Nine days until the 2022 Winter Olympics and we are meeting one more Texan who has earned her spot on Team USA. NBC 5’s Laura Harris talks with Katie Uhlaender.
For the last 20 years, Katie Uhlaender has dedicated her life to honing her skills in skeleton. The Winter Olympics sport that mixes speed and strength at almost 80 miles an hour, with a slider lying headfirst down the track.
Now, the Central Texas-raised 37-year-old is headed to a record-breaking fifth Olympics in hopes of getting on the medal stand.
She's the only U.S. woman, in any sliding sport, to make that many Olympic appearances.
“I wanted to finish my career on my own terms,” Uhlaender said in a virtual interview before leaving for Beijing. “I have a passion for the sport. I didn’t care about the Olympics or anything. I just loved it. That’s why I came back. It’s literally giggling going downhill headfirst. I want to inspire others to be their best where they are. If they love what they are doing, that is what matters most.”
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Just like the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, every athlete has been working towards making their country’s Olympic team while at the same time trying to stay safe in a global pandemic. COVID nearly derailed Uhlaender’s quest for her fifth Olympic Games.
During the early stages of the pandemic, Uhlaender held several jobs including a tree arborist assistant to stay fit.
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“I got COVID like two to three weeks ago. I got pulled from one race. I didn’t make the next race. I think that happened to a lot of athletes. I really feel for those who were unable to qualify because of something that was out of their control. It was never a question if I would qualify. It had nothing to do with racing, but everything to do with the pandemic and things that I couldn’t control,” Uhlaender said.
The good news for her was she was able to qualify and said she wants nothing more than to just get going.
“I know there’s a lot of politics and there’s a lot of stuff going on with the pandemic, but when it comes down it, it’s about sport. It’s about being able to compete with the best in the world and I just wanted to go back on my terms and remind the kids and the future that anyone who has the opportunity to put their best foot forward with something should go for it. That’s what I am doing,” Uhlaender said.
Uhlaender placed sixth at Torino 2006 and fourth at Sochi 2014, but was far from the medal count in Pyeongchang in 2018.
The veteran will lead the smallest skeleton team Team USA has put together since 2002.
She confirmed this would be her last Olympic Games. She said once she retires, she plans to return to Texas to attend either the University of Texas or Baylor.
Action in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing starts on Feb. 3 with the Opening Ceremony on Feb. 4. You can see it all on NBC 5.
