Milan Cortina 2026: 26 International Winter Olympic Athletes to Watch

Get Ready for Milan Cortina 2026: Spotlighting 26 International Winter Olympic Athletes to Watch

The global spotlight is poised to shift to Italy as the2026 Winter Olympicsin Milan Cortina rapidly approaches. Kicking off this week, this prestigious event will bring together the planet's elite winter sports talent, competing across 16 diverse disciplines. From the high-speed thrills of Alpine skiing and the strategic intensity of biathlon to the icy precision of luge and figure skating, and the exciting Olympic debut of ski mountaineering, the games promise unparalleled drama and athletic excellence.

With 116 medal events up for grabs and close to 3,000 athletes expected to vie for glory, compiling a definitive list of contenders is a monumental task. Yet, we've taken on the challenge, meticulously selecting26 international winter Olympic athletes to watch: 26 top stars in Milan Cortina. This curated selection highlights at least one potential standout in every sport before the competition officially begins on Wednesday. For those interested in local heroes, don't forget to explore ourtop U.S. athletes to watch.

Alpine Skiing: The Speed Merchants

Federica Brignone (Italy)At 35, this three-time Olympic medalist has made a remarkable recovery from a significant leg injury suffered last April. Brignone made a strong return to World Cup competition in January on her home slopes in Kronplatz, securing a sixth-place finish in giant slalom. As the reigning world champion in giant slalom and a winner of last season's World Cup overall, giant slalom, and downhill titles, she's a formidable force. Women's Alpine skiing events commence on February 8th.

Marco Odermatt (Switzerland)Already a legend in the making, the 28-year-old Odermatt stands as one of Alpine skiing's most accomplished athletes. He's the defending Olympic gold medalist in giant slalom, a three-time world champion, and boasts an astonishing 53 World Cup victories, placing him eighth on the all-time list. Currently leading the overall standings in downhill, super-G, and giant slalom this season, Odermatt is a strong favorite for multiple golds in Italy. The men's program begins on Saturday.

Ice Hockey: Chasing Gold on the Rink

Team Canada (Men & Women)It's impossible to single out just one player when discussing Canadian hockey. The men's squad features an electrifying lineup of NHL superstars including Sidney Crosby, Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, and Connor McDavid, all set to contend for gold in the first Olympic tournament since 2014 to include NHL players – also the last time Canada's men clinched gold. On the women's side, veteran captain Marie-Philip Poulin embarks on her fifth Olympic journey, leading a team that has captured five out of seven Olympic golds since the event's 1998 debut. The women's tournament starts Thursday, with the men's competition following on February 11th.

Curling: Precision on Ice

Stefania Constantini & Amos Mosaner (Italy - Mixed Doubles)This Italian mixed doubles duo has proven unbeatable when the stakes are highest. Constantini, 26, and Mosaner, 30, achieved Olympic gold in Beijing 2022 with an undefeated run, then followed up with a perfect performance to win the 2025 World Championship, marking Italy's first triumphs in both events. Mixed doubles curling is the inaugural competition of these Olympics, commencing Wednesday.

Bruce Mouat (Great Britain - Men's)Mouat, 31, will lead the British team that earned silver in Beijing. The Edinburgh native has also guided Scotland to World Championship titles in 2023 and 2025, alongside a bronze at the European Championships last November. Men's curling begins on February 11th.

Speed Skating & Freestyle Mastery

Steven Dubois (Canada - Short Track Speedskating)Now a two-time defending World Tour champion, this 24-year-old Canadian dominated the season with seven race wins across four tour stops. He also secured four medals at the 2025 World Championships, including golds in the 1500m, men’s relay, and mixed relay. Men’s short track speedskating begins on February 14th.

Femke Kok (Netherlands - Speedskating)As always, the Dutch speedskating contingent features numerous stars, and this time, Femke Kok, 25, is at the forefront. She was the top World Cup performer this season in both the 500 and 1,000 meters. Kok has claimed three consecutive world titles in the 500m and earned a silver medal in the 1,000m at last year's championships. The first Olympic women’s sprint event, the 1,000m, is scheduled for February 9th.

Kailani Gu (China - Freestyle Skiing)California-born Gu, 22, previously competed for the United States before making a notable transition to represent her mother’s home country of China in 2019. She memorably represented the host nation at the Beijing Olympics, securing two gold medals and one silver, and will do so again in 2026. Freestyle skiing events begin on February 7th.

