Daily Archives: January 27, 2022

COVIDThe budget for Olympic-specific operations to host the Games is expected to be about $4 billion. Ng Han Guan / Associated Press

By GRAHAM DUNBAR, Associated Press

GENEVA (AP) The finance model for the Winter Olympics calls for the host country to spend several billion dollars, the IOC to earn a couple billion, and sports bodies to share around hundreds of millions.

Fortunately for China, turning a profit from the 2022 Beijing Games was not a priority even before the coronavirus pandemic wiped out some expected sources of income.

Chinese President Xi Jinping set a goal in 2015 to create a new tourism industry in the country.

It will inspire over 300 million Chinese to participate in winter sports if we win, which will contribute greatly to the development of the international Olympic cause, Xi said back then, according to Chinas official Xinhua news agency.

The buildup to the Olympics, which open on Feb. 4 and close 16 days later, has brought high-speed train lines that will carry athletes to new ski resorts outside Beijing. For the next few decades, those same train lines will be shuttling Chinese tourists to the mountains.

Russia reportedly spent $51 billion on the 2014 Sochi Games, a price tag that is expected to stand as an Olympic record for many years. That huge amount made European voters nervous about hosting in the future and led the IOC to review how Games are awarded and organized.

But Chinas motivation, like Russia in 2014, is a state-backed plan to create domestic leisure and tourism sectors with the big-ticket item again being a city-to-mountains transport system.

China allocated more than $9 billion for a high-speed rail linking Beijing to nearby ski resorts in Zhangjiakou and Yangqing, where ski slopes have been carved out of mountains that get little natural snow.

The budget for Olympic-specific operations to host the Games is expected to be about $4 billion. Venues built in Beijing for the 2008 Summer Olympics have been repurposed. The Water Cube for swimming is now the Ice Cube for curling.

Still, the overall investment on winter sports has been significant since Beijing won its Olympic bid seven years ago.

China now has more than 650 ice rinks and 800 ski resorts, China Daily reported this month, citing the National Winter Sports Administrative Center. Those numbers mark rises of 317% and 41%, respectively, since 2015.

China would have expected modest revenue from relatively few international visitors for the Winter Games even before the pandemic made their trips impossible.

Tickets also arent being sold to residents of China, taking another of the hosts income streams. The IOCs own figures show the highest Winter Games ticketing revenue was $250 million at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, which sold 1.5 million tickets.

Host city organizing committees keep income from domestic sponsor deals they negotiate. Sochi set the Winter Games record with almost $1.2 billion from 46 sponsors.

The Beijing organizing committees website currently lists 44 commercial partners, nearly all Chinese, in four tiers that include suppliers of goods and services. The 11 top-tier partners include Air China and Bank of China.

Sales of merchandizing such as gloves and mascots, worth $79 million to Pyeongchang in 2018, also top up local organizers income.

Still, the most important number has at least officially already been reached. The National Bureau of Statistics said this month the target of engaging 300 million people in winter sports had been hit.

The IOC gets billions of dollars from broadcasters around the world and from sponsors who get exclusive global rights.

Beijing is the first of American broadcaster NBCs $7.75 billion, six-Olympics deal through 2032. It was said when signed eight years ago to be worth a combined $2.5 billion for the 2022 Beijing Games and the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The Summer Olympics bring in about twice as much as the Winter Games.

The IOC now has 13 top-tier sponsors, including Chinese companies Alibaba and Mengniu, which is in the soft drinks category along with Coca-Cola. It was 11 for Sochi and Rio de Janeiro when their combined value was $1 billion in cash and services in 2014 and 2016.

The so-called TOP program is set to be worth about $3 billion for 2021-24, IOC president Thomas Bach told members last March. It was unclear if that reflected Tokyo being pushed back as host into 2021.

The IOC is giving $880 million toward Beijing organizers costs. Thats only a few million less than Pyeongchang organizers got four years ago.

The IOC also shared $215 million from its 2018 Olympic revenue among the seven governing bodies of Winter Games sports skiing, skating, hockey, biathlon, bobsled, curling and luge.

In their 2020 accounts, the International Ski Federation listed $13 million as its Olympic payment and the International Skating Union noted more than $11 million.

Another $215 million was distributed among national Olympic committees. Of the 206 NOCs, 92 competed in Pyeongchang.

