Maine

Maine Native Troy Murphy Qualifies for Mogul Skiing Finals

Thursday night, a mogul skier from Maine made it one step closer to an Olympic medal. Bethel, Maine native Troy Murphy qualified for the finals in his event, giving students from his small town a reason to dream big.

Before he was an Olympic athlete and national champion, Murphy attended Gould Academy, a small boarding school near Sunday River ski resort.

Students there have been following Murphy's Olympic journey closely.

"I want to be like Troy one day," said student Lilybeth Ryan.

"I think it pushes me to try and get there as well," said said student Elijah Grammas.

About 100 Gould Academy students gathered on campus to watch Murphy's run Thursday night, and even more are expected to attend a watch party Monday morning to see the finals.

"We're all just bursting," said Head of School Matt Ruby. "I think we all feel a part of his success."

Despite traveling the world for his sport, Murphy still maintains strong ties to his community. He returns home frequently and helps students at Gould Academy train in their winter sports.

"He's inspired so many people who want to go to the Olympics," said Ryan. "The whole reason I want to keep mogul skiing and go father is because of Troy."

Contact Us