BEIJING, China — Arizona has two athletes competing in the 2022 Winter Olympics who were born in the state. Pairs figure skater Brandon Frazier and men's hockey team player Matthew Knies are both Arizona natives.
But the connections don't end there. Several Olympic athletes have trained in Arizona including two women who will be competing in the monobob in Beijing.
Add spouses, who also happen to be coaches, to the picture and we've got a handful of people at the Winter Olympics with ties to State 48.
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Brandon Frazier, pairs figure skater
Birthplace: Phoenix, AZ
Hometown: Colorado Springs, CO
Next competition:
Brandon Frazier was born in Phoenix before moving to Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Frazier and his pairs partner, Alexa Knierim, won first at the 2021 U.S. Championships with the highest score ever achieved during the competition's history with a score of 228.10.
In the 2021 World Championships, Frazier and Knierim locked down 7th place and in April 2021, the pair won Team USA a silver medal in the ISU World Team Trophy.
Follow Frazier on Twitter.
RELATED: 'See you soon, Beijing': Phoenix native, figure skater makes Olympic team after COVID scare
Alexa and Chris Knierim: pairs figure skating
Alexa Knierim:
Birthplace: Chicago, Ill.
Hometown: Addison, Ill.
Next competition:
Chris Knierim:
Birthplace: Tucson
Hometown: San Diego, Calif.
Chris and Alexa Knierim are in Beijing for the 2022 Winter Olympics – but the husband-and-wife duo won't be skating together this time.
The couple won the bronze in pairs skating in the 2018 Olympics in South Korea, but Chris has since stepped aside, announcing his retirement in 2020.
Chris is from Tucson. He and Alexa had been skating together since 2014. They were married in 2016 and got their Olympic medal two years later.
Now, Alexa skates with Brandon Frazier. Yes, the one listed above from Phoenix.
Best part? Chris signed on to coach his wife and skating partner Brandon.
Follow Alexa Knierim on Twitter.
Elana Meyers-Taylor, bobsled
Birthplace: Oceanside, CA
Hometown: Douglasville, GA
Next Competition:
Though not a native of Arizona, Elana Meyers-Taylor has trained in the Valley while maintaining a highly regarded status in the world of bobsledding.
Meyers-Taylor competed in the 2010, 2014 and 2018 Olympics. In 2010 and 2014, she took home silver for Team USA and in 2018 she was awarded bronze.
After arriving in Beijing for the Winter Olympics at the end of January, Meyers-Taylor tested positive for COVID-19 and is in isolation. She could still compete as the events don't begin until Feb. 10.
RELATED: US bobsledder who trained in Arizona in isolation after testing positive for COVID in Beijing
Meyers-Taylor began her bobsledding career in 2007 and is married to U.S. National Team bobsledder Nicolas "Nic" Taylor.
Nic is Elana's coach and is an alternate for Team USA at the Winter Olympics in Beijing.
He's also an Arizona State University graduate.
Follow Elana Meyers-Taylor on Twitter.
Kaillie Humphries, bobsled
Birthplace: Calgary, Alberta
Hometown: Carlsbad, Calif.
Next Competition:
A newly naturalized American citizen, Kaillie Humphries was born in Canada and competed for the Canadian team during 2010, 2014 and 2018.
In the 2010 and 2014 games, Humphries took gold and in 2018, she nabbed a bronze medal. The Beijing Games will be her first with Team USA. She and Elana Meyers-Taylor previously competed together in a pairs team.
She is the most decorated woman in bobsled history with three Olympic medals and 13 world championship medals.
Humphries has trained in the Valley.
Follow Kaillie Humphries on Twitter.
RELATED: Reigning world bobsled champion sworn in as US citizen in San Diego 9 weeks before Olympics
Matthew Knies, men's hockey
Birthplace: Phoenix, Ariz.
Hometown: Phoenix, Ariz.
Next Competition:
Knies is the third Arizona native to participate in the Winter Olympics in ice hockey, after Lyndsey Fry in 2014 and Brock Little in 2018.
Knies credits growing up watching the Arizona Coyotes and working with Jr. Coyotes coaches Mike DeAngelis, Josh Doan and Steve Sullivan for his development as a hockey player. He participated in the Phoenix Junior Coyotes club program his entire youth career.
Knies said he is honored at the opportunity to represent Arizona hockey at the Winter Olympics in Beijing and is looking to have a positive impact on the game throughout Arizona.
Follow Matthew Knies on Twitter.
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