VERY SPECIAL WDSU NSEW HOT SEAT TONIGHT. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE OLYMPICS. WE ALL KNOW THEY START LATER THIS WEEK. HAVE SOME VERY SPECIAL GUESTS HERE LEAF MORTGEN IS JOINING US LIVE VIA ZOOM FMRO THE ATHLETES VILLAGE IN BEIJING CHINA. HE DOES BIATHLON ALSO IS BEAUTIFUL WIFE CAITLIN NORDGREN. ESH JOINS US LIVE FROM VERMONT. THEY HAVE AN INCREDIBLE STORY. WE’RE GONNAET G TO BUT FIRST OFF LEAF WHILE WE HAVE YOU TELL US THIS IS AN OLYMPIC GAMES LIKE NO OTHER YOU JUST LANDDE ALL OF THE PROTOCOLS QUARANTINES HOW USUAL IS IT TO GO THROUGH SOMETHING LIKE THI ASS YOU’RE GOING THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME? YEAH, IT’S VERY STRANGE. ONE OF THE NICE THINGS IS THAT YOU KW,NO THIS IS GOING INTO THE SECOND YEAR OF THE PANDEMIC. SO WE’VE KIND OF BEEN USED TO A LOT OF THIS STUFF JUST TRAVELING FOR OUR NORMAL WORLDUP C CIRCUIT OVER T LHEAST YEAR AND A HALF OR SO. BUT YEAH, THERE’S DEFINILYTE ENBE A LOT OF EXTRA HOOPS TO TO JUMP THROUGH ON OUR WAY TO BEIJING. I JUST DID MY FIRST MY FIRST OF THE DAILY PCR TESTS THAT WE HAVE TO DO EVERY SINGLE DAY HERE WHILE WE’RE IN BEIJING. SO YEAH, IT’S DEFINITELY DEFINITELY PRETTY ERAXT AND PRETTY SPECIAL. BUT YEAH, IT’S IT’S THE OLYMPICS AND IT’S IT’S JUST ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE TO DO TO BE HERE. SO SO FIRST OFF WE’RE HEREN I THE SOUTH SOUTH, LOUISIANA JUST TO BRING EVERYBODY UP TO SPEED BIATHLON AS A COMBINATION CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING AND SHOOTING. WE’RE A SPORTSMAN’S PARADISE. PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR WITH SHOOTING HERE. MAYBE NOT SO MUCHRO CSS-COUNTRY SKIING. THIS ISN’T YOUR FIRST RODEO. THIS IS YOUR THIRD OLYMPIC. SHOULD WEN I PYONGCHANG IN 18 SOCHI BACK IN 14 IF YOUAN C TALK ABOUT JUST THE ATHLETES VILLAGE RIGHT NOW. I KNOW THERE’S DIVIDERS YOU MENTIONED THE PCR TEST. IS TTHA GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT ALL THE ATHLETES HAVE TO GO? YOU AND IT’S THE CONCERN IF SOMEBODY DOES UNFORTUNATELY TELLS POSITIVE. YEAH, SO THEY HAVE SOME PRETTY ST RICT PROTOCOLS HERE. YEAH, LIKE I SAID PCR TESTS EVERY DAY THE DINING HALL. THERE’S THERE’S BASICALLY INDIVIDUAL DIVIDERS FOR EVERY ATHLETE WHO’SN I THE DINING HALL. SO YOU’RE NOT REALLY COMING FACE TO FACE WITH MANY OTHER ATHLETES. THEY HAVE IF SOMEONE DOES PERCHANCE TEST POSITIVE THEY HAVE SEPARATE QUARANTINE LOCATIONS FOR HOUSING FOR THOSE ATHLETES AND TNHE THEYAV HE OTHER SEPARATE LOCATIONS FOR CLOSE CONTACT ATHLETES OF PEOPLE WHO DO TEST POSITIVE. SO I BELIEVE IF YOU TEST POSITIVE YOU’RE NOT ALLOWED TO COMPETE IFOU Y ARE A CLOSE CONTACT, YOU’RE STILL ALLOWED TO COMPETE AND GO TO TRAINING AND ALL THAT STOR OF STUFF. SO, YEAH, IT’S IT’S IT SHOULD WORK OUT. OKAY, I HAVEN’T HEARD OF TOO MANY ATHLETES TESTING POSITIVE SO FAR. OF COURSE, I’VE ONLY BEENER HE FOR 24 HOURS AND I TAKE IT JUST IT’S THE SAME PROTOCOLS HERE WEAR A MASK SOCIAL DISTANCE BECAUSE THE LAST THING YOU WANT TO DO IS GET BOUNCE FROM AN EVENT AT