As he made history, Mazdozer was cheered on by his girlfriend and sisters.
Luge is notable for more than the thrill of Olympic athletes hurtling down an icy course at speeds of more than 80 miles per hour.
Now, American-themed sports bras are in the crowd.
On Sunday at the 2018 Winter Olympics, three American women braved the freezing cold in red, white and blue sports bras to cheer on U.S. luger Chris Mazdzer as he won the silver medal, becoming the first American to win a medal in the singles luge event. The moment was marked by perhaps a first in Olympic history: the appearance of sports bras in sub-freezing temperatures.
The sports-bra entourage included Mazdozer's girlfriend, Mara Marian, and the luger's sisters, Kate and Sarah.
“I guess I hang out with like-minded people, so I would do the exact same thing,” Mazdozer said Monday, though so far he has worn a traditional luge bodysuit rather than a sports bra. “Yeah, they're a little crazy. I think normal people would call me crazy.”
Mazdozer's sisters wore USA-themed sports bras to support him at the 2010 Vancouver Games, and on the way to South Korea they asked Marian if he would like to come with them again, Marian said.
When your friend wins a silver medal at the Olympics 🙏🏼❤️🙌🏼🇺🇸💙!!!!!!!! #pyeongchang2018 #usaluge #teamusa
A post shared by Mara Marian (@mara_marian)
“Yeah! Yeah, that's what I would do,” she said with a smile Monday as she reflected on her response. “I think I would agree to it before I knew what it was going to be like.”
What it's like in real life: During luge competitions, temperatures can drop into single digits, which isn't usually the best weather for wearing a sports bra.
“In the moment, you don't feel anything,” said Marian, 33. “You're just nervous and excited, and then all of a sudden he finishes and the next person leaves, and you realize, 'Where's my coat?'”
Apparently, Mazdozer isn't the only one who responded positively to the sports bra.
“People were so excited,” Marian said. “They were tweeting and posting on Instagram and saying, 'For America!' They were so excited. They don't see it as a negative thing. They see it as funny.”
“It's definitely attracted attention and Chris loves it. Chris loves attention and he loves being a bit wild.”
Contributor: Nancy Armour
