MIDDLEFIELD, Conn. — A Connecticut native Lindsey Jacobellis made her mark on the 2022 Winter Olympics, winning gold for the United States in the women's snowboardcross.
Skiers and snowboarders FOX61 spoke with at Powder Ridge Mountain Park and Resort were excited to hear the news.
"It's really exciting. A lot of times people kind of think of the west coast and the Rocky Mountains as big ski areas more so than the east coast so it's really nice to see someone from around the area winning,” Catia Porter, a Powder Ridge snowboard instructor, said.
Jacobellis' win marks the first gold medal for the U.S. at the Beijing Olympics.
The 36-year-old grew up in Roxbury and is the most decorated athlete in the history of snowboardcross.
Skiers and snowboarders at Powder Ridge are glad to hear someone from their state got the gold.
“That's awesome,” Powder Ridge youth ski team member Colton Tsialas from Madison said. “Because they're from Connecticut and that's where we're from.”
Eight-year-old Hunter Depasquale from Guilford is hoping to represent Connecticut at the games someday.
"When I grow up, I want to be in the Olympics and I want to do good at skiing,” he said.
“If I could be in the Olympics, I think that would be really cool,” Charlie Dalles, the Powder Ridge Ski Team Captain, said. “I watch the Olympics, mostly the skiing events, and some inspiration might be from Mikaela Shiffrin.”
Eyes are also on the Olympics in Roxbury where a banner stands at Town Hall in honor of Jacobellis.
The Roxbury first selectman told FOX61 News she went to elementary and middle school in town, and they're incredibly proud of her.
"I'm really, really glad for Lindsey,” Greg Osipow from Roxbury said. “Always rooting for her and I know how hard they train so to grab gold, that's pretty amazing."
Jacobellis is one of nine Connecticut athletes to play for Team USA.
Connecticut will also be represented at the games in men's hockey. Strauss Mann from Greenwich is part of the US Olympic team which will take the ice Thursday morning.
More snowboard cross is in store locally this weekend. Powder Ridge is hosting a USASA Double Boardercross (BX) and Skiercross (SX) event this Sunday.
Elisha Machado is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at emachado@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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