Olympian Spotlight on Zach Lund

Name: Zach Lund
Competition: Skeleton
Age: 30
Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah
School/University: Westminster College
Major: Aviation
How he trains: Like any Olympian athlete, Lund is very dedicated to his sport. During the off season, he spends his days in his specialized gym, becoming leaner and stronger than he ever had been before. Zach does daily “torturous workouts” and cools down by riding a stationary bike. He also recently purchased a new, $15,000 sled, which he uses when he is earning first-hand-experience on the slopes.

How he manages it all: For Zach, being successful and happy is a personal goal. When Zach was 15, his mother died from skin cancer. Before her death, Zach promised her he would always follow his dream. Today, his dreams include winning an Olympic medal, earning his aviation degree, and flying a forest-fire sludge bombing plane after his skeleton days are over.
Fun Fact: Zach has only been competing in this sport since 2000. Before he was a skeleton competitor, Zach competed in luge, which is the similar to skeleton, except for one major difference. In a luge race, competitors go down the track feet first, and in skeleton, they go down the track head first.
Via TeamUSA.org and Salt Lake Tribune
Read more Olympian athlete spotlights:

• Graham Watanabe
• Katie Uhlaender
• Michelle Roark
• Amanda Evora