Utah and Idaho dairy farmers are fueling U.S. speed skaters in the 2022 Winter Olympics, including gold medal winner Erin Jackson and the bronze-winning men's pursuit team. Through a partnership with U.S. Speedskating, two pallets of chocolate milk were sent to Beijing to provide the athletes a trusted form of fuel during the competition.
KSL-TV, KSL Radio, the NBC Olympics streaming service, and Team USA have all featured the partnership in news stories and live segments.
On Feb. 9, Jaclyn St. John, the director of community wellness for Dairy West, did three live interviews with KSL Radio morning hosts Amanda Dickson and Tim Hughes. In the first segment, Jaclyn explains why elite athletes consider chocolate milk, and dairy products generally, essential for training and recovery -- a point Tim Hughes reinforces by talking about his use of milk for recovery after skiing. The second segment focuses on Dairy West's support of high school and college athletics, while the third segment is about the logistics of getting the chocolate milk to Beijing and more details about the dairy farmers support of athletics.
KSL-TV's Alex Cabrero produced a story about the partnership on Feb. 11, including an interview with Jackson Smith of Smith's Cream Pitcher Jersey's in Richmond, Utah. A team trainer, Jen Day, and short-track skater Julie Letai talk about the importance of milk for building strong bones and recovering from a workout, but Letai also notes the value of chocolate milk as a "comfort food." You can watch the story as part of NBC's Olympic coverage.