The 2,900 athletes at the Beijing Olympics do not get prize money from the IOC for competing or winning medals. Some of what the IOC pays sports bodies can trickle down to athletes, however.

The IOC will put $590 million into the Olympic Solidarity fund for the 2021-24 period. That will give grants to train athletes, coaches and administrators. Less wealthy countries are prioritized.

The IOC said 420 athletes from 78 teams were awarded scholarships to help qualify and prepare for this years Olympics. The program had a $10 million budget for the 2018 edition.

In some countries, Olympic medalists get cash or gifts from sports bodies and governments.

The U.S. Olympic teams Operation Gold program has paid $37,500 for a gold medal, $22,500 for silver and $15,000 for bronze.

Russia has a tradition of wealthy supporters rewarding Olympic success. Gold medalists at the Sochi Olympics were given $120,000 and an SUV.

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China spends billions on Olympics with longer-term goal - Boston.com

A supervisor in Germanys Olympic delegation has tested positive for the coronavirus within the closed loop in Beijing, the German Olympic Sports Confederation said on Thursday, confirming one of the first cases connected to an athletic team within the bubblelike environment meant to shield participants from the rest of the world.

The positive case was identified on Sunday after a P.C.R. test administered in Zhangjiakou, where many of the snow events will take place about 100 miles northwest of Beijing, the confederation said. The supervisor is asymptomatic and is currently in a quarantine hotel, it said.

Beijing officials said on Thursday that eight new cases had been detected in the bubble as of the previous day. Fifteen others were found among airport arrivals of Games-related personnel. None were linked to an athlete or a team official.

Since Jan. 4, 50 cases have been identified in the closed loop, according to official data. Officials have linked one of them to an athlete or team official. Among airport arrivals, 79 cases have been detected, data show. One was an athlete or team official, and the rest were other stakeholders, officials said.

Some athletes, including those from the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary and Norway, have received positive tests before departing for the Olympics, resulting in delayed travel and throwing into question their chance of competing in the Games.

Josh Williamson, an athlete of the Team USA bobsled team, said on Instagram on Wednesday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus on Sunday and would not board the rest of the delegations flight to Beijing on Thursday.

One athlete, the Russian figure skater Mikhail Kolyada, was withdrawn from his team after testing positive, the Olympics committee said on Tuesday.

The Games are scheduled to start on Feb. 4.

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Covid Case in Beijing Olympic Bubble Is Linked to a German Team - The New York Times

Hey, did you know its time for the Olympics again? Thats right, just seven months after the 2021 (ne 2020) Summer Olympics, the 2022 Winter Games will be held in Beijing starting on February 2.

Attendance will be sparse, as fans have largely been barred from attending, and diplomats from some countries, including the US, are boycotting the event over concerns about human rights violations in Chinas Xinjiang region. (US athletes are still competing in the events.) Crowds or not, theres still an eye-popping number of events.

If you want to catch many of them, youll need to find a way to pay tithe to the Olympian gods at NBC Universal. That means a TV subscription with NBC in it, or you can watch it on the NBC Olympics website or Sports app. The official Olympics channel will also be streaming live, provided you have an account with one of its many streaming partners like Xfinity, Dish, Spectrum, Verizon, and YouTubeTV, to name just a few.

You can also watch the games on NBCs Peacock streaming platform. Its $10 a month, or $5 a month if youre willing to deal with ads. (If youve forgotten what its like to watch TV with ads, believe me, they are infuriating.) If you want to watch each and every event (all 2,800 hours of them), check the official official schedule or NBCs schedule for times in your time zone. ESPNs also got a handy schedule, if you prefer that.

Collected below are a smattering of the big events, mainly the final matches that determine who gets medals. Depending on where you are, some of the times will be at odd hours, but rest assured that NBC will replay the highlights ad nauseum.

(Note: Unless otherwise indicated, all the times are Eastern Standard Time.)

Opening/Closing Ceremonies

Opening ceremony is February 4, starting at 6:30 am ET.

Closing ceremony is Feb. 20 at 7 am.

Bobsled

Finals for womens monoboba new event this yearare Feb. 13 at 9 pm. Two-person finals are Feb. 19 at 7:30 am.

Mens two-person finals are Feb. 15 at 7:50 am. Mens four-person run is Feb. 19 at 9:20 pm.

