Colorado had more “hometown” athletes than any other U.S. state represented at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, sending an impressive 31 competitors to the Games (more than Belgium and Iceland combined).
After two and a half weeks of intense competition, the United States claimed 23 medals in total (nine gold) and finished in fourth place behind Norway, Germany and Canada on the medal table. Colorado athletes played a part in eight* of those medals, with six of them earned by individual athletes.
*Other outlets are claiming nine medals for Colorado, including with the count the bronze medal in the team figure skating competition won by Mirai Nagasu, a student at University of Colorado-Colorado Springs and former Avalanche Ice Girl. Nagasu claims Arcadia, Calif. as her hometown. MHS counts only athletes whose hometown is listed as a Colorado city.
Were Colorado a country of its own, it would have ranked just behind China with the 15th-most overall medals. Colorado even won more individual gold than the Olympic Athletes from Russia.
Alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin was the only Colorado athlete to earn multiple medals, winning gold in the ladies’ giant slalom and silver in the alpine combined. Teammate Lindsey Vonn won a bronze in the downhill in what is expected to be her final Olympic Games.
Red Gerard kicked off the U.S. medal count with a gold medal in men’s snowboard slopestyle. Arielle Gold earned a snowboarding bronze in the ladies’ halfpipe. Alex Ferreira won silver in men’s ski halfpipe.
Colorado athletes also picked up hardware in a pair of team events. Lauren Gibbs was push/brake for the women’s bobsled piloted by Elana Meyers Taylor that won a silver medal. Finally, goaltender Nicole Hensley earned a gold medal with the U.S. women’s hockey team. Hensley played in just one game during the tournament, but earned a shutout against the O.A.R. during pool play.
Our partners at USA TODAY Sports had photographers on the scene in PyeongChang, capturing the medal-winning moments throughout the games. Here’s a look at our favorite images of Colorado athletes bringing home the hardware.
Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail)
Ladies’ Giant Slalom – Gold; Ladies’ Alpine Combined – Silver
Feb 15, 2018; Pyeongchang, South Korea; Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) during the second run of the alpine skiing ladies giant slalom during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Yongpyong Alpine Centre. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 15, 2018; Pyeongchang, South Korea; Medalists from left Ragnhild Mowinckel (NOR) , Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) and Federica Brignone (ITA) celebrate on the podium after the alpine skiing ladies giant slalom during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Yongpyong Alpine Centre. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 15, 2018; Pyeongchang, South Korea; Gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) celebrates during the medals ceremony for the ladies’ alpine skiing giant slalom in the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Medals Plaza. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 22, 2018; Pyeongchang, South Korea; Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) competes in the women’s alpine combined slalom event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Jeongseon Alpine Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 22, 2018; Pyeongchang, South Korea; Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) celebrates winning the silver medal in the ladiesÕ alpine skiing combined event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Jeongseon Alpine Centre. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 22, 2018; Pyeongchang, South Korea; Silver medalist Mikaela Shiffrin (USA), left, poses for a photo with gold medalist Michelle Gisin (SUI) and bronze medalist Wendy Holdener (SUI) look on during the medals ceremony for the ladies alpine combined in the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Medals Plaza. Mandatory Credit: Eric Seals-USA TODAY Sports
Lindsey Vonn (Vail)
Ladies’ Downhill – Bronze
Feb 20, 2018; Pyeongchang, South Korea; Lindsey Vonn (USA) competes in the women’s downhill alpine skiing race during the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Jeongseon Alpine Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 20, 2018; Pyeongchang, South Korea; Lindsey Vonn (USA) celebrates winning the bronze medal in the alpine skiing downhill event in the women’s downhill alpine skiing race during the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Jeongseon Alpine Centre. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 21, 2018; Pyeongchang,South Korea; Bronze medal winner Lindsey Vonn (USA), left, gold medal winner Sofia Goggia (ITA) and silver medal winner Ragnhild Mowinckel (NOR) celebrate their victories in the alpine skiing downhill event during the medals ceremony for the in the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Medals Plaza. Mandatory Credit: Mark Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
