The 2022 Olympics in Beijing featured at 17 athletes with connections to Illinois. Here’s how they fared — including who medaled.
Figure skating
Jason Brown, men’s singles
Hometown: Highland Park
Instagram: jasonbskates / Twitter: @jasonbskates
Brown is a two-time Olympian who won a team bronze in 2014 and finished ninth the same year in the men’s event. He did not qualify for the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang.
Though 17-year-old Ilia Malinin finished third — ahead of Brown — in January’s national championship, U.S. Figure Skating instead chose Brown for Beijing.
“I think as you guys all know, I’ve been in this for so many years — now 20 years — and it feels like I’ve been through every single scenario: the young kid that makes it, the guy that gets left off the team. And I so feel for him,” Brown said.
Results:
Feb. 8: He sits in sixth place after the men’s short program. Brown received a score of 97.24 — a personal best — and advanced to the men’s free skate.
Feb. 10: Finished 6th after the men’s free skate.
Previous coverage:
Figure skater Jason Brown steps up game with eye on world podium (2015)
The story behind figure skater Jason Brown’s ‘Hamilton’ short program (2018)
Highland Park’s Jason Brown leads figure skating Grand Prix — without a quad (2018)
Jason Brown lands quadruple jump to win Grand Prix medal in France (2021)
US Figure Skating picks experience over youth for Beijing (2022)
Alexa Knierim, Pairs
Hometown: Addison
Instagram: alexa_knierim / Twitter: @alexa_knierim
Knierim and her partner, Brandon Frazier, withdrew from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in January after Frazier tested positive for COVID. The selection committee, however, chose the pair for the American team after they successfully petitioned for a spot.
A 2014 College of DuPage graduate, Knierim and her husband, Chris Knierim, were part of a team that won a bronze medal in Pyeongchang in 2018 — the first pair to medal for the U.S. since 1988.
Results:
Feb. 4: Knierim and Frazier scored a personal-best short program during the team competition placing third behind China’s Sui Wenjing and Han Cong, who set a world record with their short program, and Russians Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov, according to the AP.
Feb. 7: She earned a silver medal as part of the team figure skating competition despite a disappointing program with partner Frazier. Knierim did a single toe loop instead of the planned double during their opening combination, then put her hand down on a triple salchow and stepped out on their throw triple flip.
Feb. 19: Knierim and Frazier finished 7th in the pairs competition.
Previous coverage:
Alexa and Chris Knierim: 5 things to know about the Olympic pairs skaters (2018)
Pairs skater on long road to Olympics: ‘Seemed like one bad thing after another’ (2018)
Freestyle skiing
Aaron Blunck, Halfpipe
Hometown: Crested Butte, Colo.
Instagram: aaronblunck
Brunck, whose father is from Winnetka, is competing in his third Olympics. He finished seventh in the halfpipe event in both Pyeongchang and Sochi. A crash in Switzerland during a training run on Oct. 13, 2020, left him with six broken ribs, a fractured pelvis, a lacerated kidney and a bruised heart.
Result:
Feb. 19: Blunck crashed his head and shoulder into the wall of the halfpipe while trying to land a trick in the breezy conditions during the final. Blunck eventually sat up and made his way down. Just before Blunck went, NBC Olympic freestyle skiing analyst Tom Wallisch commented: “These conditions are abysmal right now.” And after his first run, Blunck, the top qualifier, labeled the competition “gnarly.”
Ice hockey
Megan Bozek, women’s team
Hometown: Buffalo Grove
Instagram: meganebozek / Twitter: @meganebozek
This is the second Olympics for the Stevenson and University of Minnesota grad, who won a silver medal with the women’s team in Sochi in 2014, but didn’t make the team in 2018. She and Alex Carpenter played in China, instead, and won a championship with the Shenzen KRS Vanke Rays.
Now, Bozek is back with the women’s team in Beijing.
Results:
Feb. 3: Bozek played more than 16 minutes in the team’s 5-2 win over Finland.
Feb. 5: She had an assist and played more than 14 minutes in the team’s win over the Russian Olympic Committee, 5-0.
Feb. 6: She had a secondary assist on a goal by Jesse Compher giving the U.S. a 2-0 lead with 5:56 to play in the first period. The U.S. beat Switzerland 8-0.
Feb. 8: The U.S. lost to Canada 4-2, but advances to the quarterfinals.
Feb. 17: She won the silver medal after the U.S. lost to Canada 3-2 in the gold medal game.
