Latter-day Saint Life

LDS Olympians Who've Competed in the Winter Games

Did you know that Mormon Olympians have won three gold, ten silver, three bronze, and countless accolades for their countries as they compete to be the best at their sport? Over the years there have been some amazing LDS Olympic competitors. Take a tour through this rich history, and get to know them and their accomplishments below:

While this list is by no means complete, it does include many notable LDS Winter Olympians that have competed throughout history. Each is listed by name, with their country, event, and final rank noted. Let us know who we've missed!

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1948 Switzerland

Corey Engen: USA, Cross country (75th) and Nordic combined (26th). Engen and his brothers helped promote skiing in Utah and Idaho. 

1956 Italy

Marvin Melville: USA, Men’s downhill skiing, ranked AC T. Melville also coached Jean Saubert, who he converted and baptized. (She competed in 1964—see below.)

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1960 Squaw Valley, California

Barbara Day Lockhart: USA, Speed Skating, ranked 18th in the 1,500 metres. She later served on the General Relief Society Board. 

Fred Etcher: Canada, Men’s Ice Hockey (Silver). He still holds the record for the most points (9 goals) in a single Olympic tournament and is also tied for the record of the most assists in a single Olympic tournament (12 assists). 

Marvin Melville: USA, Men’s downhill skiing, ranked 22T. 

1964 Austria

Barbara Day Lockhart: USA, Speed Skating, ranked 10th in the 1,000 metres and 23rd in the 3,0000 metres. She was the first woman ever on the US speed skating Olympic team. 

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Jean Saubert: USA, Women’s Downhill (26th) Giant Slalom (Silver), Slalom (Bronze); She was elected as a torchbearer for 2002. 

1968 Grenoble France

Kenneth Shelley: USA, Pair Figure Skating (13th)

1972 Sapporo

Kenneth Shelley: USA, Men’s single figure skating (4th) and Pairs Figure Skating (4th)

1988 Calgary

Teri McGee Walker: USA, Skiing Demonstration Event (Gold). She was awarded the medal for perseverance in the sport, after having been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis as a child. 

1992 Albertville France

Ian Harvey: USA, Cross Country Skiing along with his wife, Antje Misersky Harvey (Germany) Biathlon 

Antje Misersky Harvey: Germany, Biathlon (Gold, 2 Silver). As a teenager, and a Mormon, she refused to take steroids and was kicked off the German national cross-country ski team.

2002 Salt Lake City

Dinah Browne: US Virgin Islands, Luge (28th). She was the first black woman to compete in the luge. 

Werner Hoeger: Venezuela, Luge (40th). Father of fellow teammate, Christ Heoger. 

Chris Hoeger: Venezuela, Luge (31st) Son of fellow teammate, Werner Hoeger. 

Gea Johnso: USA, Bobsled (5th). This was the first year women could compete in Bobsled. 

Joe Pack: USA, Freestyle Skiing (Silver). The event took place in Park City—Pack's hometown.

Sabine Ruckauer: Germany, Women’s Ice Hockey (6th). Her German team won the national ice hockey title for four consecutive years. 

Tamami Tanaka: Japan, Biathlon 7.5km sprint (29th), 10km pursuit (23rd), 15km (45th), 4x7.5km relay (14th)

Bill Schuffenhaue: USA, Men’s Four Bobsled (Silver). His medal helped end a 46-year gap in US medals in Bobsled.

2006 Torino

David Bisset: Canada, Bobsled, Men’s Two (11th), Men’s Four (18th)

Watch David win the FIBT World Cup—setting a new track record in the process.

Torah Bright: Australia, Snowboarding (5th)

Michele Despain: Argentina, Luge (24th). Wife of fellow Mormon Olympian Chris Hoeger.

Werner Hoeger: Venezuela, Luge (32nd). Competed this year without his son and fellow Olympian, Chris Hoeger. 

Steve Nyman: USA, Skiing: Men’s Downhill (19th), Men’s Super G (43rd), Men’s Combined (29th)

Joe Pack: USA, Freestyle Skiing (15th)

Shauna Rohbock: USA, Bobsled (Silver). In high school, Rohbock was named all-American twice in both soccer and track. 

Christian NiccumUSA, Men’s Luge (23rd). This year marked his third time competing in the Olympics. 

Bill Schuffenhauer: USA, Bobsled, Men’s Two (14th), Men’s 4 (6th) 

Tamami Tanaka: Japan, Biathlon 7.5km sprint (65th), 15km (32nd), 4x6km relay (16th)

2010 Vancouver

David Bisset: Canada, Bobsled, Men’s Two (15th), Men’s Four (Bronze). Bisset is a former Canadian football star. 

Torah Bright: Australia, Snowboarding (Gold) 

Chris Fogt: USA, Bobsled (AC). His sled crashed on the second run and he was unable to finish the last two runs.

Christian Niccum: USA, Men’s Luge, Mixed Men’s Doubles (6th). 

Steve Nyman: USA, Men’s Downhill Skiing (6th)

Noelle Pikus Pace: USA, Women’s skeleton (4th). She missed the podium by .1 seconds. 

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Shauna Rohbock: USA, Bobsled (6th)

Bill Schuffenhauer: USA, Men’s Four Bobsled (13th)

2014 Sochi

Erik Fisher (aka, the Flyin' Fish) – USA, Downhill, Super G ( didn't compete due to a knee injury).

Kate Hansen: USA, Luge (10th). Her pre-competition warm-up dances went viral this year. 

Jessika Jenson: USA, Slopestyle Snowboarding (13th).

Eric Neilson: Canada, Skeleton (13th). Neilson first started skeleton when he was 25 years old. 

Noelle Pikus Pace: USA, Women’s skeleton (Silver) 

Chris Fogt: USA, Bobsled (Bronze)

Christian Niccum: USA, Men’s Luge team relay (6th), doubles (11th)

David Bisset: Canada, Men’s Two event Bobsled (9th)

Torah Bright: Australia, Snowboarding (Silver)

2018 Pyeongchang, South Korea

Here are a few Mormon athletes to keep an eye out for this year: 

Chris Fogt: USA, Bobsled. This will be Fogt's third time bobsledding in the Olympics.

Taylor Morris: USA, Luge singles. Morris has worked for 16 years to compete in the Olympics.

Jerica Tandiman: USA, Long Track Speedskating. Tandiman starting skating when she was 7 years old.

Jessika Jenson: USA, Snowboarding, Slopestyle and Big Air. This will be Jenson's second Olympics.

Brendan "Bubba" Newby: Ireland, Men's Ski Halfpipe. Newby was born in Cork, Ireland, grew up in Park City, and has now decided to represent Ireland in this Olympic event. 

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