Books to Read If You’re Psyched About The Winter Olympics
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The Winter Olympics are coming up and it’s the one time, every four years, I’m suddenly very invested in downhill skiing, luge, figure skating, snowboarding, and all sorts of winter sports. To be fair, it’s also the one time of year I can convince people who don’t care about cross-country skiing to invest a little time in the sport with me. Whenever I watch the Olympics and get all worked up about a sport I know nothing about, my first thought is that I wish I’d taken the time to learn more. I finally have! Here is a list of the Winter Olympic sports, and books you can read about them. If you want to prepare for the Olympics or if you watch the Olympics and are interested in a new sport, these can be some of your go to reads!
Now president of the Jamaica Bobsleigh Federation, Chris Stokes provides two narratives from his experience as an Olympian and a member of the world bobsleighing community. One details the personalities, those grinding training regimens, and the raw hopes and fears, disasters and determination found behind the familiar media images. In the other, drawing from his experience within the fluid and dynamic demands of marketing Jamaica Bobsleigh, Chris also provides lessons for fundraising, building a vibrant and visionary business, and for those who would seek personal growth in context of teamwork.
Though trained as a track and field athlete since the age of 9, Vonetta did not make the cut for the summer Olympic track team. Her coach and husband, Johnny, later saw an ad for bobsled competitors and convinced Vonetta to go for this previously unconsidered sport. She made it. Her lifetime of track training placed her in the anchor position on the 2-woman bobsled team, and the rest is literally history.
Throwing Rocks at Houses is a candid, charming and thoughtful story about rising to the top only to learn how easily it can all be taken away. Whether career, family, or personal health, her amazing journey reveals, more than anything, all that matters most in life.
The daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, Karen began to figure skate at just five years old. Ten years and many grueling training sessions later, she broke out at the 2015 US Championships with a bronze medal. This was after sustaining a nearly career-ending ankle fracture a year earlier.
In this deeply personal and entertaining book, Apolo shows how we can all come closer to living with zero regrets. While Apolo’s own journey may be unique, the insights he has gleaned along the way have the power to help us all feel like champions every day.
On snowboarder Shaun White’s first run on the halfpipe at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada, he set the high score and secured the gold medal. On his second run, which people called a “victory lap,” Shaun set an even higher score to destroy the competition. But Shaun is more than a two-time Olympic snowboarding champion. He’s also a world-class skateboarder. As the first person to compete in both the Summer and Winter X Games, Shaun is the biggest star in two sports. Learn more about his high-flying skills and unique personality.
Looking for some athletic romance? Check out 100 Must-Read Sports Romances! What books are you reading to get ready for the Winter Olympics?