THE 11TH HOUR HERE. YEAH, YEAH, IT’S WE’RE YOU KNOW TEAM USA FOR SURE IS PRETTY SEPARATED. I’M NOT SUREOW H OTHER NATIONS ARE DOING IT. BUT YEAH, WE’RE IN THE BIATHLON TEAM AT LEAST WE’RE PRETTY SEPARATED AND INSULATED FROM OTHER TEAMS ALSO. ALL RIGHT LEAVE DON’T GO FAR. WE’RE GOING TO TALK TO YOUR WHITE WIFE HERE KATELYN FULL DISCLOSURE CAITLIN WORKS FOR OUR WDSU SISTER STATION WZPT AND UPSTATE NEW YORK AND ALL OF VERMONT. SHE’S IN VERMONT RIGHT NOW. SHE’S A METEOROLOGIST AT THAT STATION. THE REASON WE HAVE CAITLIN ON HERE FOR EVERYBODY WATCHING IS CUZ YOU ALL HAVE SUCH A SPECIAL STORY I TNKHI TO SREHA YOU ALL ARE EXPECTING YOUR FIRST CHILD IN CAITLIN. I’LL LET YOU TAKE IT AWAY. WHEN IS THE DUE DATE IF YOU’D LIKE TO TELL ALL OF OUR VIEWERS? THE DUE DATE IS VERY IRONICALLY THE DAY OF THE OPENING CEREMONIES. SO IT’S COMING UP VERY QUICKLY HERE, BUT I THINK WE’RE FIVE DAYS AWAY. SO FRIDAY IS OUR DUE DATE FEBRUARY 4TH, WHICH YEAH OR THE OPEN. YEAH. IT’S THE SEAM DAY AS THE OPENING CEREMONIES. SO COULD BE BETWEEN NOW AND THEN OR YOU KNOW WHILE WE’VE COMPETING A COUPLE DAYS LATER, SO TWO VERY BIG EVENTS FOR US THAT ARE COINCIDING PRETTY MUCH AT THE EXACT SAME TIME. SO THE THE OLYMPICSRE A ON WDSU. WE’RE HOPING TO EXPECT A LOT OF PEOPLE TO WATCH AS THEY WILL ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY RIGHT HERE. IF YOU CAN TALK FROM A HUMAN ASPECT FOR THIS, HOW DO YOU ALL GO THROUGH SOMETHING LIKE THIS? HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH IT? I MEAN LEAF, OBVIOLYUS YOU'R’ REPRESENTING THE COUNTRY COMPETING AND CAITLIN YOU’RE AT HOME ABOUT TO GIVE BIRTH. TO YOUR FIRST CHILD, WHICH IS SUCH A HUGE THING IN LIFE. IF YOU COULD JUST TALK ABOUT THAT. HOW HAVE YOU GUYS PLANNED THIS? AND WHATO D YOU PLAN TO DO CAITLIN WHEN YOU DO GO INTO LABOR, WHICH IS GONNA BE A COUPLE OF DAYS HERE. YEAH, I COULD BE ANY TIME I THINK OUR PLAN RIGHT NOW. WE’VE TRIED TO APPROACH. I MEAN WE’VE KNOWN OBVIOUSLY FOR A LONG TIME THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE AROUND ABOUT THE TIME. THAT LEAF WOULDE B AT THE OLYMPICS AND SO IT’S SOMETHING THAT WE’VE PREPARED FOR. EMOTIONALLY THIS ENTIRE NINE MONTHS. Y’U'RE MY NINE MONTH JOURNEY NOW, AND SO I THINK WE’RE BOTH PRETTY MUCH ON BOARD WHIT THE FACT THAT THIS IS HOW IT WAS GONNA PAN OUT. SO I DON’T THINK IT’S ANYTHING. YOU KNOW, WE’RE JUST REALLY PREPARED FOR IT. SO I THINK WHENEVER I DO GO INTO LABOR, I’LL JUST GIVE LEAF A LLCA OR A TEXT DEPENDING ON WHAT HE’S DOING. THE 13-HOUR TIME. CHANGE IS GONNA BE A BIG CHALLENGE. BUT YEAH, I MEAN WHEN HE’S NOT TRAINING AND HE’S NOT COMPETING. I THINK FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND. HE’LL HAV AE LOT OF DOWNTIME SO HOPEFULLY THE BABY COMES DURGIN THAT TIME AND HOPEFULLY OUR CONNECTION CONNECTION IS GOOD AND AND MY MOM IS HERE TO HELP MEUT O AND HE TRUSTS HER COMPLETELY SO. OUR PLAN HAS BEEN SET FOR A REALLY LONG TIME NOW, AND I THINK WE’RE BOTH REALLY COMFORTABLE WITH IT DAN THE ONLY REAL CONCERN FOR ME IS JUST GETTING