- A Winter Olympian is likely to miss the birth of his first child while he competes in Beijing.
- Leif Nordgren, 32, is competing in his third and final
Winter Olympics .
A US Olympian in his third and final Winter Olympics will likely miss the birth of his first child while competing in Beijing.
Leif Nordgren, 32, is a biathlete who previously competed in the 2014 Sochi and 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
Nordgren's wife, NBC5 meteorologist Caitlin Napoleoni, is due to give birth to the couple's first child on Friday in Vermont.
"I've spent 12 years of my life going after this athletic dream but the whole family and baby thing really puts everything into perspective about the important things in life," Nordgren told NBC5.
Despite being on the other side of the planet with a 13-hour time difference, Nordgren said he's keeping his phone on him at all times in preparation for a prize bigger than any Olympic medal: his first child.
"Basically, I have my phone on me wherever I go," Nordgren told Boston.com.
He told the outlet that preparing for a child changed his outlook on competing.
"I don't have to be super nervous about competitions or anything like that," he said. "I've got other things going on."
And while Napoleoni will be giving birth without her husband by her side, she told the Star Tribune the experience will still be extra special.
"If the baby comes when it's supposed to, I'll be in the hospital, hopefully watching my husband compete, with a little baby in my arms,'' Napoleoni said. "I'll be able to say, 'Hey, you got to see your dad in the Olympics.' That's pretty cool.''