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47-year-old speedskater chases Olympics dream

KC Boutiette also has special needs daughter
Posted at 9:59 AM, Nov 02, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-03 13:51:58-04

At the age of 47, KC Boutiette is already an anomaly in the speedskating world.

He's is gunning for his fifth Olympics. Last year he became the oldest skater to ever win a World Cup medal. 

"In my mind, I don't think I'm 47, that's the problem. I'm like it's 1998," Boutiette said.

But there's much more to his story. Boutiette's daughter, Brooke, was born with special needs.

"She has some issues that are unexplained, it's called 1p36 deletion. It's so rare that they printed out a page from Google and said this is what your daughter has. It's not awesome," Boutiette said.
 
Brooke has already had heart surgery and uses a G-tube for feedings.

"She's 2 years old and she can't sit up. It's very difficult. Now she has night terrors and she's screaming. It's not good. I did get upset on the ice the other day for no reason at all," Boutiette said. 

It was his wife Kristin who encouraged KC to go for his dream, even after Brooke was born.

"I'll actually sit on the bench and think about my whole life and I should be home with the kids but my wife told me if you're here or there it's the same ting so she had me keep pushing," Boutiette said.

 The couple also have a 5-year-old son, Braam, and KC runs a company that makes custom cycling shoes. 

"It's hard having a family, a company, all on my shoulders, it's really tough. It's been really difficult with my daughter the last few months, but family pulls together and we're trying to chase this dream," Boutiette said.

The long track speedskating trials will be held at the Pettit Center in West Allis in January. Approximately 60-70 athletes will be competing. 

A maximum of 10 women and 10 men will make the team. If KC is chosen, his wife and two children will join him in South Korea. 

He'll be competing in the new mass start race and possibly in one other distance race at the trials.