(Editor's note: BSSG release)
BILLINGS - United States Olympian Brad Wilson will be the special guest athlete at the 37th Annual Big Sky State Games Opening Ceremony on Friday, July 15. The Ceremony will begin at 7:15 p.m. on Wendy’s Field at Daylis Stadium in Billings.
Wilson is a three-time Olympian in Freestyle Skiing. He placed 20th in moguls at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, 18th in moguls at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, and 25th in moguls at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. In addition to his Olympic skiing experience, Wilson is a five-time U.S. champion and earned silver medals at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships.
Wilson began skiing at the age of four and his passion continued to grow from there. He grew up in Butte, where he attended and graduated from Butte Central Catholic High School in 2011. He skied for the Wasatch Freestyle club, at which his now alumni status serves as an inspiration for aspiring skiers. Wilson’s interest in freestyle skiing sparked at Lost Trail Powder Mountain in Sula, Montana, where he first started skiing moguls as a young kid. After joining the Lost Trail Freestyle Team and competing in the Northern Division Freestyle competition, his professional career quickly took off. Wilson’s older brother, Bryon, was also an Olympic freestyle skier, and earned a bronze medal in the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
Exemplifying a true Montanan lifestyle, Wilson enjoys a variety of other outdoor hobbies including fly-fishing, mountain biking and camping. He is also a very talented artist; Wilson pursued a painting career and created Bradley Wilson Studios in Park City, Utah. His artistic passion provided him with a way to stay “productive” during the skiing off-season, according to his website (bradleywilsonstudios.com [bradleywilsonstudios.com]).
Although his status and accomplishments are recognized globally, Wilson will always be known as a small town legend in the eyes of Montanans. Wilson recently retired from his skiing career at the close of the 2022 Winter Olympics. An athlete and an artist, Wilson has undoubtedly achieved a busy and fulfilling career. We are thrilled to have him as our special guest athlete at this year’s Opening Ceremonies.
State Games Opening Ceremonies festivities include the Soaked Run, Food Truck Olympics, family entertainment and games, Parade of Athletes, Montana Mile, and Torch Lighting. The 2022 Opening Ceremonies is free to the public. Updates on current Big Sky State Games events are available at bigskygames.org [bigskygames.org].
