3 First-Time Winter Olympic Hopefuls Out to Prove They're Good As Gold
Photos: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC
Kehri Jones, 24 / Killeen, TX
Bobsledding
Peak performance: Won gold at the 2017 world championship with teammate Elana Meyers Taylor.
On busting myths: "There are quite a few misconceptions about bobsledding. First, we don't train in tubs; that's not a thing. And we don't lean into the back of the sled. People have just seen Cool Runnings too many times!"
Karen Chen, 18 / Fremont, CA
Figure skating
Peak performance: Current U.S. national figure skating champion.
On words from the wise: "Before the 2017 World Figure Skating Championships, my mentor, Kristi Yamaguchi, told me this: Skate dumb. I thought she was being funny, but she's right. By competition time, it's too late to think on the ice. You need to let your body move like you've trained it to."
Chloe Kim, 17 / La Palma, CA
Snowboarding
Peak performance: First female to land back-to-back 1080s in a U.S. Grand Prix competition.
On the common cold: "I'm freezing the entire time I'm on the slopes! I try to keep moving to stay warm, but that's hard to do when it's −10 degrees. I've heard it helps to visualize standing in the desert—but I tried that, and it just made me feel colder."
Bobsledding
Peak performance: Won gold at the 2017 world championship with teammate Elana Meyers Taylor.
On busting myths: "There are quite a few misconceptions about bobsledding. First, we don't train in tubs; that's not a thing. And we don't lean into the back of the sled. People have just seen Cool Runnings too many times!"
Karen Chen, 18 / Fremont, CA
Figure skating
Peak performance: Current U.S. national figure skating champion.
On words from the wise: "Before the 2017 World Figure Skating Championships, my mentor, Kristi Yamaguchi, told me this: Skate dumb. I thought she was being funny, but she's right. By competition time, it's too late to think on the ice. You need to let your body move like you've trained it to."
Chloe Kim, 17 / La Palma, CA
Snowboarding
Peak performance: First female to land back-to-back 1080s in a U.S. Grand Prix competition.
On the common cold: "I'm freezing the entire time I'm on the slopes! I try to keep moving to stay warm, but that's hard to do when it's −10 degrees. I've heard it helps to visualize standing in the desert—but I tried that, and it just made me feel colder."
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