While all Olympic athletes balance their sport with their other obligations, soldier-athletes and soldier-coaches balance their sport with service. 

Five soldier-athletes and four coaches will be among several others with Army ties to compete in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, according to an Army World Class Athlete Program press release. The Games begin Feb. 4.

The World Class Athlete Program allows the best soldier-athletes from the active Army, Army National Guard and Army Reserve the opportunity to train, compete and work toward the goal of competing at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

Spc. Jasper Good, who will compete in the Nordic combined, an event that features ski jumping and cross-country skiing, said support from the World Class Athlete Program has allowed him to reach new heights. 

“I am incredibly honored and excited to be named to the 2022 U.S. Olympic Team,” Good said. “Representing Team USA at the Games means even more to me as a member of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program. The support and camaraderie I have gained has helped me reach new levels.”

Sgt. Justin Olsen, an assistant bobsled push coach who was a member of the gold medal four-man bobsled team in the 2010 Winter Olympics, said during an Army Facebook Live event that striking a balance between soldier and athlete is manageable. 

“One hundred percent of our time is [dedicated to] training, and that is our job,” said Olsen, who also competed in the 2018 Games and retired from competing after a neck injury. “But at the same time, we are soldiers, and we have to perfect our craft and stay up to speed on that.”  

The U.S. roster for Beijing, with at least 225 athletes, is “the second largest U.S. contingent ever at the Olympic Winter Games, according to the Team USA website. 

Several athletes from the World Class Athlete Program have already made their Olympic mark. Spc. Ben Loomis competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics and was the top U.S. competitor in Nordic combined skiing. Spc. Hakeem Abdul-Saboor, a bobsled brakeman, also competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics

Other members of the roster have shown resilience in the face of extraordinary challenges, like Sgt. Emily Sweeney, who competes in luge. Despite breaking her neck and back in a crash during her Olympic debut at the 2018 Games, Sweeney recovered and is back for more in Beijing. 

The World Class Athlete Program’s roster also features newcomers like bobsledder Spc. Frank Del Duca. 

“It means a lot,” he said about making the team. “We’re wearing two uniforms, but it's for the same team, and we don’t take that lightly. It’s such an honor, and I'm very grateful to be a part of the Army and this fantastic program.” 

Loomis hopes to inspire future generations. “I am humbled and very proud to be representing the United States of America as both a soldier and an athlete,” he said. “Representing this country and the U.S. Army in Beijing is a true honor and something I hope will inspire future generations.”

The opportunity to represent the U.S. and the Army is about leaving a legacy of service for Olsen. 

“What drew me to the program and to the Army was I always wanted to serve, and I always wanted to compete at that elite level. But it means more, your legacy means a lot more,” he said. “Somebody might watch and see your performance … through a little bit of a different lens. All I can hope for is that you believe that nothing’s impossible if you get the right team behind you.” 

In addition to the athletes, World Class Athlete Program coaches include Lt. Col. Garrett Hines, a bobsled start coach, Capt. Michael Kohn, Team USA’s bobsled head coach, and Staff Sgt. Shauna Rohbock, an assistant bobsled driving coach.