A HOLD OF HIM. I GUESS WHEN IT’S TIME, YOU KNOW, I HOPE TO AT LEAST TALK TO HIM A COUPLE TIMES. YOU KNOW WHILE I’M IN LABOR AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND THEN OBVIOUSLY IMMEDIATELY AFTER. YEAH, LET’S POINT THIS OUT. WE’RE TALKING RIGHT NOW SUNDAY NIGHT. IT’S MONDAY PROBABLY MID-MORNING THERE IN BEIJING BELIEVE IF YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THA ATND IT’S A ANSWER BY KAITLIN BUT OBVIOUSLY YOU’RE COMPETING FOR YOUR COUNTRY. YOU’RE REPRESENTING. THE UNITED STATES AND SOMETHING THAT YOU LOVE TO DO AND HEAV SO MUCH PASSION FOR HOW HAVE YOU WRAPPED YOUR MIND ARNDOU ALL OF THIS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT’S ALREADY DIFFICULT ENOUGH FOR AN OLYMPIC ATHLETEO T JUST GET TO WHERE YOU ARE BE A MEMBER OF TEAM USA AND FOCUS AND YOU’RE ALL SO FOCUSING ON YOUR WIFE DELIVERING YOUR FIRST CHILD. YEAH, SO ONE OF THE THINGS I’VE REALLY REALIZED IN THE LAST NINE MONTHS THAT CAITLIN HAS BEEN PREGNANT IS YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY SPORT AND BIATHLON IS SOMETHING THAT’S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. BUT NOW THAT OUR FAMILY IS GOING TO BE EXPANDING IT IT KIND OF SHOWS YOU THE THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER IN LIFE. SO I’M YOU KNOW, WE'R’ OBVIOUSLY BOTH SUPER EXCITED THE BIGGEST WORRY FOR ME LIKE CAITLIN SAID IS IS GONNA BE YOU KNOW, KIND OF CONNECTIVITY IF THE WI-FI IS GOING TO BE WORKING OUT SUPER WELL HERE, YOU KNOW, I’M GONNA HAVE MY PHONE ON ME. 24/7 OBVIOUSLY FOR FOR WHEN THAT CALL COMES BUT I YOU KNOW FOR ME I JUST HOPE THAT THE CONNECTION WORKS WHEN IT DOES COME. YEAH, I THINK IF YOU TELL SOMEBODY MY WIFE’S IN LABOR, I NEED TO SEE HER SOMEBODY IN BEIJGIN IS GONNA TO FIND YOU A CONNECTION. IF YOU CAN JUST ADDRESS THIS. THE BIRTH OF A CHILD IS SECOND TO I HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN MYSELF. I KNOW FIRST IF YOU GUYS ARE NOT FINDING OUT WHICH IS A SPECIAL THING. YOU WON’T KNOW IF IT’S A BOY OR A GIRL. BUT I THINK YOU TALK ABOUT ISTH. THE BIRTH OF YOUR CHILD MAKES 2022 A SPECIAL YEAR FOROU Y ALL IF YOU CAN PUT AN OLYMPIC MEDAL ON TOP OF THAT. DAN YOU COME BACK WITH BRONZE SILVER GOLD. I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY HOW GREAT WOULD THAT BE FOR YOU ALL THIS YEARF I IT’S THE BIRTH OF A CHILD AND YOU GET TO RETURN HOME AND SEE YOUR WIFE AND CHILD WITH AN OLYMPIC MEDAL. YEAH, THAT WOULDE B THAT WOULD BE TRULY INCREDIBLE, YOU KNOW BEING THAT THIS IS MY THIRD OLYMPICS AND MY FINAL OLYMPICS. I’M I’M ACTUALLY I’M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD JUST TO MAKING IT HOME TO YOU KNOW TO MEETHE T NEW LITTLE ONE. BUT YEAH IF I COULD DO THAT WITH WITH THE METAL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT ULWOD BE THAT WOULD BE INCREDIBLE. AND CAITLIN I’M ASKED YOU THE SAME QUESTION. YOU MAY BE HOLDING A TWO DAY OLD OR THREE DAY OLD CHEERING ON DADDY. IN THE OLYMPICS HERE HOW GREAT WILL THAT BE IF YOU CAN WATCH HIMN O THAT METAL STAND WITH A