This year, 23andMe is a proud supporter of NBC’s coverage of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.
This campaign is a first for us, but we have always been big fans and supporters of the Olympic Games, what they stand for – unity, connection, and a celebration of our collective DNA, and the athletes who spend much of their lives preparing for this moment every four years.
In sport, the difference between winning and losing is measured in fractions of a second, the sharpness of a turn, or the will to push past your physical and mental limits. As spectators, it’s easy to forget that leading up to those brief moments in competition are many years of training.
We learned a little bit about what makes a champion by meeting several legendary winter athletes who shared some of the insights about themselves they learned through their 23andMe results. Former gold medal skier Julia Mancuso used 23andMe to explore her heritage and gleens some info from her genetic weight report. Joey Cheek, a champion speed skater, learned that despite always being told that his lean frame was better for endurance races, his gold medal, and his genetics, confirmed he was built for speed.
Bode Miller, the legendary Olympic champion skier summed it up when he said, “Information is one of the most critical pieces of … really anything and certainly speed skating. You need to know where your strengths are and where to apply them.”
While 23andMe can’t tell you whether you have the DNA of a Champion, like these Olympians, the information we report to you may give you an edge that makes a difference in your life.
Explore what your DNA says about you, and enjoy this year’s Winter Games.