Biathlon

Relay for the mixed 6 kilometer medals is Feb. 5 at 3 am.

Womens 15 km individual finals are Feb. 7 at 3 am. Womens 7.5 km sprint is Feb. 11 at 3 am. Womens 10 km pursuit finals are Feb. 13 at 3 am. Womens 6 km relay finals are Feb. 16 at 1:45 am. Womens mass start 12.5 km finals are Feb. 19. at 3 am.

Mens 20 km individual finals are Feb. 8 at 2:30 am. Mens 10 km sprint finals are Feb. 12 at 3 am. Mens 12.5 km pursuit finals are Feb. 13 at 4:45 am. Mens 7.5 km relay finals are Feb. 15 at 3 am. Mens 15 km finals are Feb. 18 at 3 am.

Curling

Curling starts on Feb. 2 at 7 am and goes through the 19th.

Mens curling bronze medal finals are Feb. 18 at 1 am. Gold finals are Feb. 19 at 1 am.

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How to Watch the 2022 Winter Olympics - WIRED

All three athletes competing in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China call Carlsbad home.

CARLSBAD, Calif. Although San Diego is much more know for sending athletes to the Summer Olympics, the 2022 Winter Olympics will have some athletes from Americas Finest City. From bobsledding to snowboarding, you will absolutely be able to see some of your favorite San Diegans competing including the legendary Shaun White.

According to the roster of Americans heading to Beijing, the three representing the San Diego area hail from Carlsbad.

Snowboarding

Shaun White is known as perhaps the greatest snowboarder to ever live and he grew up right here in Carlsbad. The three-time gold medalist and four-time Olympian went to high school at Carlsbad High School.

Some of his career accomplishments include winning X Games gold 11 times.

White isnt just an accomplished snowboarder. He has earned five medals in skateboarding and was the first athlete ever to compete and medal in both the Summer and Winter X Games.

Maud is an 18-year-old snowboarder from right here in Carlsbad.

2022 will be her first Olympic Games, but she is no stranger to international competition. Maud finished in second place in the 2018 and 2019 Junior World Championships, she finished in third place in the 2021 Europa Cup and she has five podium finishes in the 2018 and 2019 NorAm Cup.

Maud will be competing against some of the best snowboarders in the world, including Chloe Kim who also resides in California.

She was named to the U.S. Snowboard team as a 14-year-old.

Bobsled

Kaillie Humphries is an Olympic champion who was born, raised and competed for Canada. Humphries switched to represent the United States in 2019 after allegedly experiencing both abuse and harassment while competing with the Canadian team.

Since joining the American team, Humphries has done nothing but win. Some of her wins include the two-woman bobsled titles in both 2020 and 2021. She also took home the gold in the first ever womens monobob event in 2021.

According to Team USA, they werent sure Humphries would be eligible for the 2022 games as she was waiting on her United States citizenship. After receiving it, she had her celebration in San Diego.

Did we miss any Olympians with ties to San Diego? Let us know by sending an email to social@kfmb.com.

WATCH RELATED: Olympic gold medal winner breaks down the stress athletes feel

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Your guide to San Diego athletes competing in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics - CBS News 8

The games just got real for several Bay Area star athletes as Team USA left Los Angeles Thursday and are now on their way to this years winter Olympics.

Nearly 100 athletes took off Thursday morning after an official sendoff. It was a sendoff like no other, which included a red carpet at LAX.

The athletes said its like one big family trip theyve been looking forward to.

Im so grateful to represent California, said Jamie Anderson, who will compete in the snowboarding competitions.

The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing features several elite athletes from the golden state, including three figure skaters from the Bay Area and a few snowboarders from Northern and Southern California.

All of them are ready to get out of the bubble theyve been living in just to get a shot at the gold.

Life has just been so strict lately, definitely makes going to the Olympics not as enjoyable, Anderson said.

These athletes face several challenges as they head to the games, including human rights conflicts in china, cybersecurity threats and COVID-19.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, family and friends had to stay behind this year, so players turned to alternative ways of finding support and comfort.

My parents actually made me a video and it was a tearjerker for me, said snowboarder Hailey Langland.

Competition begins in just a week and you catch watch coverage across our NBC platforms.

