical Therapist for the US Nordic Combined team and have been travelling with them at World Cups and World Championships in Europe for the past four years , but this would be my first Olympic games . I was excited and honored to be able to help my athletes compete on the Olympic stage !
Highlights from the games were many . In a lot of ways , these events are very similar to the World Cup . Our lives revolve around the apartments , dining halls , and competition venues . Of course , when you stop and look around , you realize that you are at the Olympics ,