Utah is home to plenty of hard-working, determined and talented people. True, becoming an Olympian requires a whole lot more than just talent, but Utah natives are no strangers to making sacrifices and achieving big dreams. Over the years, the Olympic games have hosted many a Utah athlete.

Past (and current) Utah Olympians have also hailed from many of Utah’s prestigious schools, including the University of Utah, Westminster University and Brigham Young University. To help you get an idea of some Utah natives that stood out from the crowd, here is a list of prominent Utah athletes, courtesy of Robert J. DeBry.

1. Alma Richards

Perhaps the first native Utahn to compete in the Olympic games, Alma Richards was born in 1890 in Parowan. This man went on to compete in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm and took home the gold medal in men’s high jump.

2. Dorothy Poynton-Hill

Born in Salt Lake City, Poynton-Hill enjoyed swimming from an early age. She went on to compete in three Olympic games (1928, ’32, and ’36), winning a silver, bronze and gold medal. She competed as a diver in the 3-meter springboard competition and 10-meter platform events.

3. Jack Reddish

Utah has a long-standing tradition of Olympic skiers, likely due to the ski-friendly climate and world-rated ski resorts from Deer Valley to Park City. But one early Olympic competitor to hail from Utah was a man of many talents. After competing as an alpine skier in 1948 and ’52 Olympic games, Reddish began a successful career behind a camera in the entertainment industry.

4. Cael Sanderson

While Sanderson only competed at the 2004 Olympic Games, he has carried on an amazing legacy of world-renowned wrestling. Sanderson won his Olympic gold medal at the Athens Games in 2004 and won four consecutive NCAA titles in college wrestling while going 159-0 in his college career. He has also helped countless wrestlers by coaching at Penn State University.

5. Shauna Rohbock

Rohbock was born and raised in Orem, Utah and set several women’s soccer records while attending BYU. Rohbock later worked as a professional soccer player, but she didn’t stop there. She competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics for women’s bobsleigh, winning a silver medal. She is also a soldier in the U.S. Army National Guard.

6. David Zabriskie

Zabriskie, who grew up in Salt Lake City, has a long list of professional accomplishments in road cycling. His career includes seven U.S. National Time Trial Championships and stage wins in three Grand Tour races. Zabriskie competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in road cycling.

7. Megan McJames

McJames is one of many successful and professional skiers who were born in Park City. Although countless skiers from around the world live and train at the Park City Resort, McJames was born and raised there. She went on to compete in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

8. Ted Ligety

Theodore Sharp “Ted” Ligety, who was born in Salt Lake City, has won multiple world Championships and is a five-time World Cup champion in the giant slalom event. In 2006, Ligety won his Olympic gold medal in Alpine skiing. He also competed in the 2010 Winter Olympics.

9. Noelle Pikus-Pace

Known for her heart-wrenching story of injury and redemption, Pikus-Pace was born in Orem. She later began her career in skeleton racing in 2001 and has competed in the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Games. She completed her Olympic career at the 2014 Sochi Olympics by winning the silver medal.

10. Zach Lund

Speaking of skeleton racers, Lund has been competing in skeleton since 2000. He has placed at several World Championships and raced at the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Feel free to see more native Utah Olympians competing at this year’s 2016 Rio Olympics. Being an Olympic competitor takes a lot of guts and training and competitors certainly suffer their fair share of injuries. Still, Olympians aren’t the only ones that get hurt — non-Olympians need just as much help. If you’ve been injured in an accident, contact Robert J. DeBry today.

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