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Team USA Athletes Head to Winter Olympics - NBC Bay Area

The International Olympic Committee plans to meet with Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai during the upcoming Olympics in Beijing in what the IOC says is an attempt to allay concerns about her well-being.

Human rights activists and international observers have expressed concern about Peng's whereabouts since Nov. 2, when she alleged in a Weibo social media post that a retired high-ranking Chinese government official had sexually assaulted her. Following that post, which Chinese officials scrubbed from the country's highly-censored internet in less than a half hour, she disappeared from public view for two weeks, and her later appearance was a well-choreographed operation. She later said she had made no accusations and that her post had been misinterpreted.

IOC president Thomas Bach met with Peng by video later in November, and the IOC said in a statement that their meeting was the start of a communication that has continued. Experts on Chinese policy, however, said that the initial call was part of an orchestrated propaganda campaign.

"Since the first call that the IOC held with Peng Shuai on 21 November 2021, the IOC team has kept in touch with her and had a number of conversations with her the last one just the past week," an IOC spokesperson said. "In this way, we got to know each other better."

The Women's Tennis Association has taken a less conciliatory tone than the IOC, seeking further proof of Peng's safety while also suspending tournaments in China in response to her absence.

The IOC statement indicated that Peng will meet with Bach and Emma Terho, chair of the IOC Athletes' Commission. The meeting will take place within the bubble China has established to keep visiting athletes, journalists and officials from interacting with the Chinese population. The Olympics are slated to begin Feb. 4.

"In arranging the different conversations," the IOC said in the statement, "the Chinese Olympic Committee has always been very supportive and will also ensure that the meeting can happen even under very strict COVID-19 countermeasures and in the closed loop that is in place during the Games."

Story continues

Peng's situation briefly claimed headlines at the Australian Open when several demonstrators wore "Where's Peng Shuai?" t-shirts at the event. Tournament organizers initially banned the demonstrations before relenting.

Australian protestors demonstrate on behalf of Peng Shuai. (Paul Crock / Getty Images)

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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter at @jaybusbee or contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com.

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Olympics: IOC plans to meet with Peng Shuai in Beijing - Yahoo Sports

The Olympics start the first week of February, and Team USA will include a skier from Ashburn, Virginia.

Ashley Caldwell, 28, will compete as an aerial skier skilled in doing breathtaking flips and twists. She told News4 the tricks still sometimes make her nervous.

Aerials is obviously a very scary sport, but also a very fun and rewarding sport, she said.

When you stand on top of that jump, were scared to do some of the tricks that were doing, she added. But then you do the trick, and you overcome that fear, and its successful because of all that hard work. Thats just a really rewarding feeling, and thats why I keep coming back to it.

Caldwell grew up doing skiing and gymnastics, and then her mom suggested she try combining the two.

I thought she was insane, obviously, and thought there was no way I could possibly do that, she said.

But sure enough, she did. Caldwell got so good it only took her two-and-a-half years to make her first Olympics. Twelve years later, shes headed to Beijing for her fourth Winter Games.

Its incredible. I dreamed as a little kid to go to one Olympics, and now here I am on my fourth. Its incredible. Im so proud to be able to represent my country again, she said.

In the summer, Caldwell trains at a pool. Shes had setbacks along the way, including hard falls and needing surgery on both ACLs. But she has always overcome and even won the world championship in 2017.

Shell go for gold again at this years Olympics.

In addition to being an Olympian, Caldwell is in the middle of getting a second masters degree, in legal studies. She already holds a masters in real estate development.

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A Very Scary Sport': Aerial Skier From Virginia Headed to Olympics - NBC4 Washington

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January 27, 2022 1:00 pm ET

For the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, For The Win is helping you get to know some of the star Olympians competing on the worlds biggest stage. Leading up to the Opening Ceremony, were highlighting 15 Team USA athletes we think you should get to know.

Its rare to get two Olympic Games about six months apart, but here we are. Although to some, it may seem like the Tokyo Summer Olympics just ended, the Beijing Winter Olympics are nearly here with the Opening Ceremony set for Feb. 4.

In the weeks leading up to the Winter Games, we here at For The Win are rolling out a ton of Olympics content to help get you ready, including spotlighting some Team USAs top athletes.

And weve got them all right here in one handy place.

