Hugs, tears welcome home Utah Olympians from Beijing
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Family and friends of Team USA Olympic athletes and coaches wait for their loved ones to arrive at the Salt Lake City International Airport, on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.
A special Delta Air Lines charter flight landed Monday morning at Salt Lake City International Airport delivering special cargo: Team USA Winter Olympians.
Some 19 Olympians with Utah ties won medals at the Games, and many arrived in Utah’s capital to friends and family waiting for them. Normally able to watch their loved ones compete in person, foreign spectators were not permitted in China due to the coronavirus.
Notable athletes included Nathan Chen, the figure skater who jumped and pirouetted to Olympic gold in men’s figure skating, and Kaillie Humphries, who won the inaugural women’s monobob event and partnered with Herriman’s Kaysha Love for the two-woman bobsled.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Four-year-old Thomas Stuart, welcomes home his dad Andrew Stuart, a conditioning coach for the U.S. speedskating team, as he and other Team USA Olympians arrive at the Salt Lake City International Airport on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Figure skater Nathan Chen arrives home in Salt Lake City, on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022. Chen won the gold medal in men's figure staking and a silver in the team event.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Kaillie Humphries, left, poses for a photo with two-woman bobsled teammate, Kaysha Love from Herriman, as they and other Team USA Olympians arrive at the Salt Lake City International Airport on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Short track speedskater Maame Biney, left, is greeted by her childhood best friend, Tori Fauntroy, as she arrives home in Salt Lake City, on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022. Biney and Fauntroy had not seen each other in 4 years.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Christina Stevens, left, the mother of Olympic freestyle skier Darian Stevens, gives freestyle skier, Caroline Claire a hug as she and other Team USA Olympians arrive at the Salt Lake City International Airport on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Family and friends of Team USA Olympic athletes and coaches wait for their loved ones to arrive at the Salt Lake City International Airport, on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Stephanie Love, left, the mother of bobsledder and Herriman local Kaysha Love, hugs bobsled athlete Kaillie Humphries as she and other Team USA Olympians arrive at the Salt Lake City International Airport on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Freestyle skier Winter Vinecki, center, poses for photos as she and other Team USA Olympians arrive at the Salt Lake City International Airport on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Kaillie Humphries, left, hugs two-woman bobsled teammate, Kaysha Love from Herriman, as they and other Team USA Olympians arrive at the Salt Lake City International Airport on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Short track speedskater Ryan Pivirotto, is welcomed home with a hug, as he and other Team USA Olympians arrive at the Salt Lake City International Airport on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Freestyle skier Darian Stevens poses for a photo with Olympic mascot Bing Dwen Dwen, as she and other Team USA Olympians arrive at the Salt Lake City International Airport on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Four-year-old Thomas Stuart, holds a sign as he waits for his dad, Andrew Stuart, a conditioning coach for the U.S. speedskating team, to arrive at the Salt Lake City International Airport, on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Short track speed skater Maame Biney, talks to reporters, as she arrives home at the Salt Lake City International airport, on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Figure skater Brandon Frazier, who helped win a silver medal in the team event with partner Alexa Knieram, talks to reporters as he and other Team USA Olympians arrive at the Salt Lake City International Airport on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Kaillie Humphries displays the gold medal she won in the women's monobob, as she and other Team USA Olympians arrive at the Salt Lake City International Airport on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Figure skater, Brandon Frazier waves to the crowd with his aunt Heather Frazier, as he arrives at the Salt Lake City International Airport, on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) USA skeleton racer Katie Uhlaender talks to reporters as she and other Team USA Olympians arrive at the Salt Lake City International Airport on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Figure skater Nathan Chen arrives home in Salt Lake City, on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022. Chen won the gold medal in men's figure staking and a silver in the team event.
