USOC CEO explains how Salt Lake landed the 2034 Games — and how Lindsay Vonn advocated for athletes' families

PARIS (ABC4) — United States Olympic Committee President Sarah Hirshland called it "THE difference maker" in Salt Lake City landing the 2034 Winter Olympic Games: sustainability.

Everyone seems to recognize that the way Salt Lake City and Park City have maintained all the venues used in the 2002 Winter Games was a major key to landing the 2034 Games. But on Wednesday morning, Hirshland outright confirmed it was the biggest key.

"Keep in mind from where I sit, I have 205 peers around the world," Hirshland told ABC4.com. "Many of those countries dream and aspire to host the Games, let alone have a place like Salt Lake City do it twice."

Hirshland said few areas in the world have the "luxury of geography and what Mother Nature has given to Utah," but even fewer are also able to add the political and public support for hosting such an event.

But on top of that, Hirshland said Utah had other advantages, such as having stron...