AP/Mike Groll

Solid World Cup showing has Park City womens’ moguls skier Heather McPhie thinking of Olympic medals.

When McPhie clinched a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Steamboat Springs, Colo. over a week ago, she had no idea probably, that in her fifth year of skiing, she’d be headed to her first Winter Olympic Games.
 

But that’s how it’s worked for McPhie, a student at Westminster College in Salt Lake City. A great season buttressed by a first-place finish in moguls at the Deer Valley (Utah) World Cup, as well as another 2nd place finish in duals on Saturday, Jan. 16 has cemented her a spot on the Olympic squad for Vancouver.
 

McPhie locked up a terrific season with a third-place finish Thursday, Jan. 21 at the Nature Valley Cup in Lake Placid, N.Y.
 

A converted gymnast, the 5-foot-3 inch, 125 pound McPhie was the World Cup Rookie of the Year in womens’ moguls in 2007, then placed 8th in moguls and 9th in duals that year at her first World Championships.
 

McPhie then spent the next two years tearing up the NorAm circuit, winning two championships in 2008 and 2009 before making the leap to World Cup competition and eventually to her place on the U.S. Olympic team.

Follow your Utah athletes in the 2010 Winter Olympics: .

Video:Steve Holcomb of Park City leads Utah bobsled athletes who qualify for US Olympic team

Utah ski jumper Anders Johnson wins spot on US Olympic Team for Vancouver

Ex-Ute ski racer Torin Koos named to US Olympic cross country team

Video: Skeleton racer Noelle Pikus-Pace of Orem one of two Utahns named to US Olympic team

Brett Camerota the latest Utahn to earn spot on US Olympic team in nordic combined