13 Sochi Olympians with Day Jobs

4 minute read

Hubertus Von Hohenlohe

Mexico Olympic Committee/AP

The 55-year-old German prince representing his birth country Mexico at Sochi already stands out for being one of the oldest male competitors, but his mariachi-themed speed-suit may make him stand out even more. Off the slopes, he is a photographer and pop musician who has recorded albums like Shopping Bags & Religion, which features tracks called “While the Pope is Sleeping” and “Values Bye Bye.”

Jessica Lutz

Jessica Lutz during a women's ice hockey practice session ahead of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at the Olympic Park on Feb. 5, 2014 in Sochi, Russia.
Jessica Lutz during a women's ice hockey practice session ahead of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at the Olympic Park on Feb. 5, 2014 in Sochi, Russia.Bruce Bennett—Getty Images

Raised in Rockville, Maryland, the 24-year-old forward for the Swiss women’s hockey team boasts dual citizenship because of her father’s nationality. While preparing for Sochi, the University of Connecticut graduate worked as a barista at Coffee Bar, a Washington, D.C., coffee shop, in the mornings and trained in the afternoons, NPR reports. Recently her fellow baristas crafted a latte illustrating the five Olympic rings in her honor.

Vanessa-Mae Vanakorn Nicholson

Kitzbuehel Audi Night 2014
Vanessa Mae attends the Audi Night 2014 on Jan. 24, 2014 in Kitzbuehel, Austria.Dominik Bindl—Getty Images

Born in Singapore and raised in Britain, the 35-year-old violin prodigy known as “Vanessa-Mae” on stage will represent Thailand using her Thai father’s surname “Vanakorn.” Known for fusing classical music with pop and techno, she landed one of the top spots on the U.K. albums charts with her breakout album The Violin Player (1995), and People listed her as one of the “50 Most Beautiful People in the World.” “When it comes to music I am a perfectionist but when it is skiing, I have no delusions about a podium or even being in the top 100 in the world,” she told Reuters. “Living my dream of being a ski bum is great but the best job in the world is being on stage, making music.”

Chris Fogt

Bobsledder Chris Fogt poses for a portrait during the USOC Media Summit ahead of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics on September 29, 2013 in Park City, Utah.
Bobsledder Chris Fogt poses for a portrait during the USOC Media Summit ahead of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics on September 29, 2013 in Park City, Utah.Harry How—Getty Images

The 30-year-old American bobsledder from Alpine, Utah, is also an Army Captain. Through the Army World Class Athlete Program, he competed in the 2010 Winter Olympics, then deployed to Iraq for a year. After Sochi, he is expected to report to Fort Huachuca in Arizona in May, he told the New York Times. “I love wearing the flag on both uniforms,” he says in a United States Olympic Committee video.

John Landsteiner

John Landsteiner of USA throws a rock during the Olympic Qualification Tournament match between USA and Japan on December 12, 2013 in Fussen, Germany.
John Landsteiner of USA throws a rock during the Olympic Qualification Tournament match between USA and Japan on December 12, 2013 in Fussen, Germany.Daniel Kopatsch—Bongarts/Getty Images

A Minnesota native, the 23-year-old lead on Team USA’s curling team is a civil engineer who started a job at Lake Superior Consulting in Duluth after graduating from the University of Minnesota-Duluth with a civil engineering degree. According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, he works on energy pipeline projects and “typically hops on a plane every other Thursday night, curls over the weekend, and returns jet-lagged to his desk,” which he calls “a sanctuary.”

Jeff Isaacson

Jeff Isaacson of USA throws a rock during the Olympic Qualification Tournament match between USA and Japan on December 12, 2013 in Fussen, Germany.
Jeff Isaacson of USA throws a rock during the Olympic Qualification Tournament match between USA and Japan on December 12, 2013 in Fussen, Germany.Daniel Kopatsch—Bongarts/Getty Images

The 30-year-old vice-skip on Team USA’s curling team, the Minnesota native also teaches science at Eveleth-Gilbert Junior High School. “It’s never ending, so it’s been a very tiring year trying to do both,” he told Minnesota Public Radio.

Lydia Lassila

Lydia Lassila of Australia poses during the Australian Winter Olympics Games press conference at Museum of Contemporary Art on October 30, 2013 in Sydney, Australia.
Lydia Lassila of Australia poses during the Australian Winter Olympics Games press conference at Museum of Contemporary Art on October 30, 2013 in Sydney, Australia.Ryan Pierse—Getty Images

The 32-year-old Australian aerial skier developed “Body Ice,” a line of ice packs, after injuring her knee during 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. She went on to win Gold and set a new Olympic record in aerial skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.

Kyle Tress

Kyle Tress of USA competes during heat one of the Men's Skeleton at the Viessmann FIBT Bob & Skeleton World Cup at the Olympia Bob Run on Jan. 10, 2014 in St Moritz, Switzerland.
Kyle Tress of USA competes during heat one of the Men's Skeleton at the Viessmann FIBT Bob & Skeleton World Cup at the Olympia Bob Run on Jan. 10, 2014 in St Moritz, Switzerland.Alex Livesey—Getty Images

The 32-year-old U.S. skeleton racer from Ewing, New Jersey, and fellow skeleton athlete Chris Nurre founded A Tiny Tribe, which makes apps for iOS devices like Moodboard, a tool that helps creative professionals organize their projects.

Armin Zöggeler

Armin Zoeggeler of Italy prepares to start his run during a training session for the men's singles luge at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Feb. 6, 2014, in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia.
Armin Zoeggeler of Italy prepares to start his run during a training session for the men's singles luge at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Feb. 6, 2014, in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia.Dita Alangkara—AP

The 40-year-old Italian luger, who some consider the greatest in the sport’s history, is also a member of the Carabinieri, the country’s paramilitary police force.

Jennifer Jones

Skip Jennifer Jones waves to the crowd after defeating Team Middaugh during the women's final at the Roar of the Rings Canadian Olympic Curling Trials in Winnipeg, Dec. 7, 2013.
Skip Jennifer Jones waves to the crowd after defeating Team Middaugh during the women's final at the Roar of the Rings Canadian Olympic Curling Trials in Winnipeg, Dec. 7, 2013.Fred Greenslade—Reuters

The 39-year-old skip for Canada’s curling team is a lawyer for National Bank Financial and has been juggling the two passions throughout her career. In 2008, she told The Lawyers Weekly in Canada that she is glued to her laptop and smartphone in between competitions: “my team will usually go out for dinner but I’ll just order room service and work and that’s fine.”

Brad Jacobs

Skip Brad Jacobs waves to the crowd after his win over Team Morris during the men's final at the Roar of the Rings Canadian Olympic Curling Trials in Winnipeg, Dec. 8, 2013.
Skip Brad Jacobs waves to the crowd after his win over Team Morris during the men's final at the Roar of the Rings Canadian Olympic Curling Trials in Winnipeg, Dec. 8, 2013.Fred Greenslade—Reuters

The 28-year-old skip for Canada’s curling team is an account manager at RBC Royal Bank. He told The Toronto Sun that his co-workers have been very supportive, dressing in red and white, the colors of the Canadian flag.

Zoe Gillings

Zoe Gillings of the British Winter Olympic Snowboarding Team poses for a portrait during the Team GB Winter Olympic Media Summit at Bath University during the Team GB Winter Olympic Media Summit on August 9, 2013 in Bath, England.
Zoe Gillings of the British Winter Olympic Snowboarding Team poses for a portrait during the Team GB Winter Olympic Media Summit at Bath University during the Team GB Winter Olympic Media Summit on August 9, 2013 in Bath, England.Alex Livesey—Getty Images

To raise money for her competitions, the 28-year-old British snowboarder founded IsleofDeals.com, a website that offers daily deals in her hometown, the Isle of Man. She also runs ExpertHealth.me, which promotes a nutrition and exercise regime developed by Gillings and her coaches.

Julie Chu

Julie Chu, ice hockey player on the United States women's ice hockey team is shown wearing the Official Opening Ceremony Parade Uniforms for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in this photo released on Jan. 23, 2014.
Julie Chu, ice hockey player on the United States women's ice hockey team is shown wearing the Official Opening Ceremony Parade Uniforms for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in this photo released on Jan. 23, 2014.Ralph Lauren/Reuters

The 31-year-old three-time U.S. Olympian and ice hockey forward holds a psychology degree from Harvard College and worked as an assistant coach to the women’s ice hockey team at Union College in Schenectady, N.Y. before resigning in March to train for Sochi.

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Write to Olivia B. Waxman at olivia.waxman@time.com