Previous coverage:
They have foes seeing double (2007)
U.S. women take hockey world title (2013)
Two Chicago area women on Olympic hockey team (2014)
Suburban Chicago teammates aim for gold (2014)
OT goal earns U.S. women’s world championship over Canada (2016)
Q&A: Megan Bozek, U.S. national hockey team member and Stevenson grad (2017)
Megan Bozek revels in ‘paving the way’ for future of women’s sports (2017)
Buffalo Grove’s Megan Bozek continuing Olympic journey, playing women’s ice hockey in Beijing: ‘Her persistence and determination is on display’ (2022)
Jake Chelios, men’s team (China)
Hometown: Chicago
Instagram: jchelios42
One of seven American-born players on China’s team roster, he is a son of Hockey Hall of Famer, three-time Stanley Cup champion and former Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Chris Chelios.
Jake Chelios has lived in China since 2019, where he plays for the Beijing-based Kunlun Red Star, a team in Europe’s Kontinental Hockey League. Though, he did spend part of the COVID pandemic mountain biking and surfing with his family in California.
He made his NHL debut with the Detroit Red Wings during the 2018-19 season. Prior to that, Jake Chelios played for the AHL’s Chicago Wolves and Charlotte Checkers, the ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings and Toledo Walleye, the USHL’s Chicago Steel and Michigan State University.
Results:
Feb. 10: China shut out by the United States 8-0
Drew Commesso, men’s team
Hometown: Norwell, Mass.
Instagram: drewcommesso
Commesso, a goaltender, was chosen by the Blackhawks in the second round of the 2020 NHL draft.
The Boston University sophomore and other amateurs were chosen for the U.S. team after the NHL announced in December its players would not participate in the Olympics due to “increasing COVID-19 cases and a rising number of postponed games.”
Results:
Feb. 10: He made 29 saves in the United States’ 8-0 win against China
Feb. 13: He made 24 saves in the United States’ 3-2 win against Germany
Feb. 16: Ends his Olympics 2-0-0 with a .964 save percentage. He didn’t play in the team’s loss in the quarterfinals to Slovakia. He was the youngest goalie ever to start for the U.S.
Jesse Compher, women’s team
Hometown: Northbrook
Instagram: jessecompher / Twitter: @JessComph7
A graduate of Glenbrook North and Boston University, Compher will make her debut as a forward with the U.S. team. She already has two gold medals after playing for the under-18 national team that won the Women’s World Championship in 2016 and 2017.
Results:
Feb. 3: The U.S. team opened the 2022 Olympic Winter Games with a 5-2 victory over Finland.
Feb. 5: Her first Olympic goal came in the third period of the team’s 5-0 shut-out win against the Russian Olympic Committee.
Feb. 6: She was one of three U.S. players to score a pair of goals as the U.S. beat Switzerland 8-0.
Feb. 8: The U.S. lost to Canada 4-2, but advances to the quarterfinals.
Feb. 17: She won the silver medal after the U.S. lost to Canada 3-2 in the gold medal game.
Kendall Coyne Schofield, women’s team
Hometown: Orland Park
Twitter: @KendallCoyne
Coyne Schofield returns for her third Olympics — after winning a silver medal in Sochi in 2014 and a gold medal in Pyeongchang in 2018. This time, she’s the team captain.
She made history by competing in the fastest skater event in the 2019 NHL All-Star Skills Competition. She finished the course in 14.346 seconds, a bit faster than Arizona Coyotes winger Clayton Keller’s 14.526 and just slightly behind Columbus Blue Jackets winger Cam Atkinson’s 14.152.
Coyne Schofield is believed to be the first female full-time coaching hire in the Blackhawks organization. In 2020, she was hired as a player development coach and youth hockey growth specialist for the Rockford IceHogs. She released a memoir, “As Fast As Her,” in January, which includes motivational comments dubbed “Golden Coynes.”
Results:
Feb. 3: In the team’s 5-2 opening win over Finland in Beijing, Coyne Schofield scored two goals in 64 seconds and finished with seven shots on goal.
Feb. 5: She had an assist in almost 17 minutes of play during the team’s 5-0 shut-out win against the Russian Olympic Committee.
Feb. 6: The U.S. beat Switzerland 8-0.
Feb. 8: The U.S. lost to Canada 4-2, but advances to the quarterfinals.
Feb. 17: She won the silver medal after the U.S. lost to Canada 3-2 in the gold medal game.
Previous coverage:
Savannah Harmon, women’s team
Hometown: Downers Grove
Instagram: savannah_harmon / Twitter: @Savannah_Harmon
The first-time Olympian helped Clarkson University in Potsdam, N.Y., earn back-to-back national championships in 2017 and 2018 and was captain on both teams.
Results:
Feb. 3: She had two assists in the team’s first game at the 2022 Olympics — a 5-2 win over Finland.
Feb. 5: She scored her first goal in the Olympics on a power-play with 7:31 left in the first period to give Team USA the lead against the Russian Olympic Committee. Team USA shut out ROC, 5-0.
Feb. 6: The U.S. beat Switzerland 8-0.
