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2002 Olympic facilities a 'game changer' for Team USA

Many of the same venues used during the 2002 Salt Lake City games are still being used today by athletes training for the 2018 Winter Olympics.

It’s been 16 years since the Winter Olympics were held in the United States. And while a lot of Olympic host cities let their venues run down, that's not the case in Utah.

Many of the same venues used during the 2002 Salt Lake City games are still being used today by athletes training for the 2018 Winter Olympics.

In Park City, at the U.S. Ski and Snowboarding Center of Excellence, athletes work out using high-tech simulators and state of the art technology to get more out of their workouts.

"The heart and soul of what we do in here is our sports science program: conditioning, medical, nutrition," Luke Bodensteiner explained.

Skiers and snowboarders can even train outside during the summer months using water ramps and inflatable jumps and air bag landings.

At the U.S. Ski and Snowboarding Center of Excellence athletes use water jumps and inflatable ramps to train during the summer months.  

While in Salt Lake City, speed skaters train and race on the same ice used at the Olympics 16 years ago.

"Kind of the premier Olympic legacy program here in the state of Utah. I think we've been more successful than any other Olympic host at not only maintaining the quality of the facilities but also the level of programing that we provide," Bodensteiner described.

Speed skaters wait during Olympics training in Salt Lake City, Utah. 

All of it gives Team USA athletes a golden opportunity for training, long before they go for the gold in South Korea.

"The legacy facilities here in Utah have been a game changer for our teams," Bodensteiner said.

At the U.S. Ski and Snowboarding Center of Excellence athletes use an inflatable air bag to train for the new big air event. 

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