Olympians share memories in Kansas City during 2026 Winter Games
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- Kansas City hosted Olympians Ken Morrow and Mirai Nagasu during the 2026 Winter Olympics.
- Morrow gave away signed copies of his new book and cheered U.S. hockey medal hopes.
- Nagasu spoke about skating pressure, her coaching role and U.S.-Japan rivalries.
The Olympic Games, summer and winter editions, captivate international sports fans every two years. That fever has spread to Kansas City at the height of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
As several Missouri natives and a Kansas City native compete in the games, United States Olympians Ken Morrow and Mirai Nagasu shared their enthusiasm and Olympic memories at a meet and greet in downtown KC on Tuesday.
Morrow, 69, was a defender on the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team that beat the Soviet team in the “Miracle on Ice” and a near decade-long defender for the New York Islanders. He has been a Kansas City resident since 1990 while serving as the Islanders‘ director of pro scouting and president of KCIce, an ice rink installation company.
Morrow gave away signed copies of his newest book, “Miracle Gold, Four Stanley Cups, and a Lifetime of Islanders Hockey.” A recent Netflix documentary, “The Boys of ‘80,” has put the team back in the spotlight near its 50th anniversary.
He’s been enjoying watching this year’s men and women’s U.S. Olympic hockey teams, with both teams on the brink of medals.
“I grew up watching as a kid, so for me, it was an experience,” Morrow told The Star. “There’s no better thing than to root for your country. ... I know a lot of people involved with both teams, so would love to see (a gold medal).”
Nagasu, 32, skated in the 2010 and 2018 Winter Olympics, winning a team bronze medal in 2018. That same year, she was the first American women’s singles skater to land a triple axel at the Olympics. With her nearly 2-year-old son, Tai, playing with a Paw Patrol toy, she talked with people about the pressures of figure skating on the biggest stage.
“I think that if I met Snoop Dogg, and Snoop Dogg had my face on his body, I would also be like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ Like, that is a lot more pressure. And to see your face all over the TV with all the ads,” Nagasu said.
The once Japanese dual citizen said she’s paying attention to skaters from her home country of Japan and the U.S. as the countries battle for Olympic medals between their solo skaters. Nagasu is now a coach in the Boston area and has been to Kansas City several times as a coach on the Road to Gold skating camps.
Now that she no longer faces the pressures of championship skating, Nagasu particularly has admired the comeback stories from several Olympic athletes and skaters.
“There’s so much pressure when you’re competing there, so to see these athletes rise to the occasion or face setbacks, and then see how they react — I think you don’t often get to see what happens outside of the competition,” she said.
“It’s not just the championship moments that I’m enjoying, but also how people are facing setbacks, and then being able to follow their journey every four years.”
This story was originally published February 17, 2026 at 5:19 PM.