Feb. 8: The U.S. lost to Canada 4-2, but advances to the quarterfinals.
Feb. 17: She won the silver medal after the U.S. lost to Canada 3-2 in the gold medal game.
Hilary Knight, women’s team
Hometown: Palo Alto, Calif. (grew up in Lake Forest)
Instagram: hilaryknight / Twitter: @HilaryKnight
Knight, the oldest member of the women’s team, is playing in her fourth Olympics and already has one gold and two silvers. She gave Instagram followers a tour of the team’s Olympic Village digs in Beijing.
Results:
Feb. 3: Her wrist shot from inside the face-off circle was deflected with just over 12 minutes to play in the first period. The U.S. beat Finland, 5-2.
Feb. 5: She scored Team USA’s second goal of the game during the second period. With an assist on a goal by Savannah Harmon, Knight moved into fourth place all-time in points and second all-time in assists in U.S. Olympic women’s hockey history. The U.S. beat the Russian Olympic Committee, 5-0.
Feb. 6: Like Compher, she was one of three U.S. players to score a pair of goals as the U.S. beat Switzerland 8-0.
Feb. 8: The U.S. lost to Canada 4-2, but advances to the quarterfinals.
Feb. 14: Had a goal and an assist in a 4-1 win over Finland to advance to gold-medal game
Feb. 17: She scored a goal and won the silver medal after the U.S. lost to Canada 3-2 in the gold medal game.
Previous coverage:
Hilary Knight: On winning gold, surprise connection with Kendall Coyne and Leslie Jones (2018)
‘SNL’ star Leslie Jones’ goal is BFF status with gold-medal winner Hilary Knight (2018)
13 questions for Olympic hockey player Hilary Knight, who grew up in Lake Forest (2018)
Abbey Murphy, Women’s team
Hometown: Evergreen Park
Twitter: @Abbey18Murphy
The 2020 Mother McAuley grad and University of Minnesota forward is one of the youngest members on the U.S. team, which was announced Jan. 1 at the Winter Classic in Minnesota. She took home gold medals in 2018 and 2020 as part of the under-18 national team that won the World Women’s Championships, and she scored two goals in this year’s loss to Canada.
Results:
Feb. 3: The U.S. team opened the 2022 Olympic Winter Games with a 5-2 victory over Finland.
Feb. 5: She had a scoring chance during the team’s 5-0 win over the Russian Olympic Committee and two penalties — for an illegal hit in the second period and roughing during the third period.
Feb. 6: She recorded three shots on goal with just over three minutes to play in the third period.
Feb. 8: She intercepted the puck, but her shot was deflected off the post with 10 minutes remaining in the first period. The U.S. lost to Canada 4-2, but advances to the quarterfinals.
Feb. 17: She won the silver medal after the U.S. lost to Canada 3-2 in the gold medal game.
Previous coverage:
McAuley sophomore Abbey Murphy chasing goals and Olympic dreams (2018)
Abbey Murphy brings home Team USA gold medal in hockey to Mother McAuley (2018)
Ski jumping
Kevin Bickner, men’s Individual, Team Large Hill and Normal Hill
Hometown: Wauconda
Instagram: kevinbickner / Twitter: @KevinBickner
Competing in his second Olympics, Bickner told the Tribune he was inspired to try ski jumping for the first time after attending a tournament at Norge Ski Club at age 9.
Bickner, who now lives in Park City, Utah, won an event at the ski jumping trials on Christmas Day last year. His father, Tom, serves on the U.S. Nordic Sport Board of Directors.
Results:
Feb. 4: With a 78-meter jump distance and score of 61.8, he advanced to the competition round in the men’s normal hill individual ski jumping.
Feb. 6: He placed 43rd and didn’t advance to the round of top 30 jumpers.
Feb. 14: U.S. team of Casey Larson, Decker Dean, Patrick Gasienica and Bickner teamed up to finish 10th — ahead of only the host Chinese team.
Previous coverage:
Norge Ski Club’s Bickner finishes 20th in Olympic large-hill ski jump (2018)
Olympians from Norge Ski Club inducted into American Ski Jumping Hall of Fame (2018)
3 Chicago-area ski club members make U.S. Olympic ski jump team: ‘Unprecedented’ (2018)
Fox River Grove ski club ready to cheer on 3 local Olympic ski jumpers (2022)
Patrick “Patty” Gasienica, men’s Normal Hill
Hometown: McHenry
Instagram: patrick_gasienica
The first-time Olympian is another product of Norge Ski Club in Fox River Grove. His father, Wojtek, is one of his coaches.
Gasienica’s Continental Cup rankings got him to Beijing when 17-year-old Erik Belshaw, who would have been the youngest man on the U.S. team, gave up his spot.
Results:
Feb. 4: With a 81.5-meter jump distance and score of 61.2, he advanced to the competition round in the men’s normal hill individual ski jumping.
