Vonn, Shiffrin and Kim lead 97-athlete U.S. ski and snowboard roster for 2026 Olympics
Lindsey Vonn, Mikaela Shiffrin and Chloe Kim head a 97-athlete U.S. Ski & Snowboard roster for the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, featuring 48 first-time Olympians.
Overview
U.S. Ski & Snowboard nominated a 97-athlete team—50 women, 47 men—for Milan Cortina 2026, led by Lindsey Vonn, Mikaela Shiffrin and Chloe Kim.
Vonn, 41, returned after partial knee replacement and retirement, won multiple World Cup downhills this season, making her a medal contender in Cortina d'Ampezzo.
Shiffrin makes her fourth Olympics, rebounding from a medalless Beijing; Kim seeks a third consecutive halfpipe gold though shoulder injury clouds her preparation.
Roster balances veterans and youth: 48 first-time Olympians, ages 15 to 44, including five-time Olympian Nick Baumgartner and teen freeskier Abby Winterberger.
Selections were results-based across two seasons; U.S. Ski & Snowboard expects strong medal chances, especially in freestyle and snowboarding, where the U.S. historically excelled.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present this roster announcement with neutral, descriptive coverage, relying on results-based criteria, athlete histories and official quotes. Language is largely factual (roster size, ages, medal counts), occasional celebratory adjectives are source-content or factual context. Coverage emphasizes outcomes and context rather than advancing partisan narratives.
Sources (3)
FAQ
Vonn, aged 41, returned last season after a partial knee replacement, quickly showing strong form by winning two World Cup downhill races this season, bringing her career total to 84, positioning her as a favorite in speed events at the 2026 Olympics.
Shiffrin is competing in her fourth Olympics, having won gold in slalom at the 2014 Sochi Games and giant slalom in 2018 PyeongChang; she went medalless in Beijing 2022 and is rebounding strongly, winning six slalom races this season.
Chloe Kim seeks a third consecutive halfpipe gold but her preparation is clouded by a shoulder injury sustained in training earlier this month.
The roster includes 48 first-time Olympians, such as 15-year-old halfpipe freestyle skier Abby Winterberger; veterans include five-time Olympian Nick Baumgartner (44) and four-time Olympian Jessie Diggins.
Three-time Olympian and two-time gold medalist Jamie Anderson was omitted from the 97-person roster despite a comeback after having two daughters, as selections were based on results over the last two years amid deep competition.[4]
History
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