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SALT LAKE CITY — The news of the Winter Games potentially coming to Salt Lake City in 2034 was huge for young Utah athletes with Olympic dreams on their minds.
"Oh, I think it's amazing," said figure skating coach Lisa Kriley. Kriley coaches daily at the Salt Lake City Sports Complex.
She said Wednesday's news can only help her aspiring young athletes.
"I think it will motivate them," Kriley said. "I think that it's fun to go other places. But when it comes down to it, and it's really the most important, you like to sleep in your own bed and just have a routine that you are used to. Consistency breeds success."
Some of those young athletes she is coaching range in age from 5 to 13.
"I want to go to the Olympics in Salt Lake. And I want to podium," said Edith McGowanfreer, 11, who is on her way to competing in a variety of figure skating competitions. "I grew up here, and it's here I live, so it's special to me."
Other athletes are also excited about the possibility of the Olympics coming to Salt Lake City.
"Excited," said Annabelle Atkinson, 9. "I want to be in the Olympics here because I want to present to everyone."
Anika Scullin, 13, says 10 years from now she will still be in her prime.
"I think it's cool," she said. "I would really want to be (in the Olympics in Salt Lake). That would be awesome."
Hard work ahead
But all of them are realizing there is a lot of work to be done to be ready to compete on the international stage in 10 years.
"A lot of training and practice," said Scullin.
"It will be a lot of hard work to get up to present for the United States," said Atkinson.
Ice dance coach Chris Obaznsky says the Olympics projected to come to Salt Lake City gives kids vision. And with first-class facilities, he sees no reason why the 2034 Games can't include more Utahns.
"Kids have opportunities to do stuff over the next 10 years. And if they stick with it, I don't see why we can't have skaters coming from Utah skating in Salt Lake," said Obaznsky.
