As excitement builds for the Winter Olympics in Italy, 26 athletes native to Minnesota are grappling with mixed feelings, torn between pursuing their dreams and the turmoil back home. The state has been gripped by protests against an immigration crackdown, which escalated after two fatal shootings by federal officials last month.
Biathlete Luci Anderson, 25, whose family marched in a Minneapolis protest, said it is hard to focus on skiing when her community is fighting for rights. 'It's kind of an odd contrast to be trying to chase my dreams but also wanting to support the people that are at home fighting for what's right,' she told the Associated Press.
Alpine skier Lindsey Vonn, who grew up in Minnesota, said her heart is heavy but she aims to represent the country well. 'The best thing I can do is to do exactly what I said, stand tall and have hope and show the world what America is,' she said. Lee Stecklein of the women's hockey team echoed that sentiment, hoping to 'represent Minnesota well' on a global stage.
Kelly Pannek, another hockey player, noted the emotional atmosphere after a fatal shooting in Minneapolis. 'Representing our country, representing our state, we get to do it at a sporting event, but there's so many people that do it on a daily basis,' she said. Cross-country skier Jessie Diggins posted that she races for love and acceptance, not hate and discrimination.
Biathlete Margie Freed said she was inspired by demonstrations. 'Seeing all of the people come together … it's really heartwarming and it shows that there's a lot of love,' she said. Teammate Zak Ketterson stressed that the turmoil does not reflect the kindness of Minnesotans.
