Taylor Fletcher, 31

Nordic Combined

Trained with Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club

What does it mean to compete in your fourth Olympics?

It is coming full circle. At my first Olympics I was a young buck, and now I am much older and have had to learn many lessons.

What do you most look forward to at the Beijing Olympics?

Progress. Think about it like putting the finishing touches on a painting; no big changes need to happen because there isn’t enough time to enact them.

What’s your proudest moment in Nordic Combined so far?

World Championships bronze medal with Team USA. Sharing that experience with my brother was quite the feat and something I’ll never forget.

What role did the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club play in your career?

Being able to attend one of the world’s best sports programs with the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club shaped who I am today. The coaches I grew up with, Todd Wilson and Gary Crawford, are not only coaches but mentors and role models.

What role has family played in your success?

Without them I probably wouldn’t have begun. I owe everything to them. My mother put both my brother and I through the amazing experience at the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club. My late father got us on skis, and that was just the beginning.

As a four-time Olympian, what key advice do you have for first-time Olympians and athletes competing at the elite level?

As the Olympics are quite the stage to compete on, remember it is not much different than a typical World Cup competition. You are in control of your performance, so give your best shot.