2022 Winter Olympics — What does an Olympian pack? We asked curler Matthew Hamilton ahead of Beijing

Let’s say you were a gold-medal winning athlete packing for China and the Winter Olympics … look I ain’t one either, but let’s just pretend for a second. What would be the most important things you’d want to bring from home?

I asked my buddy, Matthew Hamilton, who is probably the most famous curler in America today.

At the XXIII Winter Olympic Games aka PyeongChang 2018, Hamilton was half of the team who earned the United States its very first gold medal in curling.

After he qualified for the XXIV Olympic Games in Beijing, China, I texted my golfing buddy and fellow sneakerhead asking: “Hey man, what are the most important things you’re taking with you this trip? Because China ain’t got Wal-Mart or Target if you forget something!”

The following is what he sent me in reply.

Fly footwear

“Some wild and crazy curling shoes! My guys at Project Blitz really hooked it up. They are the Nike SB Dunk Low ‘What the P-Rod.’ They are the perfect shoe for a guy like me!” — MH

Matt is a wild sneakerhead. Last Olympics he wore the Nike PG3 Nasa Blue Apollo 15 Mission editions specially modified for curling.

It only took Hamilton’s “guy” one day to modify this iteration for curling.

Hometown coffee

Hamilton is taking specialty coffee to China. The coffee pictured is from a local, gourmet coffee house in Duluth, Minnesota, where the skip of Hamilton’s curling team, John Schuster, lives.

“Coffee is a must for me. I gotta have my coffee and travel coffee maker! I love coffee, plus it’s a reminder of home.” — MH

‘Stache care is a must

The epic, push broom mustache has become Hamilton’s trademark look. At the 2018 Games, he drew comparisons to a mustachioed plumber by the name of Mario. So the ‘stache has to look right.

“Some gear to keep my mustache fresh and a shirt to promote the…