A local skier might be heading to South Korea soon, if he makes the 2018 Olympic team.
Patrick O’Flynn Jr. is from Penfield but now lives in Park City, Utah, training five days a week for a spot in the Olympics. He does a form of freestyle skiing involving one big jump with multiple flips and tricks ion the air.
With a couple of more qualifying events between the decision and now, he’s strategizing on that it takes to get to the games. He says two podium wins, meaning at least first, second or third place in the handful of qualifiers left would pretty much guarantee him a place.
He’s competing against nice other men on the national team for a spot, there are also seven women.
"You want to see everyone do well but you also want to do well yourself so, you're obviously hoping that you're going but if not you understand and you're happy for the person that does go."
Initially his parents kind of pushed him into the sport, O'Flynn says, but he soon realized he could turn it into a career.
At 15 he joined the US development team, which had him to move to Lake Placid, and he’s only grown from there.
"I’m on the US national team, and out of the National team members they pick the Olympic team so I am in contention to make the Olympics, but we don't find out until two weeks before."
That’s right, not until two weeks before the Olympics do they find out if they have a trip to South Korea.
O'Flynn says he's hoping for the best but prepping for the worst. This is the first Olympic year hes had a chance to make the team.
The chance to get to the Olympics would prove all of his hard work paid off, O'Flynn says. And would be the best thank you to his parents for their support.