2 Bucks County Athletes Going For Gold In Beijing: 2022 Olympics

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Two athletes from Bucks County are competing on Team USA, hoping to win gold in the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

Yardley's Brian O'Neill, 33, and Warrington's Andrew Heo, 20, have arrived in Beijing, where the games kicked off with an opening ceremony Friday.

For O'Neill, a hockey player, this is his second time going for a medal. He played for Team USA at the Pyeongchang games in 2018, and is the only returning player on the team this year.

According to the Bucks County Courier Times, O'Neill is currently playing in his sixth season for Finland’s Jokerit professional team in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League, where he has played 311 games with 83 goals/268 points.

“It’s been a really good experience, both on and off the ice," he said. "I’ve gotten to travel the world. As long as I stay healthy and continue to enjoy the game, I would like to play another two or three years.’’

Speedskater Andrew Heo is a first-time Olympian, who was ranked third in short track speedskating's final qualifying rounds but made his way onto the team when a competitor fell.

"As I crossed the line last Sunday knowing I was an Olympian, the first thing I did was look and point to [my family] so they knew this was our moment," Heo shared on social media after qualifying. "The amount of dedication and sacrifices it took to make my dreams a reality, always pushed me to become better and do my best with whatever was put in front of me. Only my family and I know how much went into this dream of ours."

Skating since 2008, he told writer Karen Price that he had little opportunity for a social life when he was younger in middle school. But he's been excited to meet other athletes from around the world in competitions, and is currently re-learning Korean.

For those who want to support Bucks County athletes, here are the game details: Short track speedskating events will start on Saturday and take place Feb. 7, Feb. 9, Feb. 11, and Feb. 16. For those who want to follow O'Neill and the hockey team, the men's team will play its first game against China on Feb. 10.

"[I]t means the world to me knowing I have so many people rooting for me," Heo said.

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