MILAN — As the Milan-Cortina Olympics approach, several athletes are poised to make a significant impact whether by making a comeback, switching nationalities, or simply aiming to dominate their respective sports. Here’s a look at eight competitors whose potential shines bright for the upcoming Games.
Lindsey Vonn has made headlines with her unexpected return to ski racing at the age of 40, setting her sights on the Olympics. Equipped with a new titanium knee, Vonn intends to retire for the second and final time following the upcoming event, where women’s races will take place on one of her favorite courses in Cortina. A specialist in downhill and super-G events, Vonn holds the record for the most World Cup downhill victories at 43 and boasts a total of 82 World Cup wins. She also clinched Olympic gold in downhill in 2010 and earned bronze in both super-G in 2010 and downhill in 2018. Recently, she showcased her competitiveness by finishing sixth and fourth in a downhill and super-G competition held in St. Anton, Austria.
Mikaela Shiffrin, another American skiing sensation, is already a trailblazer in World Cup history with 99 wins. However, she is seeking redemption at the upcoming Olympics after a tough outing in Beijing 2022, where she failed to finish in the first run of both her preferred events. After taking a two-month injury break, the 29-year-old returned to the circuit and secured a 10th place finish in slalom at the World Cup in Courchevel, France.
Ilia Malinin, known as the “Quad God,” is making waves with his impressive accomplishments on the figure skating circuit. Renowned for his high-risk quadruple jumps, Malinin landed six of these maneuvers during his third U.S. figure skating championship earlier this year, including the distinguished quad axel—a feat he is the only one to have accomplished in competition. Coming from a family of Olympians from Uzbekistan, this 20-year-old from Virginia aims to build upon Nathan Chen’s legacy, who brought home a gold medal for the U.S. in 2022.
Eileen Gu has drawn attention as a freeskiing standout after her outstanding performance at the Beijing Winter Olympics at just 18 years old, where she became the first athlete in action sports to secure three medals in a single Olympics: two golds in big air and halfpipe and one silver in slopestyle. Born in California, Gu chose to represent China to serve as an inspiration for young girls in her mother’s homeland and to demonstrate the possibilities in skiing. She has since claimed multiple golds at the X Games and is a formidable presence in the halfpipe, winning 14 out of her last 17 World Cup events. The 21-year-old is not only an athlete but also a model and a Stanford student.
Chloe Kim has established herself as a leader in women’s snowboarding. She gained international acclaim at the 2018 Games by becoming the youngest woman to win a gold medal in Olympic snowboarding at the age of 17. Kim successfully defended her title in Beijing, becoming one of the few snowboarders to win back-to-back golds in the halfpipe alongside Shaun White. Now 24, she has earned a total of eight gold medals at the X Games, further solidifying her dominance in the sport.
Nicolò Ernesto Canclini, an Italian athlete, is pursuing his dream of securing an Olympic medal on home soil as ski mountaineering—often referred to as “Skimo”—makes its debut at the Milan-Cortina Games. Residing just 300 meters from the Olympic slope in Bormio, Canclini, aged 28, is a world-class competitor in his sport. Although he may not be widely recognized in Italy yet, this could change significantly at the Games.
Lucas Pinheiro Braathen is presenting a rare opportunity for Brazil as the nation aims for its first-ever medal at the Winter Olympics. The athlete made history by becoming the first Brazilian skier to reach a World Cup podium, finishing second in a giant slalom in Beaver Creek, Colorado. He followed this up with a third-place finish in slalom in Kitzbuehel. The 24-year-old athlete has heritage from both Brazil and Norway, but he switched allegiances after retiring from his Norwegian team amid a dispute concerning modeling work. Pinheiro Braathen has five career World Cup wins, with three in slalom and two in giant slalom, although he did not complete either race during the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
Lastly, Therese Johaug, a cross-country skiing icon from Norway, has repeatedly announced her retirement plans, yet fans expect her to reconsider. Having returned to competitive skiing last year following a two-year hiatus, Johaug recently secured her fourth Tour de Ski title at the venue set to host the Olympic cross-country events. With four Olympic gold medals from the 2010 Vancouver Games and the 2022 Beijing Games, alongside one silver and one bronze from Sochi 2014, she has claimed prominent accolades. Despite her insistence on retiring after this season, Norway hopes she may reconsider her departure just one more year.