Feb. 6: He placed 49th and didn’t advance to the round of top 30 jumpers.
Feb. 14: U.S. team of Casey Larson, Decker Dean, Casey Bickner and Patrick Gasienica teamed up to finish 10th — ahead of only the host Chinese team.
Casey Larson, men’s event
Hometown: Barrington
Instagram: caseylarson / Twitter: @casey16larson
Though Larson didn’t medal at the Pyeongchang Olympics in 2018, he did come home with a distinction — he was the 100,000th male to participate in the Olympics. His sister, Cara, is also a member of the U.S. ski jumping team. They both grew up training at Norge Ski Club.
According to his Team USA profile, Larson enjoys reading and collecting socks.
Results:
Feb. 4: With a 79-meter jump distance and score of 69.8, he advanced to the competition round in the men’s normal hill individual ski jumping.
Feb. 6: He placed 39th and didn’t advance to the round of top 30 jumpers.
Feb. 14: U.S. team of Larson, Decker Dean, Casey Bickner and Patrick Gasienica teamed up to finish 10th — ahead of only the host Chinese team.
Previous coverage:
For Barrington’s Larson siblings, ski jumping is a world-class thrill (2017)
Barrington ski jumper becomes 100,000th male to ever compete in the Olympics (2018)
Olympians from Norge Ski Club inducted into American Ski Jumping Hall of Fame (2018)
Norge Ski Club Olympians throw out first pitch for Cubs, will meet fans Saturday (2018)
Speedskating
Ethan Cepuran, Long track
Hometown: Glen Ellyn
Instagram: ethancep11 / Twitter: @ECepuran
A photo finish in the men’s 5,000-meter long track race at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Milwaukee guaranteed the 21-year old a trip to the Beijing Olympics.
Results:
Feb. 6: Finished 17th in the men’s 5,000-meter speedskating race.
Feb. 15: Won bronze in the men’s team pursuit
Previous coverage:
Olympic dreams began early for speed skaters from Kane County, Glen Ellyn (2022)
Austin Kleba, Long track
Hometown: Campton Hills
Instagram: austinkleba / Twitter: @AustinKleba
A hockey injury in 2014 forced Kleba to trade in his hockey skates for speed skates. He will compete in the 500-meter race at his first Olympics, though he had to wait until the last day of team trials in Milwaukee to see if he made the team. The St. Charles North grad also makes music and shares his guitar recordings on TikTok.
Results:
Feb. 12: Finished 27th in the 500 meters
Previous coverage:
Olympic dreams began early for speed skaters from Kane County, Glen Ellyn (2022)
Emery Lehman, Long track
Hometown: Oak Park
Instagram: emerylehman / Twitter: @TheEmeryLehman
The three-time Olympian, who formerly trained at the Franklin Park Ice Arena, will compete in men’s team pursuit and the men’s 1,500-meter individual race in Beijing.
Results:
Feb. 6: Finished 16th in the men’s 5,000-meter speedskating race. Lehman filled in for teammate Casey Dawson, who has been stuck in the U.S. after testing positive for COVID-19 several weeks ago, according to the AP.
Feb. 8: Placed 11th in the men’s 1,500-meter speedskating event.
Feb. 15: Won bronze in the men’s team pursuit
Previous coverage:
Friends, family prepare to welcome home Oak Park Olympian (2014)
Oak Park’s Emery Lehman ‘season of waiting’ ends with the Olympics (2018)
Oak Park speedskater Emery Lehman places 21st in Olympic 5,000 meters (2018)
Speedskater Emery Lehman heads to his 3rd Olympics (2022)
Alternate
Aja Evans, women’s Bobsled
Twitter: @AjaLEvans / Instagram: ajalevans
Evans, who won a bronze medal in Sochi in 2014, was named an alternate to the 2022 U.S. team.
Previous coverage:
Chicago’s Aja Evans graces ESPN Body Issue (2014)
Olympian Aja Evans: ‘How I see myself became super positive with time’ (2018)
After Olympics, Chicagoan Aja Evans has a date with Bigfoot (2018)
Local broadcasters
Leila Rahimi
Twitter: @leilarahimi / Instagram: leilarahimi
The NBC-Ch. 5 sports anchor and WSCR-AM 670 midday host is in Beijing as NBC Olympics’ hockey reporter for the men’s and women’s tournaments.
Alex Maragos
Twitter: @AlexMaragosNBC
The NBC-Ch. 5 weekend evening anchor and reporter is in Beijing to follow athletes who have Chicago ties.
“I’ll try to bring their experience at these Games back to our local audience — something even more important this year, with no foreign fans or family,” he wrote in a message to the Tribune.
Maragos will also share his experiences of what it’s like to live “in our bubble” at the Olympics.