Olympians Next Door: Where America's Winter Olympic Athletes Come From

By Bill Chappell / NPR

Published February 8, 2018 at 4:12 AM PST

This story was published more than 6 years ago.

Bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor, snowboarder Alex Deibold, skier Lindsey Vonn, skier Gus Kenworthy and members of Team USA pose for a photo during the 100 Days Out 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics Celebration.

The 242 athletes who will represent the U.S. in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics come from 32 states, from Alaska to Florida. And while powerhouse winter sports states like Colorado and California are sending the most Olympians to South Korea, cities and towns around the U.S. have good reason to watch their daughters and sons compete as well.

Seven American Olympians are from Anchorage, Alaska; five are from Duluth, Minn. Those two cities join Park City, Utah, (eight Olympians) and Steamboat Springs, Colo., (six) to lead the country in producing Olympic athletes for the 2018 squad.

More than 40 percent of the U.S. Winter Olympic athletes come from five states:

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Colorado (31 athletes)
California (22 athletes)
Minnesota (19 athletes)
New York (18 athletes)
Utah (16 athletes)

Here's an interactive guide to help you find your local Olympians: