PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — Katie Uhlaender knew her mom, Karen, was here in South Korea, but that was it. Karen Uhlaender had first reached out to the USA Bobsled and Skeleton Federation in advance of the Winter Games, saying she’d like to be here, and to end the falling-out that birthed a four-year silence between mother and daughter.
That’s probably not a great idea, the Federation said. But Karen Uhlaender was here anyway, as Katie was aware, but she was supposed to show up at Saturday’s final, not Friday’s preliminary heats.
Yet there she was: Uhlaender finished her runs, looked to her coach and saw her mom, who had ducked under the watchful eyes of the security team to stand backstage among Team USA personnel.