Winter Games medalists from Utah welcomed home, inspire future generations of athletes

Several Italy 2026 medalists from Utah spoke with the community and future generations of athletes on Saturday as part of The Watch Party’s welcome home, Para Sport showcase kick-off.

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Several Italy 2026 medalists from Utah spoke with the community and future generations of athletes on Saturday as part of The Watch Party’s welcome home, Para Sport showcase kick-off.

After welcoming the athletes, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall spoke on Utah’s connection to the games.

“Utah loves the games. It’s in our cultural identity. It’s in our hearts, and so when we get to meet athletes, meet these Olympians, and cheer on our Paralympians in the next ten days, it lights us up inside,” Mendenhall said.

One such competitor, gold medalist Hilary Knight of the U.S. Women’s Ice Hockey team, reflected on her career and said that the national team’s ethos is about being part of something bigger than yourself.

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“It’s so incredible to be able to share that journey and that experience with our respective communities, to come back to Utah to be celebrated in such fashion,” she expressed. “It’s just so incredible, and I’m looking forward to the next generation of young hockey players and young Olympians, and the future couldn’t be brighter.”

Chris Lillies, who won a second consecutive gold medal in freestyle skiing, said that he had a lot of expectations placed on him to go back-to-back in 2026.

“I’m just happy we got it done. We got great teammates that helped me get there. I’ve got a great coaching staff, the U.S. Ski Team, and a whole Utah community that supported our team, and there’s a reason we had such success,” he said.

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The showcase also resumed the Italy 2026 watch party for the Paralympic Games, which lasts from March 6 to 17. Decorated Paralympian Nancy Gustafson addressed how adapted programs offer para athletes the chance to represent their country in a team atmosphere.

“I had an accident when I was 20 years old that left my arm paralyzed, so that dream kind of went by the wayside, and so for me, the Paralympics was a second chance,” she said.

One young aspiring athlete said that he learned a lot talking to Team USA. “It helped inspire me for if I could go to the Olympics. It was really fun and made me go like ‘oh, dang! I’m talking with like, Olympic people!”

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Source: Utah News