12 athletes to watch at the 2026 Winter Olympics

With every passing Olympic GamesThere is something new to admire. Usually, it’s a cool outfit for the opening ceremony, a new cauldron for the Olympic torch, or maybe a fancy new stadium that the host city won’t use in 10 years. Then there are the new records set during each Games, amazing examples of human strength, talent and incredible perseverance.

But for 2026 Winter Olympicssome of the highlights of the first events come from the Olympic Village rather than the individual venues. They are the ones who push their sports forward and make history in the process. Here are 12 athletes set to make history at this year’s Winter Olympics.

sports: Snowboarding

Amber Glenn, one of the most interesting and multi-faceted figure skaters in recent history, has already captured three US National titles and a Grand Prix Final Championship. Publicly, she is known for taking victory laps Wrapped in the flag of pride. Glenn too He speaks frankly About her struggle with mental health and ADHD. (that it He is also a huge fan of Star Wars, Pokémon, and Magic: The Gathering.) While her short Madonna-themed show is worth watching, Its 2024 show is set to feature Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire.” It is even better.

Notable quote: “Fear of not being accepted is a big struggle for me. Being seen as ‘just a phase’ or ‘indecisive’ is common for bi/trans women. I don’t want to shove my sexuality in people’s faces, but I also don’t want to hide my identity.” —Amber Glenn L Dallas Voice

sports: Ice hockey

When you (or someone watching Hot competition) Think of “hockey player,” the image that usually comes to mind is that of a burly Russian Canadian, skating fast and holding his stick but missing some teeth. Layla Edwards is just that. As the first Black woman to play on a U.S. Olympic hockey team, Edwards is on a whole new path. She’s getting a little help along the way, too, with teammates from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Travis and Jason Kelce. Donate $10,000 to a GoFundMe set up by Edwards’ family to pay for a trip to watch their daughter at the games.

Notable quote: “Walking into a rink and having someone say the basketball court is that way, and my experience dealing with microaggressions, taught me lessons and made me gain a thicker skin in a predominantly white sport.” —Lily Edwards For CARE 11 TV station

sports: Alpine skiing

At just 17 years old, Tallulah Proulx has already broken records, becoming not only the first Filipina to ever qualify for the Winter Olympics, but also the youngest Filipina to ever qualify. Although she was born in California and now lives in Utah, Proulx competes in the Games under the Philippine flag. Although she is unlikely to medal, having finished 16th at the Asian Winter Games, her slalom and giant slalom run in Milan – and her entry during the opening ceremony – should be worth watching.

Notable quote: “I’m really happy, and I hope I can be a role model for young Filipino girls and Filipinos in general.” – Tallulah Proulx To ABS-CBN News In the Philippines

Kim Millemans, Nicole Silvera, Anna Gilpin, and Runja Savolainen

Sports: Skeleton (Millimans and Silveira), ice hockey (Kilpin and Savolainen)

Well, sure, maybe the wives have played on opposing teams in the Olympics before, but the fact is that two Having groups of wives competing against each other in the 2026 Winter Games sounds pretty formidable. For the skeleton competition, Belgian Kim Millemans is looking to best her Brazilian wife, Nicole Silveira. On the ice hockey rink, the Swedish team captained by Anna Kjellpen will be looking to get the better of the Finnish team led by his wife Runja Savolainen. For the Mailmans and Silveira, going out and competing during these games is more than just a nice story. The couple also posted on Instagram“With the Games being held in Italy and the current Italian government making decisions/laws that harm the LGBTQ+ community (Read about it If you don’t believe it), it’s very special to compete as a couple and highlight marriage equality while doing so.