It felt a bit like home in northern Italy this week as Governor Gretchen Whitmer visited the Olympic host city to support Michigan athletes and promote the state on an international stage.
At the Michigan Winter House in Milan, Whitmer met with Team USA athletes with ties to Metro Detroit, including ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates, Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik, and Christina Carreira with Anthony Ponomarenko.
Joined by U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, Whitmer posed for photos, signed credentials, and spoke with the athletes.
Whitmer said she is proud of the Michigan competitors representing the United States on the world stage.
While in Europe, she also attended the Munich Security Conference and said her team will be focusing on economic development opportunities for Michigan.
The governor’s trip to Milan is brief, but she plans to attend the women’s hockey gold medal game Thursday (Feb. 19) night.
Team USA is set to face Canada, renewing one of the most storied rivalries in international hockey.