- Park City celebrated returning Olympians and Paralympians with a community parade on Friday.
- About 90 athletes, including past Olympians, participated in the event on Main Street.
- Athletes like Casey Dawson and Ashley Farquharson hope to inspire future generations through mentorship.
PARK CITY — Hundreds of people lined Main Street Friday to cheer on and welcome home several Olympians and Paralympians who are now back from the Milan Cortina Games in Italy. They weren't the only ones in the parade though.
In all, around 90 athletes, going back as far as the 1960 games in Squaw Valley, California, were there to share the spirit and joy of the Games. It's all part of an ecosystem that's grown in Utah, helping build a community that inspires and trains future athletes. Gold and silver medal speedskater Casey Dawson was among the first to go through what's now known as the Youth Sports Alliance, back in 2010.
"I kind of grew my way through the ranks and had amazing coaches along the way," Dawson explained. "It's pretty amazing, just the state of sport that they have here and the programs that they have. It's awesome. And I just love to represent that."
Dawson and Ashley Farquharson are among the 2026 athletes who plan to play a role in Utah's 2034 Games, at the very least in mentoring roles, if not competing. Farquharson just brought home a bronze medal in women's singles luge.
"I started in their program when I was 11," Farquharson recalled. "I tried quite a few sports through them before I kind of stuck with luge, but they also supported me on my journey as I continued to compete and grow."
Now that same support system is helping young hopefuls for future Games, including 2034, like Calvin and Grace Lemaitre. They are the son and daughter of Sarah Tueting, who won gold and silver medals in 1998 and 2002, respectively, as a goaltender with the women's hockey team. Her kids, however, have different ambitions. Sarah hopes to ride horseback in a future Summer Games, while Calvin is focused on Alpine skiing.
"They're exposed to excellence every day," Tueting said. "And they're active, right? It's almost impossible for kids not to be active in this town."
Her daughter, Grace, agreed.
"To be in a room with so many people who have worked so hard to achieve their goals and to get there, and the fact that they did manage to get there, it's very inspiring," she said. "It helps me feel like maybe I can get there too someday."
