LAKE PLACID, N.Y. --- In February, Chris Mazdzer (Saranac Lake, N.Y.) became the first U.S. athlete to win a men’s singles luge Olympic medal when he claimed silver in PyeongChang, South Korea. Mazdzer hopes that his medal will inspire youth to fulfill their dream and perhaps follow in his footsteps of being a three-time Olympian and Olympic medalist.

On Monday, April 30, at 8 p.m., Mazdzer trades in his luge booties for dancing shoes and joins nine other athletes in Season-26 of ABC-TV’s Dancing with the Stars. This season’s contestants also include two-time Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding; PyeongChang bronze medal figure skater Adam Rippon; his 2018 teammate and bronze medalist Mirai Nagasu; double Olympic gold medal snowboarder Jamie Anderson; gold medal softball player Jennie Finch; storied NBA legend with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; retired Major League baseball player Johnny Damon, whose career took him to Kansas City, Oakland, Boston and the New York Yankees; Washington Redskins Pro Bowl cornerback Josh Norman, recognized as one of the NFL’s best at the position; and Arike Ogunbowale of Notre Dame, who hit both game-winning shots in the Final Four to lead her team to the NCAA women’s basketball championship.

In this video, Mazdzer talks about how growing up in the Saranac Lake/Lake Placid, N.Y. region played an important role in his eventual Olympic success. He also discusses, that even after 21 winter seasons, the sport of luge is still fun.  

Please share on Facebook, /LakePlacidEvents #DWTS, #LakePlacidtoPyeongChang, #FILuge, #LugeLove, #USALuge, #Luge, #Olympics, #OlympicMedalist, #LakePlacid, #FastestSportonIce, #WorldCupLuge, or on your own social platforms.

To view other stories like this, visit http://www.whiteface.com/side-trax.

-- ORDA --

Established in 1982, the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) was created by the State of New York to manage the facilities used during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games at Lake Placid. ORDA operates Whiteface, Belleayre and Gore Mountain ski areas; the Olympic Sports Complex at Mt. Van Hoevenberg; the Olympic speed skating oval, Olympic jumping complex and Olympic arena. As host to international and national championships, the Authority has brought millions of athletes, spectator and participants to the region, resulting in significant economic development.