NEWBORN? GOSH, I THINK YOU KNOW THE METAL IS OBVIOUSLY WHAT HE’S THERE FOR IF THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD WORK OUT. BUT I THINK JUST THE FACT THAT HE’S THERE AND THEN HE’S MADE IT. IT’S SPECIAL FOR OUR FAMILY, YOU KNOW AND I DO. I’M I AM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD THAT MOMTEN OF YEAH, HOLDING MY BABY AND AND HAVING YOU KNOW BABIES AR’N'T GONNA REMEMBER THIS OR ANYTHING BUT AS A TWO OR THREE DAY OLD,UT B IT WILL BE REALLY SPECIAL FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO HAVE OUR BABY THERE F WORHILE HE’S COMPETING AT THE OLYMPICS, YOU KNOW METAL OR NOT. WE’RE GONNA BE PROUD OF THEM. OBVIOUSLYO N MATRTE WHAT WE ALREADY ARE. BUT YEAH, I THINK IT’S JUST, YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAN’T BE HERE FOR THE DELIVERY OF THE CHILD, I GUESS THELY OMPSIC IS THE PERFECT EXCUSE AND FOR THEAB BY TO TECHNICALLY GET TO SEE ITS LITTLE DAD. ORT’S I DAD COMPETE THEN THAT WOULD MAKE EXTRA SPECIAL AND SO MANY WAYS. ALL RIGHT, CAITLIN GREAT ANSWER LI FOR GONNA LEAVE IT WITH YOU. OBVIOUSLY YOUR FINAL THOUGHTS. YOU’RE THE ONE WITH YOUR WIFE GOING THRGHOU THIS PROCESS. WE ALL TALK ABOUT LIVING IN THE MOMENT. YOU ALL ARE DEFINITELY LIVING IN THE MOMENT HERE. YOU LIVING OUT YOUR OLYMPIC DREAMS WHILE YOU AND YOUR WIFE ARE ABOUT TORI BNG YOUR FIRST CHILD INTO THE WORLD. WELL LEAVE IT WITH YOU FINAL THOUGHTS HERE BEFORE WE GO FOR ALL OF OUR VIEWERS ACROSS LOUISIANA WATCHING THIS RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE CHEERING ON TEAM USA AND I THINK THIS JUST GIVES THEM ANOTRHE REASON TO CHEER FOR YOU AND BIATHLON COMES ON. YEAH, YOU KNOW IT’S IT’S FUNNY EVERY SINGLE ATHLETE HAS TIRHE OWN KIND OF SPECIAL STORY GOING ON. SO WE’RE PRETTY LUCKY THAT YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WE HAVE THESE THINGS GOING ON IN OUR LIVES. BUT YEAH, IT’S IT’S REAYLL KIND OF SPECIAL JUST TO BE HERE IN BEIJING AND YOU KNOW, I HOPE TEAM USA AND BIATHLON ESPECIALLY CAN CAN HAVE A GOOD OLYMPICS. ALL RIGHT, CAITLIN DOORDGREN METEOROLOGIST ATUR O SISTER STATION WPTZ BEST OF LUCK WITH EVERYTHING, HOPEFULLY. EVERYTHING GOES SMOOTHLY AND YOU GET GOOD WI-FI WHEN YOU TRY TO REACH YOUR HUSBAND LEAF NORDGREN FROM ALL OF US HERE IN LOUISIANA. ALL FANS OF TEAM USA WE’RE ROOTING HARD FOR THE OLYMPICS AND WE’RE ALSO ROOTING HARD FOR YOU TO GET BACK HOME SAFELY. HOPEFULLY WITH THE METAL TO YOUR YOUNG CHIL D.ALL RIGHT, THAT’S ALL THE TIME THAT WE HAVE FOR THE HOT SEAT WITH LEAF NORDGREN WHO’S JOINING US FROM BEIJING CHINA IN THE HLETESAT VILLAGE AND HIS WIFE CAITLIN NORDGREN. WE APPRECIATE YROU TIME. I’M TRAVERS MACKEL. YOU CAN SEE THIS ENTIRE SEGMENT STARNGTI TOMORROW MORNING AT WDSU.COM. AND FINALLY WE CAN ALL DO IT TOGETHER. HOW ABOUT WE GET A GO TEAMSA U AND GO TEAM GO TEAM USA. WELL, WE HAVE MORE OF A REASON TO CHEER ON OUR TEAM RIGHT WHEN IT COMES TO THE WINTER GAMES WDSU. IS YOUR HOME FOR ALL THE ACTION. BE SURE TO TUNE IN TO OUR OZONE SHOW WCHHI AIRS MONYDA THROUGH SATURDAY AT 6:30