This time around, the Winter Olympics will boast a breathtaking Italian backdrop as they are being jointly hosted by the city of Milan and the renowned mountain resort town of Cortina. The 116 events across 16 sports in the two Italian cities include skiing, snowboarding, figure skating, bobsledding, ski jumping, and hockey.
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1. Mikaela Shiffrin—U.S.
Considered the greatest Alpine skier of all time, Colorado native Shiffrin, now 30, is going to her fourth Olympics. Shiffrin has been dominant internationally with 107 total World Cup wins, but her Olympic career has been spotty with three medals. She won gold in her Olympic debut at the 2014 Sochi Games in the slalom event, becoming the youngest woman to do so. Shiffrin took home two medals in PyeongChang in 2018, winning gold in the women’s giant slalom and silver in the women's super-combined. However, she left Beijing 2022 without a medal and will be hungry for one in Milan.
In 2025, Mikaela Shiffrin took home her 100th World Cup skiing win.Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO on Getty Images
2. Eileen Gu—China
Gu, 22, who was born in San Francisco but controversially competes for China, became a star in freestyle skiing at the 2022 Olympics. The high-flying skier secured gold medals in big air and halfpipe and a silver medal in slopestyle and fans can’t wait to watch her in Milan.
Eileen Gu was born in San Francisco, but will compete for China.Photo by Angel Martinez on Getty Images
3. Stefan Kraft—Austria
The ski jumper, 32, is one of the most acclaimed of all time. The Austrian became the all-time leading points scorer in FIS Ski Jumping World Cup history, breaking the record in Falun, Sweden, in November 2025. Kraft won a team gold medal in Beijing, but he has not yet won an individual Olympic medal. He's described his ski-jumping style as “modern and easy"—even though it looks scary and hard!
In November 2025, Stefan Kraft won the Men's Individual HS95 competition of the ski jumping World Cup in Sweden.Photo by FREDRIK SANDBERG on Getty Images
4. Chloe Kim—U.S.
Will America’s snowboarding queen reign supreme in Milan? After suffering a labrum tear in her shoulder during a training run, it was questionable if she'd even be able to compete. But on Jan. 22, 2026, Kim has officially qualified—and as of right now—she will be able to represent Team USA at the 2026 Winter Games. At age 17, Kim was the youngest woman to win an Olympic snowboarding gold medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Kim also grabbed the gold medal in halfpipe at the 2022 Beijing Games.
Despite a shoulder injury, Chloe Kim will compete in the Winter Games.If Kim is able to compete and she wins another gold medal in Milan, she will become the first woman ever to “three-peat” in the women’s snowboard halfpipe event.
5. Marco Odermatt—Switzerland
Odermatt, 28, has been dominant in World Cup alpine skiing and is going for the gold in Milan. Odermatt began skiing when he was just two years old, accompanied by his father on the slopes. Both of his parents were talented skiers, and Odermatt thanks them after every race, as nbcolympics.com reported.
Marco Odermatt of Team Switzerland competes during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup.Photo by NurPhoto on Getty Images
6. Ilia Malinin—U.S.
America’s men’s singles figure skating “Quad God” Malinin, 21, is known for his incredible quadruple jumps. On Jan. 10, 2026, Malinin won the men's title at the 2026 U.S. Figure Skating Championships—marking his fourth consecutive national championship. The Virginia native is also a two-time world champion (2024-2025). In fact, since 2023, he’s undefeated in every major competition! Malinin hopes to land seven quads in his 2026 Olympics long program.
Ilia Malinin is also known as "Quad God."Monumental Sports
7. Johannes Hosfløt Klæbo—Norway
Johannes Hosfløt Klæbo won three gold medals at the 2018 Winter Olympics.Photo by VESA MOILANEN on Getty Images
8. Lindsey Vonn—U.S.
After a five-year retirement and partial knee replacement, Lindsey Vonn officially qualified for her fifth Winter Olympic Games on Jan. 22, 2026. The 41-year-old has won a total of three medals in her first four outings. Vonn shared her excitement with CNN. “I actually feel rejuvenated and younger [with] this crazy adventure," she said.
Lindsey Vonn (Photo by Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images)Related: Lindsey Vonn Debuts Impressive Body Transformation: ‘Goal Attained’
9. Sidney Crosby—Canada
Crosby may play for the Pittsburgh Penguins during the NHL season, but at the Winter Olympics, it's all about Team Canada.Photo by Andre Ringuette/4NFO on Getty Images
The 38-year-old NHL star is one of the talented men leading Team Canada at the upcoming Winter Games. Crosby—lovingly nicknamed "Sid the Kid"—is also known for being captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins. But at the Olympics, he’s competing for his native Canada—even scoring the “golden goal” in overtime against Team USA to put his country at the top in 2010. At Sochi 2014, Crosby led his team to another gold medal. After missing the 2018 and 2022 Winter Games, Sid the Kid is fired up for Milan!
10. Erin Jackson—U.S.
Erin Jackson went from hanging out at Waffle House to Olympic athlete!Photo by Christian Kaspar-Bartke - International Skating Union on Getty Images
Now 33, Jackson made history at the 2022 Beijing Games after becoming the first Black woman to win a Winter Olympic gold medal in an individual sport, speed skating. The Florida native—whose career took off after her mom chatted up coach Renee Hildebrand at Waffle House—triumphed in the women’s 500-meter speed skating event! “It takes a lot of commitment and perseverance and sacrifice,” Jackson has said of her Olympic journey, which will continue this February.
11. Alysa Liu—U.S.
Alysia Liu competes at the 2022 Winter Olympics.Photo by China News Service on Getty Images
Related: Who Is Alysa Liu? Inside the Life of America’s Top Women’s Figure Skater
12. Bruce Mouat—Great Britain
Bruce Mouat at the 2024 European Curling ChampionshipsPhoto by JUSSI NUKARI on Getty Images
Mouat opined to the Daily Mail that curling is “chess on ice….to think on your feet is important. I find it exciting.” The Scotsman came out as gay in 2014 and said that openness has helped him become an even better curler!
13. Elana Meyers Taylor—U.S.
The bobsled athlete, 41, is a study in perseverance, having competed for nearly twenty years. A native of California, Meyers Taylor has earned a total of five Olympic medals over four Olympics. The three-time silver and two-time bronze medalist is looking for her first gold in her fifth Games this February.
This will be the bobsledder's fifth time at the Winter Olympics.Photo by picture alliance on Getty Images
Meyers Taylor’s exuberant spirit has won many fans, and she’s shared her thoughts on bobsledding. She said, “When bobsled is going right—and it sometimes goes wrong—it’s the closest thing I could imagine to being a superhero.”
14 & 15: Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt—Germany
Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt from GermanyThe two men with the same first name, known as “the Tobis,” go sledding down icy tracks as the best doubles luge team in the world. Wendl and Arlt, both 38, have won six total/consecutive Olympic gold medals in men's doubles and the team relay—in 2014, 2018, and 2022. Olympics.com reported that the doubles kings and best friends credit "knowing when to leave the other one alone" as part of their success. Fans will see them go for Games glory again in Milan!
16 & 17: Madison Chock and Evan Bates—U.S.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates aren't just partners on the ice; they're married in real life!Photo by Gregory Shamus - International Skating Union on Getty Images
Next up: Andrea Bocelli Set to Headline 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony
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