2002 Olympic torch relay remembered at Glenwood Hot Springs Resort

On Feb. 2, 2002, the Olympic flame skimmed across the steaming surface of the Glenwood Hot Springs Pool — the only time in the torch’s 45-state journey that the relay went aquatic.

Now, more than two decades later, Glenwood Hot Springs Resort is honoring that moment with a new display honoring the 2002 Olympic Winter Games torch relay and the community members who carried it through town. The exhibit, created in partnership with the Glenwood Springs Historical Society, is located in the resort’s Athletic Club lobby.

Among the memorabilia on display is a torch carried that day by longtime Glenwood resident Bonnie Whitman, a former national figure skating champion.

Whitman said she carried the flame for about two-tenths of a mile through downtown.

“It was such an honor,” she said. “The whole community turned out. People lined the streets, and it felt like we were part of something much bigger than ourselves.”

The relay stop in Glenwood Springs was unlike any other across the country. Instead of wearing the official white sweatsuit, Olympic swimmer George DiCarlo wore an all-black Speedo and swam the lone aquatic leg of the entire 2002 relay in the world’s largest hot springs pool.

DiCarlo, who grew up in Denver and won a gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle and a silver in the 1,500-meter freestyle at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, held the torch on his stomach and used a one-handed backstroke to make his way across the 405-foot-long pool in front of 1,500 spectators.

Whitman said the spectacle still stands out in her memory.

“It was just amazing to see the whole town come together for that moment,” she said. “There was so much pride and excitement in the air — it’s something I’ll never forget.”

Later that evening, wrestling gold medalist Rulon Gardner carried the flame to the Glenwood Springs Community Center, where the city held a celebration before the torch continued on toward Grand Junction and Salt Lake City.

Peggy Vidakovich, archivist for the historical society, said the event left a lasting impression on the community.

“It wasn’t just about the Olympics — it was about Glenwood Springs being part of history,” she said. “That torch carried a sense of celebration that people here still talk about.”

She helped organize the display when the resort asked for an exhibit tied to pool history as part of the new Hotel 1888.

“I knew Bonnie still had her torch, and it was the perfect fit,” she said. “She also had photos and clippings that really brought the story to life.”

The Olympic torch and related items will remain on view in the Athletic Club lobby through Sept. 30.