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Beijing Olympics: Meet some of Team USA's best athletes ahead of the 2022 Winter Games - For The Win

In summer 2019, figure skater Mariah Belldrove to a Dunkin Donuts, ordered two strawberry frosted pastries and made a career-altering decision.

She calledAdam Rippon.

She said, Im a mess,' Rippon recalled. And I was like, what does that mean?

Come help me, she said. Bell was coming off a bronze medal at the previous national championships, and her best world championships finish (ninth).

But she was struggling come the 2019-20 preseason. Particularly on this day at the U.S. Figure Skating preseason Champs Camp to assess skaters.

Her coach,Rafael Arutunian, said she was disorganized. Arutunian, who doesnt like to have to repeat himself, suggested she call Rippon, his former student who retired after reaching the Olympics in 2018.

He could hold your hand, Bell remembered Arutunian telling her.

Theyve been inseparable ever since.

Rippon helped choreograph Bells short program every season in this Olympic cycle to music from Britney Spears, Celine Dion and Lady Gaga. Anything that was on my Spotify most listened to list was up for grabs, he joked.

But since that strawberry frosted epiphany, Bell also leaned on Rippon as a secondary coach. Or fairy godmother, as he says. Together, Arutunian and Rippon helped Bell reach her two primary goals: winning her first national title last month and making her first Olympic team.

At 25, she became the oldest U.S. womens figure skating champion since 1927. Next month, she will become the oldest U.S. Olympic womens singles skater since 1928.

Our goal is to go there and for her to show that being 25 is amazing, Rippon said. That you can be 25, and you can be in the best shape of your life.

Rippon began training under the gruff Arutunian in Southern California in 2012. Bell joined the group, which includedNathan Chen, in 2016. Bell met Rippon years earlier, getting a picture with him at a skating show. Though Rippon and Bell shared ice for a year and a half leading up to the 2018 Olympics, they only casually knew each other.

In 2018, Rippon made his first (and last) Olympic team at age 28. He became the oldest U.S. Olympic rookie singles skater since 1936.

That same year, Bell entered nationals with an outside chance at the Olympic team (slim, she said) and finished fifth, earning an alternate spot.

I wasnt heartbroken, she said, knowing her real opportunity was coming in four years. I remember watching the Games from home and just being like, I want to be there so bad.

She watched as Rippon became a national celebrity with his team event bronze medal and engaging candor.

He had arguably the busiest post-Olympic whirlwind of any athlete, beatingTonya Hardingto win Dancing with the Stars and writing a memoir titled, Beautiful on the Outside.

Amid the hoopla, Bell took her shot and asked Rippon if he had time for another new venture: choreographing her short program for the 2018-19 season (also at Arutunians suggestion).

I wasnt really doing a lot of things with skating, he said. And it was a great way for me to still be connected.

Over the next three years, Bell experienced highs (getting engaged, then having the free skate of her life a month later at 2020 Nationals) and lows (missing the world championships team in 2021, then having that engagement broken off last summer).

She considers herself lucky for her coaching arrangement through all that. When Bell asked Rippon to help her, in that call outside a Dunkin, it was a Friday.

Sure I wouldnt mind, as long as Rafael is on the same page, Rippon remembered telling her. So I called Rafael, and he was like, oh my god, please come in.

By Monday Rippon was at the rink. In a typical week, hes there two or three days (but more often in this Olympic year).

His schedule really doesnt allow him to work with many other people, Bell told NBC Sports On Her Turf. But hes also like, I dont really want to coach. I just want to help you, which Im so fortunate for.

Arutunian focuses on the technical work, including jumps. There are ancillary benefits.

The reason that this works out so well is that Rafael is our guiding light. He is our team captain, Rippon said. Hes also coaching me on how to be a good coach.

Rippon, known for his work ethic to make the 2018 Olympics over younger skaters, helps with her training plan and conditioning.

I basically treated her like I was Cesar Millan, and she was a troubled dog that needed direction, he said. I was super tough on her and made her do a million more things than she was used to doing in practice.

One of Rippons most powerful decisions was to step back. Bell began the season with a Lady Gaga short program choreographed by Rippon, then made a new one with renowned choreographer Shae-Lynn Bourne.

Bourne, a Canadian who won six world medals in ice dance, has a 32-bullet Wikipedia list of skaters whom she has choreographed for, including Chen and two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu.

