The Winter Olympics officially kick off Friday in Sochi, Russia. But competition for Idaho’s group of Olympians started early Thursday. Jessika Jensen, a native of eastern Idaho, finished seventh in her qualifying heat in the event of slopestyle snowboarding.
Nine people with Idaho ties will compete in the Olympics. Reporter Tom Banse of the Northwest News Network has been previewing the games. He says that figure is on par with the state's recent delegations.
"Idaho sent nine athletes to the Vancouver games in 2010, too, and more than half of that group is back in action this year," Banse says. "If you pull the lens back just a little bit and look at the wider Northwest, Idaho, Oregon and Washington together are sending 25 competitors with local ties to Sochi."
Banse predicts the U.S Women's Hockey Team - including Sun Valley forward Hilary Knight - will win a medal. He says other Idahoans with the best medal hopes include snowboarder Nate Holland. He's competing in snowboardcross.
"Holland has a lot of motivation going into these games," Banse says. "He had a spinout in the finals in Vancouver and finished in that excruciating fourth place."
Banse says snowboarder Kaitlyn Farrington could also medal in the half pipe.
"Americans have dominated this event since its inception," he says. "If Kaitlyn can lay down a clean run and execute the hardest tricks she's capable of, I'd give her a real good chance of bringing home a medal."
Read more about Northwest athletes in Sochi here.
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