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Sadie Bjornsen Cross Country Skiing Fast Facts • Born Nov. 21, 1989, in Omak, Washington (age 28) • Double majored in accounting and nonprofit business management at Alaska Pacific University • Her younger brother, Erik, is also an Olympian cross- country skier for Team USA • Enjoys hunting and fishing for her own food at her home in the Alaskan wilderness • Olympian hometown heroes inspired her to pursue cross-country skiing T he homecoming of American cross-country skiers Laura McCabe and Leslie Thompson following the 1994 Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway, stuck with Sadie Bjornsen at the young age of 4. Despite the women not medaling, Bjornsen recognized the honor of representing one's country at the Olympics, and she knew that was what she wanted to do in the future. She started as an Alpine skier at the age of 6, but eventually switched to cross-country skiing and has been competing ever since. In the past two seasons, Bjornsen has finished in the top 10 at several World Cup events, earning consistent points and ranking in the top 20 of the overall standings. She won her first individual medal on the World Cup at the Tour de Ski, taking the bronze, and reclimbed the podium at the World Championships in Lahti, Finland, when she won the bronze in the team sprint event with Jessie Diggins. The two hope to continue their success as teammates when they compete in their second Olympic Games at Pyeongchang 2018. Brittany Bowe Speedskating - Long Track Fast Facts • Born Feb. 24, 1988, in Ocala, Florida (age 29) • Majored in sociology and social sciences at Florida Atlantic University • Played point guard for the Florida Atlantic Owls basketball team • Won the Oscar Mathisen Award for her outstanding performance in 2015 • Holds the American record for the 1,000-meter event G rowing up in Florida, ice was hard to come across for Brittany Bowe, so she started her speedskating career as an inline roller skater at the age of 8. She competed in world championships from 2002 to 2008, and had a successful career winning medals until she decided to focus her attention on basketball when she became a starter as a junior for the Florida Atlantic Owls' basketball team. It wasn't until after graduating from FAU that Bowe considered pursuing speedskating when she saw friends from her inline speedskating years competing at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. She moved to Salt Lake City to take up speedskating and found the podium only three years later at the ISU Speedskating World Cup in Calgary, Alberta, where she finished third in the 1,000-meter event. She earned a spot on Team USA for Sochi 2014 but did not medal. With another four years of experience on the ice, Bowe has a good chance of finding the podium at Pyeongchang 2018. WHO tO Photos courtesy USOC/NBC Olympics Jamie Anderson Snowboarding Fast Facts • Born Sept. 13, 1990, in South Lake Tahoe, California (age 27) • Launched an environmentally conscious clothing company called TRYE (To Respect Your Earth) • Favorite non-snowboarding activities include hiking, camping and yoga • Was homeschooled with her five sisters, the eldest two of whom introduced her to snowboarding • Her sister Joanie won the 2007 X-Games in snowboardcross J amie Anderson learned to snowboard when she was 9 years old when she was first introduced to the sport through her older sisters. By the time she was 13, she was competing in her first Winter X Games. At 15, she surpassed Shaun White as the youngest snowboarder to achieve a podium finish at the Winter X Games, and at 16 she became the youngest woman to win a Winter X Games gold medal. Since then, Anderson has won multiple gold medals in the slopestyle event and won several season championships in the TTR World Tour and Winter Dew Tour. Anderson made history at Sochi 2014 when she became the first Olympic gold medalist in slopestyle snowboarding. She looks to defend her gold medal in the slopestyle event, while adding to history again when the big air event makes its Olympic debut at Pyeongchang 2018. Lowell Bailey Biathlon Fast Facts • Born July 15, 1981, in Siler City, North Carolina (age 36) • Enjoys playing the guitar and mandolin in two bluegrass bands • Often repeats a Theodore Roosevelt quote in the starting gate that says, "Do what you can, with what you got, where you are" • Was a three-time NCAA All-American while attending the University of Vermont • Has a Bernese mountain dog named Hazel G rowing up in Lake Placid, New York, Lowell Bailey participated in several winter sports, including cross-country skiing, but only shot his first biathlon rifle at the age of 14. After years of competing, Bailey saw his breakout season at the age of 30, when he broke into the top 20 of the World Cup rankings for the first time. He finished 14th at the end of the 2011-12 season, improving on his ranking of 41st from the previous year, and he finished last season in eighth position. His first World Cup podium came in 2014 when he finished second in the 10 km sprint at Kontiolahti, Finland. Most recently, a year before considering retiring to become a cattle farmer, Bailey became the first American biathlon world champion when he won his first World Cup gold medal at the 2017 World Championships in Hochfilzen, Austria. In doing so, he also became the oldest individual gold medalist in world championship history, at 35 years and 216 days. Bailey will be an inspiration for most at Pyeongchang 2018, since he exemplifies why one should never give up on their goals. WHO tO Photos courtesy USOC/NBC Olympics 3 2.4.2018 Call 501-588-1480 • 479-234-4147 or 1-800-LEAFGUARD TODAY for a FREE estimate and in-home demonstration www.leafguard.com and www.leafguardandmore.com * We'll even haul the old gutters away • No more leaves, pine needles, debris or squirrels • The gutter that never clogs... GUARANTEED! • Patented one-piece system • Keep gutters running free & clear of clogs