What was supposed to be a pretty typical, but much anticipated end of school year field day for students at South Jordan Elementary School turned into something much, much bigger. Fourteen Olympic and Paralympic athletes surprised students by showing up to take part in the field day fun… all of them fresh off competing in the recent Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games.
The Olympic athletes had a blast side-by-side with students in a number of races, a tug-of-war, signing autographs, shaking hands, and offering words of inspiration and encouragement.
The surprise was part of an ongoing effort by Utah 2034 to put athletes face-to-face with communities which will host the world in 2034. It was also an opportunity to promote the International Olympic Committee’s new Let’s Move 2026 campaign, a global push to get young people active.
The afternoon ended with a ‘swag toss’ of Olympic hats, shirts, and pins doled out to very excited students, some who may have hopes and dreams of representing Team USA themselves one day.
Thank you to the following Olympic athletes for being incredible role models and letting young students know hard work and determination can pay off in some pretty big ways:
- Ethan Cepuran, Long-Track Speed Skating
- Kate Delson, Para Snowboard (Snowboardcross)
- Nick Goepper, Freeski (Slopestyle/Halfpipe)
- Faye Gulini Thelen, Snowboard (Snowboardcross)
- Marin Hamill, Freeski (Slopestyle/Big Air)
- Rell Harwood, Freeski (Slopestyle/Big Air)
- Jaelin Kauf, Freestyle Skiing (Moguls)
- Kaysha Love, Bobsled
- Zach Miller, Para Snowboard
- Hahna Norman, Snowboard (Slopestyle/Big Air)
- Hunter Powell, Bobsled
- Konnor Ralph, Freeski (Slopestyle/Big Air)
- Brianna “Bri” Schnorrbusch, Snowboard (Snowboardcross)
- Sarah Warren, Long-Track Speed Skating
