Park City’s Jared Shumate is top USA Nordic Combined Olympic finisher

2022 Beijing Nordic Combined Olympian, Park City's Jared Shumate just before flying to China, at the Utah Olympic Park. Photo: Michele Roepke

BEIJING —  Park City’s Jared Shumate placed 17th in today’s Nordic Combined competition in his first Olympics at the 2022 Beijing Games. That was the highest finish for any USA Nordic athlete in the Individual Large Hill/10k event.

Skiing at Deer Valley since he was 2, the 22-year-old Youth Sports Alliance athlete jumped 127.5 meters after jumping 131 in the trial round. His takeoff speed was 91.0 km/h and he skied in 28 minutes and 58.1 seconds.

“I think training at altitude in Park City we’ve got a little bit of an advantage,” he told TownLift at the Utah Olympic Park two days before departing for Beijing. “Cross country has kind of always been my strong suit, so I’m looking forward to racing on the hard course.” Regarding his family, he added, “They’re super excited to cheer on and I wish they could be there to experience the whole thing, but hopefully in four years, they’ll be able to.”

Shumate currently works at Ritual Chocolate.

Nordic Combined head coach of Shumate’s Park City Ski and Snowboard Club, Adam Loomis, said to TownLift today, “Jared Schumate is one of the hardest working athletes to pass through the Club. He graduated early from the Winter Sports School in Park City at the age of 16. As a teenager, he continued to juggle school full-time at the University of Utah, working to support himself, and training as a full-time athlete. Since then, he’s focused more of his energy on his Nordic Combined career, and the results are absolutely showing.”

Loomis’ brother, Ben, placed second among the American Olympic athletes coming in 19th. His placement was followed by USA’s Taylor Fletcher in 23rd and Jasper Good in 34th in Beijing.

The men endured plummeting temperatures which reached five degrees below zero.

 

 

 

 

 

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Jarl Magnus Riiber of Norway jumped farthest which meant he started first in the cross country race. His jumping points translated into an enormous 44 second lead-off before any second-place cross-county starter could even leave the starting gate. Riiber’s race to lose, he did just that by shockingly taking a wrong turn on the course and having to double back. That unfortunate move left the door wide open for a thrilling sprint finish. He ended up in 8th while his Norwegian teammates took the gold and silver with Japan getting the bronze.

The Olympic Nordic Combined Large Hill/10k Team event is on Thursday in Beijing.