Okay, seriously, everyone was talking about the sports at the Paris Olympics, all the wins and records… but honestly? I was way more fascinated by the beds! Those cardboard beds the athletes were using? They were everywhere in the news, and I couldn’t get enough. It felt like they made just as big of a splash as any gold medal!
The beds, first used at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, proved to be very strong—athletes at the Paris Games, like USA rugby player Ilona Maher and her teammates who playfully wrestled on them, didn’t break them. However, athletes at the 2026 Milano Cortina Games enjoyed a different kind of comfort.
Their beds, it seems, boast metal frames.
Okay, so Phebe Bekker, my absolute favorite ice dancer on Team Great Britain, posted the most adorable TikTok! She just got to the Olympic Village and immediately addressed the biggest question everyone’s been asking – are those beds really made of cardboard?! She filmed herself moving in and it was SO cute, I’ve watched it like ten times already. I’m seriously obsessed with getting updates on her Olympic experience!
She tapped the bed frame and hit the mattress, then declared, “You heard it from me: they aren’t using cardboard beds. At least, not that I’ve seen.”
Despite the athletes being located in six separate Olympic Villages this year, it seems all the lodging is designed to be cardboard-free.
It turned out the Canadian women’s hockey team and Phoebe, a popular social media influencer, were sharing the same bed frames in their rooms.
Sarah Nurse shared a funny story on TikTok about a unique challenge she and teammate Emerance Maschmeyer faced: being too close to each other in their room. As Sarah joked, they had to move things around so they wouldn’t accidentally hold hands while sleeping!
The metal structures in Italy are actually planned for future use. Most of the six host villages are using existing buildings or temporary constructions, intending to restore space for tourism or public use after the Games. However, the new Olympic Village built in Milan’s Porta Romana area will be converted into apartments for students once the competition is over.
Cardboard beds at past Olympics were often ridiculed – some even called them “anti-sex” beds because they looked so fragile. However, like the newer sustainable beds, they were originally designed with environmental friendliness in mind.
Paris 2024 organizers addressed recent media attention regarding the athlete beds, telling Reuters in May 2024 that their choice was driven by a commitment to sustainability. They explained the beds are part of a larger plan to minimize the environmental impact of the Games and ensure all equipment gets reused after the event.
Katie Ledecky, a four-time Olympic swimmer for Team USA, believes the controversy surrounding the beds at the Olympics was overblown.
Speaking to TopMob News in January, the athlete said the cardboard beds were surprisingly comfortable and weren’t a problem at all. She believes the issue gets more attention than it deserves, and that top athletes are skilled at adjusting to whatever conditions they face, meaning everyone is on a level playing field.
Katie didn’t care about how nice the facilities were; the Olympic memories she’d created were far more important.
It’s been a fantastic experience,” the 28-year-old said. “Being part of Team USA and swimming with my teammates is always enjoyable.”
Want to learn about some of this year’s Team USA athletes and the comfortable beds they’ll be using? Keep reading!
Though Mikaela Shiffrin has won three Olympic medals, she’s determined to perform better at her fourth Olympics. She didn’t have the results she wanted at the 2022 Beijing Games and recently recovered from a frightening crash in November 2024, which caused an abdominal injury requiring surgery.
In a December interview with TIME, Mikaela Shiffrin explained that she’s very conscious of all the unpredictable factors that could affect her performance. She understands that even with perfect preparation, a medal isn’t guaranteed. However, she feels strongly supported by her coaches and team, and believes this connection will allow them to overcome any challenges together. She feels that’s all she can do to prepare.
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following Mikaela Shiffrin’s journey, and it’s wonderful to see how supportive her inner circle is! For a long time, Norwegian skier Aleksander Aamodt Kilde has been a key part of that team, and now their relationship has blossomed – they’re engaged! It’s so lovely to see these two alpine skiing stars taking this exciting step together.
You know, one of the things that really helped me through this whole process was my coach. He kept reminding me that it was going to be alright, and honestly, that meant the world. Last season was tough – I really started to doubt if pushing myself to come back was even realistic. I wondered if I was trying too hard, too fast. But he’d always say, ‘Trust yourself. You know what you’re capable of, and you’re giving it your all. If it doesn’t work out, that’s okay too.’ It was such a relief to hear that, and it gave me the strength to keep going.
After struggling with repeated knee injuries, Lindsey Vonn retired from competitive skiing in 2019. She had competed in five Winter Olympics, earning a gold medal in downhill and a bronze in Super-G in 2010, and another bronze in downhill in 2018.
