Utah’s Bella Wright Overcomes Challenges To Compete At Winter Games

BEIJING — Bella Wright, who was born and raised in Salt Lake City, made her Olympic debut in Beijing, but some unexpected challenges almost kept her home.

One week before the Opening Ceremony, Bella was seen training on the slopes in Park City.

It was impressive because five weeks prior, Bella broke her ankle, jeopardizing her Olympic dreams.

“I was told that, actually, my season was over, at first. And then, it went to an eight- to 10-week recovery, which was right around the Olympics. So, I thought that the Olympics were out for me.”

All that she had worked for since she first got on skis at the age of three at Snowbird was suddenly in question.

“That feeling of the Olympic dream slipping through my hands, and being told, ‘Well, you can go again in four years.’ I’m like, yeah, but like, four years from now is never guaranteed either. So, I needed to just fight as hard as I could fight to get back to this point.”

Back on the slopes for the first time since that accident, pain free.

“I was just really overwhelmed with joy,” Bella said.

The joy of being an Olympian.

“It’s hard to describe in words. It means so much. And, I’ve dreamt of this moment for a really long time.”

And that moment became reality Thursday night when she competed in the Super G — her first competition since her accident.

For Bella, what makes her most proud is representing her home state of Utah on the biggest stage in winter sports.

“I’m so excited to represent Utah. I think that, just growing up in this amazing community, having Snowbird as my home mountain, so the Little Cottonwood Canyon family is just home for me,” she said. “There’s been so many inspiring athletes that have gone and that are going from here, and I’m excited to be one of those people.”

Bella competes in the Women’s Downhill event Monday night on KSL TV.