International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach and his delegation toured various areas of the University of Utah campus on Friday, Sept. 27 alongside Fraser Bullock, President and CEO of the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games and other committee members.
The tour is the first step in preparing for the 2034 Winter Olympics, awarded to Salt Lake City on July 24 in Paris. The delegation also visited past competition sites in Kearns and Park City during their visit.
Arriving on the U campus, the group’s first stop included a tour of what could be the Olympic Village where athletes and their families may stay during the 2034 Winter Olympics. They visited the George S. Eccles Student Life Center and continued through Kahlert Village, enjoying an espresso while chatting with students eating in the dining area.
“I’m extremely happy for the athletes who make it here to have such conditions,” Bach answered when asked about the Olympic Village. “I think it’s really amazing. Imagine the athletes in this village having the opportunity to benefit from all the sports facilities and concentrate on their competition.”
The 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Cauldron Plaza at Rice-Eccles Stadium, which hosted the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics, served as the final destination of President Bach’s visit. Bach and the IOC delegation had the opportunity to speak first-hand with 2002 Olympic speedskating champion Derek Parra and 2002 Paralympic champion Tanja Kari.
U student-athletes: alpine ski racer Maddie Kaiserman, speed climber Sophia Curcio and speed skater Ethan Cupuran with IOC President Thomas Bach.
Parra reflected on his memories at Rice-Eccles Stadium. “There are a lot of times we find ourselves in this full-circle moment, but being here today, it’s been pretty significant. In 2002, I was one of the eight athletes that carried the World Trade Center flag in [during the Opening Ceremony]. So, every time I come to this stadium, I get that memory, and it’s very emotional for me.
“And now looking forward to planning for the next 10 years and seeing the amount of work and dedication and sacrifice that hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people are doing, I’m very much embracing it and trying to share it.”
Tom Kelly, communications lead for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Salt Lake City-Utah 2034 then welcomed Bach to participate in a panel discussion with three University of Utah Olympic sport student-athletes to discuss their experiences as young college competitors.
“Academics are important to all of us, not just the athletes, but it’s particularly challenging when you are a world-class athlete in training to find an institution that can really help you,” Kelly began before introducing speed skater Ethan Cupuran, speed climber Sophia Curcio and alpine ski racer Maddie Kaiserman.
PHOTO CREDIT: Harriet Richardson
2002 Olympic speedskating champion Derek Parra and 2002 Paralympic champion Tanja Kari speak with IOC President Thomas Bach at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
As a junior studying mechanical engineering, Cupuran, who brought home a bronze medal in team pursuit from the 2022 Beijing Olympics, came to Utah in 2019 from Chicago to train with US Speedskating.
“The culture of sport in Utah is unlike any other in the US, or even compared to any other city in the world. As speed skaters, we have two indoor ovals in the entire country, and one of those is a result of Utah keeping it running,” Cupuran raved. “Derek [Parra] keeps a tight ship. He makes sure that we’re sustainable. We can continue to train there and host world-class events year in, year out, whenever necessary to really reach our best records. It’s just a world-class state to be able to train.”
Curcio is the newest arrival at the U, where she’s studying economics and Chinese while training at the USA Climbing Training Center. “It’s the only one in the country, and it’s the best in the country,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity to be able to come to the U and have confidence that I can have a really nice education while also balancing climbing at the same time.”
2022 Beijing Olympics bronze medalist in speed skating team pursuit Ethan Cupuran speaks with IOC President Thomas Bach.
An 18-year-old freshman from North Carolina, she started climbing when she was 10 and has quickly ascended to the national scene, finishing fourth as a member of the Pan American Games Team a year ago, winning the USA Climbing National Team trials and a silver medal at the North American Cup Series.
“I chose to study Chinese along with economics because I felt like it was really important to connect it with the global economy. And I just want to travel and be able to see a lot of cool places and speak cool languages.”
A local from Park City, sophomore Maddie Kaiserman is studying kinesiology as a member of the University of Utah Alpine Ski Team.
“Growing up in Park City was truly one of the best things that could have happened to my life,” the 20-year-old recalled. “I tried so many sports through different youth sports programs. I tried out for Park City’s development team, and a few years later, I had all these new goals and dreams about what I wanted to do with skiing. Park City was just the perfect place to do it, where I have so many Olympians who grew up on my club team, and who I met through foundation fundraisers. There’s no better place to be than Park City for something like that.”
In sharing advice about how student-athletes can lead a fulfilling life, 70-year-old Bach offered, “There is a life after sport, and this life should not be too boring so that you have good conditions to earn your living and to have an interesting life. You cannot concentrate 24 hours, seven days a week on sport. Sport is very important in your life and is very important for your education as well, but it’s not everything, and that helps mentally in competition.”