A trio of Montana State All-America ski standouts will be competing at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games over the course of the next two weeks.
By: Tom Schulz
A trio of Montana State All-America ski standouts will be competing at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games over the course of the next two weeks.
Louis Mühlen-Schulte, who was a senior last winter, and Jessica Yeaton, who graduated from MSU in 2014, will represent Australia, in alpine and Nordic events, respectively, while Johanna Talihärm will compete in her third Olympic Games representing Estonia in Biathlon.
Mühlen-Schulte, who was born in Melbourne, earned four All-America honors during his tenure with the Bobcats. Last winter, he helped Montana State to a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Championships and garnered First-Team All-America honors after placing fifth in slalom. Mühlen-Schulte earned Second-Team All-America recognition after finishing eighth in giant slalom.
The 2022 Beijing Olympics marks the 70th year since Australia first started sending skiers to the Olympic games. And while many think of Australia as the Land Down Under, sporting endless days of sunshine and miles of pristine beaches, the country boasts 15 ski resorts.
Mühlen-Schulte, who picked up the sport at age three, left family and friends behind in Australia when he joined the United States Ski Team's High-Performance program in 2017. He eventually found his way to Bozeman to ski for former Bobcat head coach Kevin Francis.
"My time at Montana State was huge in helping me prepare for skiing on this Olympic stage," said Mühlen -Schulte in an email from China. "The life as a student-athlete, and especially as a skier. Juggling school and maintaining your grades while still being an elite level athlete forced me to manage my time well and focus on the task at hand. My time at Montana State helped me to grow as a person and find where my passions lay. All this has led me to where I am now and the opportunities I have."
No stranger to international competition, Mühlen-Schulte raced in the 2016 youth Olympic games in Lillehammer, Norway. He also had a 2019 World Cup start in Finland.
Mühlen-Schulte will open his Olympics on Sunday, Feb. 13 in giant slalom, and will complete his stay in Beijing on Wednesday, Feb. 16 in slalom- the two events he skied on the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association circuit for the Bobcats.
"I don't really have any specific placement-based goals per say," Mühlen-Schulte said. "But I know how I am skiing, and I feel really strong in my training and preparation so if I am able to ski to the level I have been at in training- that will be big for me. I think another big goal is to learn as much as I can from the events as I think it is something I will be able to take with me for future racing."
Talihärm, who was born in Tallinn, Estonia, will be competing in her third Olympic games.
Johanna Talihärm
A 2018 graduate of MSU with a degree in business administration, she skied biathlon (a combination of cross-country skiing and rifle shooting) at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games in Russia, where she placed 52nd in the 10k pursuit.
At the 2018 Pyeong Chang Olympic Games in South Korea, Talihärm finished 22nd in the 7.5k sprint and 26th overall in the 10k pursuit.
"These games are rather different with all the COVID measures, but there are still many things that are similar," Talihärm said. "In the past (COVID protocols) they would have caused me a lot of emotions, but now I know what to expect and that helped me to manage the emotions better. Every strong emotion can take a lot of energy, even if it's very positive, so as a veteran now I have learned to manage them better and focus my energy for races."
Talihärm, whose mother competed in biathlon, picked up the sport at 13-years-old. She will compete in the 15k individual, the 7.5k sprint and the relay. The top 60 from the sprint also qualify for pursuit.
"The venue here is very tricky regarding winds," Talihärm said. "Add extremely cold temperatures and it will create really challenging conditions. Managing these conditions and staying focused on what you can control will be the key to success here."
Talihärm echoed Mühlen-Schulte's sentiments that her time at MSU prepared her for skiing's biggest
stage.
"Montana State is definitely a huge part of my story and has made me the person I am today," Talihärm said. "Racing on the RMISA circuit helped me prepare for racing on high altitude like we experience here at the Olympics."
Yeaton, who was born in Perth, Australia, and graduated from MSU with a degree in exercise science in 2014, earned First-Team All-America kudos at the NCAA national championships as a senior in Nordic skiing.
Yeaton's family moved to Anchorage, Alaska when she was 12 years old, and she picked up the sport almost immediately.
After her four years in Bozeman, she continued competitive racing and participated in three World Cup championships as well as the 2018 Pyeong Chang Games, where she finished 12th in the team sprint.
"This time around, I feel much more experienced in terms of what to expect, which has made me a lot more prepared overall," Yeaton said. "I think last time I was really overwhelmed by the entire Olympic experience- it was all just so new and exciting. It is just as special this time around but having a better idea of the flow of things allows me to be more relaxed. However, I'm not sure anything could have prepared me for all the differences with COVID precautions- daily testing, masking, etc. That has added a whole new element to the Olympic experience."
Yeaton will compete in the skate sprint on Feb.8, the 10k classic on Feb. 10, the classic team sprint on the Feb. 16 and the 30k skate on Feb. 20.
"My biggest goal is to top 30 the 30k skate, which is my favorite event," Yeaton commented. "A top 20 would be an absolute dream come true."
Jessica Yeaton
Another dream Yeaton would like to see come to fruition is walking in the closing ceremonies.
"Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend the opening ceremonies, as much as I would have loved to," Yeaton stated. "I raced the next day and it was expected to be a 10-hour round trip from our village in Zhangjaikau to Beijing, which is a lot the day before a big race. I definitely hope to make the closing ceremonies though, although it will be a super quick turn around after the 30k skate- the last event of the entire games."
Since skiing returned to Montana State Athletics under MSU Hall of Famer Dan Brelsford in 1994, the three Olympians are believed to be the largest contingent of Bobcats to ski in a single Olympic game.
And all three have also singled out their time at MSU as crucial to their development both off and on the hill.
"My time at MSU gave me so much racing experience at a high level," Yeaton said. "There are a few NCAA athletes that I raced against competing at the international level and at these games, so that just shows how competitive the RMISA circuit is.
"It also taught me the value of being part of a supportive team, which is something I try to bring to every team environment I am a part of now," she added. "My experiences as an athlete as MSU were key in my athletic development, and I wouldn't be where I am today without them."
