Park City Girl Wins Olympic Bronze in Luge

A Park City girl who learned to slide down an icy track during Friday after-school trips just won an Olympic bronze medal in luge.

Ashley Farquharson grew up in Park City, Utah, where the 2002 Olympic luge track wasn't just a landmark. It was her playground. Through the Youth Sports Alliance after-school program at Ecker Hill Middle School, she and her classmates would grab elbow pads every Friday and fly down the track.

"They would take us out to the track every Friday, and we would get some elbow pads, and they'd send us on our way," Farquharson said. "And I had a blast."

That blast turned into a lifetime pursuit. On Friday in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Farquharson sped to Olympic bronze, racing at speeds over 85 mph. The moment didn't feel real until she stood on the podium, flashing a "P" with her hand for her hometown.

"I will always be a Park City girl," she said. "I don't feel like it hit me till I was on the podium. It was such a whirlwind."

Surprisingly, the scariest part wasn't hurtling down the ice at freeway speeds. "The time in between races," Farquharson explained. "Just having so much time to sit there, see how fast your competitors are going, and be with your own thoughts. That's way more stressful than the run itself."

The Ripple Effect

Farquharson's journey highlights something special about Utah. Olympic-caliber venues aren't tucked away in exclusive training centers. They're woven into neighborhoods where kids can stumble into world-class sports through simple after-school programs.

A third of Team USA has called Utah home at some point, and it's easy to see why. When your middle school field trip includes an Olympic track, extraordinary opportunities feel ordinary.

Farquharson isn't committing to competing in the 2034 Olympics, which Utah will host. "It does feel very far away at the moment," she said, laughing. But she acknowledges it would be "a very incredible full-circle moment."

For now, she's savoring what she's already accomplished: turning Friday afternoon fun into Olympic glory.