Parade of Olympians marches through Park City

PARK CITY, Utah – Thousands of people stood on both sides of Park City’s Main Street to cheer and say congratulations to the more than 40 Olympic athletes participating, especially to those home grown stars from Park City.

Hazel and Matt Schiller

Three-year-old Hazel Schiller was  among the excited fans Friday afternoon.

“I’m looking, I’m looking, I’m looking,” said her father Matt Schiller to her. “Let’s see where we can get a flag for you.”

Friday was a big day for Hazel. Not only did she get to wear her PyeongChang Olympics mascot outfit, which she even knows is named Soohorang, but she also knew she was going to see her heroes. That’s why she wanted a flag.

Thousands of people stood on both sides of Main Street to cheer and say congratulations.

“She’s on fire. We watched every event. She loved every minute of it,” her father said.

Main Street in Park City was closed for about 30 minutes so the Parade of Olympians and Paralympians could go through town.

The stars included 2-time Olympic Gold Medalist skier Ted Ligety, PyeongChang bronze medalist speedskater Mia Manganello, ski jumpers Abby Ringquist and Will Rhoads, and bobsled athlete Chris Fogt.

Ski jumper Abby Ringquist

“Being a part of this whole movement towards the Olympics in such an amazing area and an amazing community is really something special that I don’t think anywhere else has,” said Ringquist, who is from Park City.

“Park City has a huge Olympic heritage,” said Ligety. “Besides have the Olympics here and a whole plethora of Olympic athletes that have come out of here and a bunch of athletes who have won Olympic medals and Olympic gold medals, it’s so cool to have that support system.”

Ligety is also from Park City and grew up in its sports programs.

2-time Olympic Gold Medalist skier Ted Ligety

He says he knows what it’s like to look up to athletes as a young kid aspiring to make an Olympic team.

That’s why, he says, he was looking forward to the parade, because you never know when tomorrow’s athlete is the one waving at today’s athletes.

“It’s cool to be able to come in and interact with this next generation of kids coming up, because one of these kids out here will be winning medals soon enough as well,” said Ligety.

Here is a list of athletes who competed in the 2018 Olympics, who were expected to be in the parade:

Ted Ligety, 2x Olympic Gold medalist, Alpine

Brita Sigourney, Olympic Bronze medalist, Freeskiing/Halfpipe

Kevin Bickner, Nordic Jumping

Chris Fogt, Bobsled

Megan McJames, Alpine

Bubba Newby, Freeskiing/Halfpipe

Seamus O’Connor Snowboard/Halfpipe

Madison Olsen, Freestyle/Aerials

Will Rhoads, Nordic Jumping

Abby Ringquist, Nordic Jumping

Morgan Schild, Freestyle/Moguls

Darian Stevens, Freeskiing/Slopestyle

McRae Williams, Freeskiing/Slopestyle

Liz Swaney, Freeskiing/Halfpipe

Stephanie Victor, 4x Paralympic Medalist, Alpine

Mia Manganello, Olympic Bronze medalist, Long Track Speed Skating.

Athletes in prior Olympics who were expected to be in the parade:

Billy Demong, Nordic Combined

Eric Heiden, Speed Skating

Summer Sanders Schlopy, Swimming

Dick Roth, Swimming

Valerie Fleming, Bobsled

Shauna Rohbock, Bobsled

Bill Schuffenhauer, Bobsled

Bryon Wilson, Moguls

Emily Cook, Aerials

Fuzz Feddersen, Aerials

Preston Griffall, Luge

Noah Hoffman, Cross Country Skiing

Jim Holland, Ski Jumping

Lauren Cholewinski Isaac, Speed Skating

Jana Johnson, Aerials

Devry Karz, Rowing

Tracy Evans Land, Aerials

Missy Marlowe, Gymnastics

Craig Rodman, Moguls

Erik Schlopy, Alpine

Carrie Sheinberg, Alpine

Sean Smith, Moguls

Lindsey Van, Ski Jumping

Jared Ward, Track & Field

Trace Worthington, Aerials