Durango breeds Olympic champions – it's simply what we do. This Friday, as the Milano Cortina Winter Games begin, that legacy continues with Charlie Mickel competing in freestyle moguls for Team USA (Herald, Jan. 25).
Our winter sports legacy kicked off with Mike Elliott, a three-time Nordic skiing Olympian (1964, 1968, 1972), Greg Lyman in speed skating (1972), and Ron Yeager in Nordic skiing (1972, 1976), according to Durango Trails.
Perhaps no story better captures the Olympic spirit than that of twin sisters Tracy and Lanny Barnes, who both competed in biathlon at the 2006 Turin Olympics. Lanny returned for the 2010 Vancouver Games, posting the best U.S. women's biathlon result since 1994. But 2014 brought one of the most inspiring moments in Olympic history. When Lanny fell ill during qualifying and missed the team by one spot, Tracy earned a spot but declined it, allowing her twin sister to compete in her third Olympics. That selfless act exemplified the true Olympic spirit – something worth remembering as we cheer for our athletes this month.
Other Durango winter Olympians include Chris Thorpe in luge (1998, 2002).
On the summer side, Ignacio’s Ben Nighthorse Campbell competed in and captained the U.S. Olympic judo team at the 1964 Tokyo Games. Durango also has dominated mountain biking since it became a medal sport in 1996, sending at least one athlete to every Summer Games: Juli Furtado (1996), Travis Brown and Ruthie Matthes (2000), Todd Wells (2004, 2008, 2012), Howard Grotts (2016), and Christopher Blevins and Riley Amos (2020, 2024).
The roster also includes kayakers Cathy Hearn and Zachary Lokken, beach volleyball star Elaine Youngs, and track athlete Elva Martinez-Dryer.
Now comes Charlie Mickel. The 21-year-old grew up skiing at Purgatory Resort and will compete in moguls Feb. 10-12 and 15. He's been building momentum on the World Cup circuit, finishing in the top six in four of five events this season, including a third-place finish in Livigno, Italy – the same venue hosting the Olympic mogul course.
Mickel joins fellow Colorado 3rd District athletes Alex Ferreira of Aspen (freeski halfpipe) and Hailey Swirbul of El Jebel (cross-country skiing) on Team USA. As Rep. Jeff Hurd stated (Herald, Feb. 1): “As these athletes compete on the world stage, they represent more than themselves. They reflect the character of the places that raised them” – a sentiment that extends to the entire U.S. Olympic delegation.
The Olympics have always represented humanity's best: athletes from every background, political viewpoint, and corner of America coming together under one flag, as fans hope Lindsey Vonn, who crashed last week, can still compete.
That diversity is the beauty of our melting pot nation. History reminds us what happens when politics intrude – the 1972 Munich massacre, when Palestinian militants killed 11 Israeli athletes, stands as the darkest example of terrorism infiltrating the Games.
This year brings different controversies: while heavy snow blanketed the Italian Alps on Tuesday, organizers had previously faced concerns about snow levels and climate change – divisive topics we won't wade into here. There are also protests over ICE's Homeland Security Investigations unit assisting with security, though HSI has routinely supported past Olympics as part of U.S. security operations. Whatever your views on these issues, the Games are about supporting our athletes who've earned the right to compete for their country.
The legacy also includes Dolph Kuss, a two-time Olympic Nordic combined coach and father of Vuelta a España champion and Tour de France stage winner Sepp Kuss. Beyond the Olympians, Durango has cultivated national and world champions like Ned Overend (first UCI Mountain Bike World Champion in 1990) and Dennis O'Brien (26-time Master National Champion in swimming).
This is the moment to put politics aside and stand united behind the American athletes who have worked so hard just to qualify for – let alone compete in – the Olympics. They represent the best of what our community can produce: dedication, perseverance, and pride in wearing the red, white and blue.
Mickel wants to succeed as he follows in the footsteps of Mike Elliott, Ron Yeager, and Tracy and Lanny Barnes. Win or lose, he's already inspired a new generation who understand what our mountains can build in those willing to push themselves. That's worth celebrating, protecting, and cheering for when the Games begin Friday.
