KEARNS, Utah — Hong Zhang smiled and rushed to hug old friends outside the Utah Olympic Oval.
The International Olympic Committee member from China, participating in the venue inspection as part of the Future Host Commission, encountered former colleagues who are now coaching here at the Kearns ice oval.
"I used to be a short track speedskater when I was a kid, and we used to compete together. They are all my sisters. I’m so happy to be here to see my fellow friends," she said.
The Utah Olympic Oval holds a special place for her.
"My best result was made here in 2016," Zhang told reporters. "It still holds the maximum world record right now. I’m so happy to be back."
The oval was the final stop on the IOC Future Host Commission's visit to Utah. They have reviewed proposed Olympic venues as Salt Lake City bids to host the 2034 Winter and Paralympic Games. IOC members watched young athletes practice figure and pairs skating on Friday.
"To have them in our building? To be able to see some future skaters on the ice and just kind of explain what’s taken place here and the transformation over the past 22 years, we’re happy to have the opportunity, that’s for sure," said Derek Parra, an Olympic gold medalist speedskater who now is the director of sports at the oval.
Athletes who train here met with IOC members and showed off the facility, which is still in use 22 years after the 2002 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
"Everyone seemed happy with what they were seeing," said Julie Letai, a speedskater on Team USA. "It was really great to share with them what we do every day, where we are, how we feel about the space we are in."
Fraser Bullock, the CEO of the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games, told reporters that the visit by the IOC delegation has been "amazing." Indeed, if there are issues, it isn't on the faces of the IOC members.
"They love the venues and they are turnkey ready," Bullock said. "I think the other thing? They see the passion of the people that are there. Every venue we go to we have the people that were there in '02 and the future people going forward and we also have young athletes."
Utah political leaders are feeling optimistic about landing a future Winter Olympics. Taxpayer money to host a future Games would be minimal with all our venues still operational. The Utah State Legislature has set aside some money to spruce up things, while the Senate President told FOX 13 News on Thursday that improving public transit would be a top priority in the next 10 years to prepare for a future Olympics.
"The reception has been enormously positive," Governor Spencer Cox said Friday. "Everything that we’re hearing from the IOC, everything that we’re hearing from people adjacent to the IOC? This has been a wildly successful trip out here."
The IOC's Future Host Commission will compile a report of their observations. While Salt Lake City has been named the "preferred host" for the 2034 Winter Olympic and Parlaympic Games, the full IOC will vote on whether to formally award it when they meet in July in Paris.
As she trains for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, Letai said she is hopeful about the idea of competing at home.
"I know a lot of us athletes are really excited about the idea that we might have the chance to compete here in 2034," she told FOX 13 News.
