A view from Vancouver
February 16, 2010
Sammamish skier chases dream downhill to the Olympics
Yina Moe-Lange marches alongside fellow Danish athletes during the Winter Olympics opening ceremony Feb. 12 in Vancouver, British Columbia. Photo contributed
The dream stretched back to childhood, when Yina Moe-Lange strapped on a pair of skis and took to the slopes. Through the years and countless downhill runs, she honed her skill with a singular goal in mind: competing in the Winter Olympics.
Moe-Lange, 16, assumed she might be too young to compete when the Olympics opened in Vancouver, British Columbia, and skiers competed in alpine events about four hours from Sammamish, where she and her family moved in 2005.
The premier skiers — like, say, Lindsey Vonn — reach peak ability in their 20s, so Moe-Lange trained with the 2014 Winter Olympics in mind. About a month ago, however, she received word from Denmark: Moe-Lange, a Danish citizen, had been selected to compete in the games, then just a few weeks distant.
The dream to compete in the Winter Olympics turned to reality ahead of schedule.
