Pyeongchang, South Korea • Abby Ringquist lay in bed here Thursday morning and, hoping not to wake her sleeping roommate, quietly wept.
In 36 hours, the Park City ski jumper would be marching through Olympic Stadium, wearing the red, white and blue of Team USA. She looked at her phone and read one congratulatory text message after another. She thought about her family, who had supported her over 20 years of dreaming, and now would share in her crowning moment. And as she did this, Ringquist made up her mind.
“It just hit me,” Ringquist said later, trying and failing to fight back her tears once more.