After a successful partial knee replacement in 2024 finally relieved her pain – pain she’d lived with since her first knee surgery in 2013 – she rediscovered her passion for speed.
While he enjoys other things like board meetings and investing, the 41-year-old skier told NBC News in December that nothing compares to the thrill of downhill skiing. He’s built a good life outside of the sport, and accepts that he’ll never experience that same adrenaline rush again, but he’s determined to savor these final moments on the slopes.
A crash during a World Cup race in Switzerland on January 30th could have ended Vonn’s attempt to return to competition, as she needed to be rescued by helicopter from the mountain.
Despite tearing the ACL in her left knee, the experienced athlete announced she’s healthy enough to race in the women’s downhill competition on February 8th in Cortina d’Ampezzo. Cortina is hosting the skiing, snowboarding, and sliding events for the games, while Milan will host skating, curling, and other sports. She had previously stated she was prepared to risk it all to compete.
At a press conference on February 3rd, she firmly stated her determination, saying, ‘I won’t let this opportunity pass me by.’ Despite the challenging situation, she emphasized her strength and resilience, adding, ‘I’m not upset, and I’m facing this with my head held high. I’m going to give it my all.’
Diggins, the most accomplished cross-country skier for the United States, is competing in her last Olympic Games.
And the Afton, Minn., native is headed to Italy with a purpose.
In a recent Instagram post, the 34-year-old shared that they have the freedom to choose who they compete for and live according to their beliefs. They dedicated their efforts to those who care for others, protect their communities, and approach people with kindness, saying that these individuals inspire them and make them proud to represent their country. They hope to bring happiness to these supporters in the coming weeks.
After she retires, she shared with NPR’s All Things Considered that she’s looking forward to spending time gardening and, most importantly, being at home with her husband.
At just 17, Stolz first competed in the Olympics in Beijing. Though he didn’t medal four years ago, he’s now a top contender to win gold in several events at the Milan Cortina Games, including the 500, 1,000, and 1,500-meter races, and the mass start race – a challenging 16-lap, 6,400-meter competition.
The 21-year-old athlete believes he has a strong chance of winning gold if he performs flawlessly. Speaking to the Associated Press in January, he said he feels prepared to handle the pressure, explaining that he’s experienced many high-stakes races before and doesn’t anticipate the expectations being a problem, as long as everything goes smoothly.
Four years after making history at the Beijing Olympics—becoming the first Black American woman to medal in speed skating and the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal at the Winter Games—500-meter champion Erin Jackson is returning to compete in 2026. She’ll be a flag bearer at the Opening Ceremony on February 6th, alongside bobsledder Frank Del Duca.
It’s a huge honor to represent the United States internationally,” said the 33-year-old from Ocala, Florida. “This isn’t just about me; it’s about my family, teammates, hometown, and all Americans who believe in the power of sports.”
Although she’s not retiring immediately, Jackson plans to launch an organization dedicated to supporting young Black athletes who want to compete in speed skating.
Representation is incredibly important because it allows people to see themselves succeeding, and that hasn’t always been the case in winter sports, especially speed skating. I’m proud to be a visible role model and inspire others to get involved in the sport. I’m committed to helping make that happen for as many people as possible.
Kim sustained a minor labrum tear in January when she dislocated her shoulder during training in Switzerland, but she wasn’t letting that keep her from competing in her fourth Olympics. There, she’s aiming to add to her collection of gold medals, potentially winning her third in the women’s halfpipe event.
The 25-year-old athlete from Torrance, California, expressed disappointment in a video posted on January 13th that she won’t be able to snowboard again until just before the Olympics, which will make preparation difficult. She acknowledged she hasn’t had as much practice as she’d hoped, but remains optimistic.
She anticipates a relaxed period leading up to the 2026 Games. In a January 22nd interview with NBC Olympics, she explained she’s currently training at home and will travel to Europe early next week for a few days of practice before heading to Milan for the event.
And once she was there, she’d be fired up and ready to go—just like everyone else.
It’s hard to put into words what it’s like,” said Kim, who has been snowboarding since she was a child, “but it feels like everyone reaches their full potential out there.”
Gerard first won an Olympic gold medal in slopestyle at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games when he was 17 years old. Now, as a two-time X Games champion, he’s aiming to repeat that success at his third Olympic Games.
The 25-year-old, originally from Ohio and now living in Colorado, told People magazine in January that she still feels young and in excellent health. She also expressed how rewarding it’s been to be part of Team USA since age 13 and now, as one of the more experienced athletes, to mentor the younger generation.