Mikaël Kingsbury (Canada - Moguls)A moguls icon, Kingsbury, 33, is widely regarded as one of the sport's all-time greats. This Canadian flag-bearer has amassed an incredible 18 medals across Olympic and World Championship competitions, highlighted by his gold at the 2018 PyeongChang Games. He remains a top medal contender in Italy. Moguls competition starts on February 10th.

Johannes Høsflot Klæbo (Norway - Cross-Country Skiing)This five-time Olympic gold medalist and 15-time world champion continues his dominance in cross-country skiing, reaching his 100th World Cup win in December and adding multiple victories in both distance and sprint events this season. The 29-year-old also swept all six events at last year’s World Championships, positioning him as a threat across the entire Olympic program, which commences on February 8th.

Biathlon & Nordic Combined: Endurance and Precision

Quentin Fillon Maillet (France - Biathlon)The five-time Olympic medalist continues to be a crucial leader for the French biathlon team. The 33-year-old is the defending gold medalist in both the 20 km individual and 12.5 km pursuit events and has been one of the season’s top World Cup competitors. Biathlon opens with the mixed relay competitions on February 8th, where France is a strong medal contender.

Johannes Lamparter (Austria - Nordic Combined)In the demanding sport that merges cross-country skiing with ski jumping, the 24-year-old Austrian has emerged as the standout performer on the World Cup circuit this season, with five wins to his name. He narrowly missed the individual podium at last year’s World Championships but did secure two team medals. Nordic combined events begin on February 9th.

Bobsled & Luge: The Fastest Sleds

Francesco Friedrich & Johannes Lochner (Germany - Bobsled)These two 35-year-old pilots have been the undisputed kings of bobsled for years. They have collectively swept the last seven four-man and two-man World Championships, and secured a dominant 1-2 finish in both events at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. After an incredible seven straight World Cup season titles in the four-man, Friedrich finished second this year to Lochner, who also claimed the two-man crown. Men’s bobsled begins on February 16th.

Max Langenhan (Germany - Luge)At 26, Langenhan is set to lead the powerful German team in Cortina, following his consecutive World Cup titles and an impressive six World Championships over the past three years, including the last two individual world championships. He’ll face stiff competition from 36-year-old teammate Felix Loch, the current World Cup leader and a double Olympic gold medalist from 2010 and 2014. Men’s luge events start on Saturday.

Figure Skating: Grace, Power, and Artistry

Yuma Kagiyama (Japan - Figure Skating)Kagiyama, 22, was the silver medalist at the 2022 Olympics, finishing behind the U.S.'s Nathan Chen, and has been a three-time World Championship runner-up. While American 'Quad God' Ilia Malinin currently sets the standard, Kagiyama remains the top-ranked skater just below him. Figure skating commences Friday with the team event.

Adeliia Petrosian (Neutral Athlete - Figure Skating)The 18-year-old Russian, Adeliia Petrosian, represents women’s figure skating’s intriguing wild card. Cleared to compete as a neutral athlete, she is widely anticipated to contend for a medal. Due to current restrictions on Russian participation in international sports, she hasn't yet competed in a major international event, though she has won the last three Russian championships. Women’s singles begins on February 17th.

Ski Jumping: High-Flying Excellence

Domen & Nika Prevc (Slovenia - Ski Jumping)The Prevc siblings are experiencing a season of unparalleled dominance on their respective World Cup tours. Domen Prevc, 26, has secured 10 victories so far, while his 20-year-old sister Nika boasts 13 wins, including seven of the last nine events. Both earned two golds and a silver at last year’s World Championships, making them strong favorites for multiple podium finishes in Italy. Ski jumping events begin on Saturday.

Ski Mountaineering: The Olympic Debut

Emily Harrop (France - Ski Mountaineering)In the thrilling new Olympic sport of ski mountaineering, Emily Harrop is the undisputed current star. She is the defending World Cup champion and would likely be leading this year’s standings had she not missed the opening race. In the four subsequent events, she has achieved two wins (both in the sprint discipline, which will be contested in Italy) and two second-place finishes. Last season saw her claim seven victories, including at the Bormio test event on the Olympic course. The ski mountaineering sprint events are scheduled for February 19th.

The Countdown to Greatness Begins!

As the excitement builds, these 26 extraordinary athletes are just a glimpse of the talent that will grace the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina. Mark your calendars, prepare for breathtaking performances, and get ready to cheer on the world's best as they chase their Olympic dreams. The games are almost here!