The U.S. Olympic Committee announced its 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic
team yesterday—the Games begin Feb. 7—with 38 states represented among
the athletes. Alas, officially, Maryland was shut out.
Baltimore, though, snuck in. Sort of.
Technically, luger Summer Britcher lists Glen Rock, PA, just up I-83 over the state line, as her hometown on her U.S. Olympic Team bio.
But the 19-year-old was born in Baltimore and her dad, Capt. William
Britcher, serves in the City’s Fire Department. Her grandfather and two
uncles have also served as Baltimore City firefighters.
According to the York Daily Record,
Britcher got her introduction to luge at a USA Luge promotional event
at Liberty Mountain Resort as an 11-year-old. She eventually went on to
play soccer at Susquehannock High School in York County while training
for the luge at Lake Placid, NY, and in Utah during the winter months.
Britcher’s best finish
to date was 8th place at an Austrian World Cup event in November. She
won a gold medal in the team relay at 2012 Youth Olympic Games.
In late December, after she qualified, her father’s station, No. 29, gave her a send-off. By coincidence, Station 29 has another Olympian in its family—former Olympic figure skater Kimmie Meissner’s brother, Nate, works at the same fire house.