If I have to sit down and really decide whos a better choreographer, me or Shae-Lynn Bourne, obviously Im going to go with Shae-Lynn (expletive) Bourne, Rippon said. So in this Olympic year, it was really important to me. I told Mariah, listen, Im still a coach on this team. But I am imploring you that Shae-Lynn needs to do both of your programs.

All of Bells decisions paid off earlier this month. Rippon, who made his Olympic team in his ninth senior U.S. Championships appearance, was rinkside in Nashville for her crowning moment in her ninth senior nationals.

I pulled her aside, and I said, This is the hardest competition youll ever do in your entire life. And you did it, you finished it,' Rippon said. And not only did you finish it, you were strong, and you were brave.'

On Her Turf editor Alex Azzicontributed to this report.

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Mariah Bell goes to the Olympics with her fairy godmother Adam Rippon - Home of the Olympic Channel

The good news is that two of Northeasterns biggest ice hockey stars will be competing at the Olympic Games next month in Beijing.

The difficult news is that the Huskies nationally ranked teams must survive without the leadership of senior forward Alina Mueller, who will be playing for Switzerland, and sophomore Devon Levi, a goaltender for Canada.

The womens team always figured that Mueller, 23, would be leaving for what will be her third Olympics. At 15 she scored the winning goal in the bronze-medal game at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, making her the youngest player to medal in womens ice hockey.

In 2018, Mueller scored an Olympic-record four goals in one game while helping lead Switzerland to fifth place in South Korea.

The selection of Levi, 20, was finalized recently. He emerged as a surprise star one year ago at the World Junior Championships while leading Canada to the final. An injury prevented him from playing for Northeastern last season, but this year he is leading the NCAA with a .948 save percentage and nine shutouts, needing just 17 games to break the school record of six.

Levi becomes the first active mens ice hockey player at Northeastern to represent his country at the Olympicsa result of the NHLs refusal to participate in these Winter Games because of COVID-19 disruptions.

Im really proud of Devon, says Northeastern mens coach Jerry Keefe. Thats a huge honor to get selected to play for Team Canada at the Olympics. I know our whole team is proud of him and well miss him. But at the same time its a great opportunity for him.

Levi left Northeastern on Monday to join his Canadian teammates. If Canada reaches the mens gold-medal game on Feb. 20, Levi will miss five Hockey East games in addition to the Beanpot tournament (Feb. 7 and 14 at TD Garden).

The Huskies (16-7-1), No. 17 nationally in the PairWise Rankings, lost 6-0 at home on Saturday to the University of Massachusetts in their first game without Levi.

Weve got to be that much hungrier as a group without him, and some guys are going to get opportunities now, says Keefe, who will be relying on backup goaltenders Evan Fear and TJ Semptimphelter. Whoevers in, weve got to make sure that were playing really good defense around him. If anything, its going to make us a better hockey team, so were all excited about the challenge in front of us.

Mueller is tied with Maureen Murphy for the team lead with 29 points (8 goals and 21 assists) despite missing eight games for her Huskies (21-2-1), who have earned a No. 1 national ranking in the midst of a 20-game unbeaten streak. In August at the Womens World Championship in Canada, Mueller suffered torn ligaments in her right ankle, but decided against surgery. She has fully recovered, she says, and now looks at the injury as an unusual blessing that forced her to take a break during this busy run that will include the world championship, the Olympics, and the Huskies bid for a national championship after losing the NCAA final in overtime last year.

I honestly think my injury help helped meit kind of gave me a stop halfway through the season, Mueller says. I feel very energized and ready for whats coming. Im definitely going to be stronger when I come back.

Mueller will return to Northeastern just before the Hockey East playoffs, says Huskies coach Dave Flint.

Shes so fit and shes young, Flint says. With the excitement of the Olympics and then getting back to help her team win another [Hockey East] championship, shell find a way to get herself ready to be at her best.

Mueller is excited for her third Olympic opportunity.

I just love our country, she says of Switzerland, and being able to play on the national team makes me really proud to know that Im a role model for so many younger girls and boys in my hometown. Its so amazing that you will be an Olympian for the rest of your life, and thats something nobody can take from you.

For media inquiries, please contact media@northeastern.edu.

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Two Huskies Ice Hockey Stars are Headed to the Olympics - Northeastern University