Red Gerard (Silverthorne)
Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle – Gold
Feb 11, 2018; Pyeongchang, South Korea; Redmond Gerard (USA) competes in the snowboard slopestyle during the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Phoenix Snow Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 11, 2018; Pyeongchang, South Korea; Redmond Gerard (USA) competes in the snowboard slopestyle during the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Phoenix Snow Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 11, 2018; Pyeongchang, South Korea; Redmond Gerard (USA) celebrates winning the gold in the snowboard slopestyle event during the medals ceremony in the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Medals Plaza. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Arielle Gold (Steamboat Springs)
Ladies’ Snowboard Halfpipe – Bronze
Feb 13, 2018; Pyeongchang, South Korea; Arielle Gold (USA) competes in the halfpipe final event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Phoenix Snow Park. Mandatory Credit: Guy Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 13, 2018; Pyeongchang, South Korea; Gold medalist Chloe Kim (USA), left, and bronze medalist Arielle Gold (USA) take the stand after competing in the halfpipe event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Phoenix Snow Park. Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 13, 2018; Pyeongchang, South Korea; Gold medalist Chloe Kim (USA) , silver medalist Jiayu Liu (CHN) , bronze medalist Arielle Gold (USA) during the medals ceremony for women’s snowboarding halfpipe in the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Medals Plaza. Mandatory Credit: Mark Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
Alex Ferreira (Aspen)
Men’s Ski Halfpipe – Silver
Feb 22, 2018; Pyeongchang, South Korea; Alex Ferreira (USA) competes in the mens halfpipe final during the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Phoenix Snow Park. Mandatory Credit: Guy Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 22, 2018; Pyeongchang, South Korea; Alex Ferreira (USA) reacts after winning the silver medal after the mens halfpipe final during the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Phoenix Snow Park. Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 22, 2018; Pyeongchang, South Korea; Alex Ferreira (USA) reacts after being awarded the silver medal during the medals ceremony for the mens freestyle ski halfpipe in the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Medals Plaza. Mandatory Credit: Eric Seals-USA TODAY Sports
Lauren Gibbs (Denver)
Women’s Bobsled – Silver
Feb 21, 2018; Pyeongchang, South Korea; Elana Meyers Taylor and Lauren Gibbs (USA) celebrate at the venue victory ceremony after placing second in the women’s bobsleigh during the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Olympic Sliding Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Powers-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 22, 2018; Pyeongchang, South Korea; Lauren Gibbs (USA) and Elana Meyers Taylor celebrate after being awarded the silver medal during the medals ceremony for the women’s bobsleigh in the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Medals Plaza. Mandatory Credit: Eric Seals-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 20, 2018; Pyeongchang, South Korea; Elana Meyers Taylor and Lauren Gibbs (USA) compete in the bobsleigh in the 2-man event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Olympic Sliding Centre. Mandatory Credit: Mandatory Credit: Dan Powers-USA TODAY Sports
Nicole Hensley (Lakewood)
Women’s Ice Hockey – Gold
Feb 13, 2018; Gangneung, South Korea; United States goaltender Nicole Hensley (29) makes a save against Olympic Athlete from Russia forward Valeria Pavlova (15) in women’s hockey group A play during the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Kwandong Hockey Centre. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Nelles-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 22, 2018; Gangneung, South Korea; United States players celebrate after defeating Canada in the women’s ice hockey gold medal match during the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Gangneung Hockey Centre. Mandatory Credit: David E. Klutho-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 22, 2018; Gangneung, South Korea; United States players Kendall Coyne (26) , Amanda Kessel (28) and Nicole Hensley (29) celebrate with their gold medals after defeating Canada in the women’s ice hockey gold medal match during the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Gangneung Hockey Centre. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Nelles-USA TODAY Sports