12 athletes to watch at the 2026 Winter Olympics

With every passing Olympics, there’s 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 the 2026 Winter Olympics, some of the first highlights will come from the Olympic Village rather than 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 a Pride flag. Glenn also speaks openly about her struggles with mental health and ADHD. (She’s also a huge fan of Star Wars, Pokémon, and Magic: The Gathering.) While her Madonna-themed short is worth watching, her 2024 show set to Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire” is even better.

Notable quote: “The fear of not being accepted is a big struggle for me [going through] “Just a phase” or [being] “Indecisive” is common for bisexual/cisgender women. I don’t want to shove my sexuality in people’s faces, but I also don’t want to hide who I am.” —Amber Glenn to The Dallas Voice

sports: Ice hockey

When you (or anyone 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 Cleveland Heights and Ohio State teammates Travis and Jason Kelce donating $10,000 to a GoFundMe set up by the Edwards family to pay for the 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.” – Layla Edwards to KARE 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. As the couple posted on Instagram, “With the Games being held in Italy and the current Italian government making decisions/laws that are harmful to the LGBTQ+ community (read about it if you don’t believe it), it feels pretty special to compete as a couple and highlight marriage equality while doing so.”

Notable quote: “You’re friends then. On the ice, she’s my enemy. That’s how it goes.” – Ronja Savolainen to Ottawa Citizen

sports: Bobsleigh

This year, the very temperate Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago is making a bigger push toward the Winter Olympics than ever before, sending athletes to three events in which the country has never competed before. In bobsleigh in particular, the country will field an interesting four-man team, raising expectations for the two-man team it fielded in 2022. At least one rider — Micah Moore — has recently converted to the event, having switched from track to bobsleigh only about five months ago and only got his first “real” bobsled run in October 2025. (And yes, the video of his post-run reaction is incredible).