When it comes to competing at the Olympics, Gerard focuses on treating it like any other competition. He acknowledges it’s a much larger event with a bigger audience, but ultimately, the snowboarding itself doesn’t change. He tries to stay focused on his own performance and approach it the same way he always has, blocking out the extra pressure.
The 31-year-old snowboarder is competing in his third Olympic Games, hoping to add a gold medal to his collection after winning silver in 2018 and bronze in 2022.
Aspen, Colorado native and skier Ferreira believes this is his year to win gold. He told the Daily Express that unlike his previous two Olympic appearances where he was injured – a broken collarbone weeks before the first games and a sprained ankle before the second – he’s entering the competition fully healthy. He also feels more mature and intensely focused this time around.
Beyond his sister Lourdes, and athlete parents Marcelo, a former soccer player from Argentina, and Colleen, a competitive runner, he also has a rescue dog named Brandy by his side.
What I love most about Brandy is her unwavering affection. As Nulo’s pet food ambassador, I shared that she doesn’t care about accomplishments or rewards—she simply greets me with a wagging tail and offers unconditional love and support, through thick and thin. I truly rely on her.
Hall is competing in his third Olympics, hoping to repeat his gold medal win in slopestyle. He previously finished 16th in the event at the 2018 Games and has significantly improved since then.
Beyond potentially winning another slopestyle gold medal – a prize he famously keeps in his sock drawer – the laid-back 27-year-old is also aiming to do better than his eighth-place finish in Big Air at the 2022 competition. He said winning once was incredible, and doing it again would be amazing.
I’m really thrilled the Olympics are heading back to Europe! As a ski enthusiast, I’m especially excited about the possibility of fantastic snow and those incredible mountain settings – something we’ve missed the last couple of times. It’s extra special for me personally, though. My mom is Italian, from Bologna, and the whole family still lives there. They’re all planning to come watch the Olympics, which is going to be amazing! It means a lot to be able to share this with them in a place that’s so important to our family.
The 29-year-old freestyle skier is competing in her third Olympic Games and hopes to build on the silver medal she won in Beijing.
She always knows who to ask for help, whether it’s about preparing for a competition or dealing with the stress of competing on the world stage.
Patti Sherman-Kauf is a highly decorated athlete: she won two championships on the World Pro Moguls Tour, even while pregnant with her daughter, and her husband, Scott Kauf, won five titles. After retiring from mogul skiing, Patti successfully transitioned to skicross, earning three bronze medals at the X Games.
Jaelin wasn’t like most babies – she preferred being bounced instead of rocked, according to her mother, Patti, in an interview with NBC Olympics.
Jaelin confessed that she didn’t initially love mogul skiing. She told Teton Gravity Research in November 2025 that she’d always prefer a powder day. However, watching her parents build careers as professional skiers showed her it was possible for her too. She realized not everyone has that example or support, but she always felt confident she could pursue it.
Team Jaelin also includes her boyfriend, Bradley Wilson, a two-time Olympic skier who has retired from mogul skiing, and Bradley’s brother, Bryon Wilson, a bronze medalist who currently coaches Kauf.
Humphries’ journey has had more twists than a bobsled run.
Originally from Calgary, this 40-year-old athlete represented Team Canada in two-woman bobsled and achieved Olympic success with gold medals in 2010 and 2014, followed by a bronze in 2018.
In 2019, she surprised everyone in the sports world by announcing her departure from the Canadian national team after 16 years. She explained that she was concerned for her safety due to a harmful atmosphere within the team leading up to the 2018 Olympics.
Humphries became part of the U.S. team in 2019, but she told the Associated Press then that she considered herself Canadian and didn’t intend to choose between the two nationalities.
She clarified that her love for Canada hasn’t changed, but she’s also developed strong feelings for another person and country. After living in the U.S. for four years and marrying an American, life presented new opportunities that led to some difficult decisions.
Elana Humphries became a U.S. citizen in 2021 and then, in 2022, she won a gold medal in the first-ever Olympic monobob event—a one-person bobsled race—at the Beijing Olympics.
This will be her fifth Olympic Games, but her first since becoming a mother. She and her husband, Travis Armbruster, welcomed their son, Aulden, in June 2024.
For years, people have said that having a baby means the end of an athlete’s career – that your body will change too much, both physically and mentally, and you’ll never be able to compete at a high level again. As Humphries told The Athletic, that used to be the accepted truth. But now, she and other athletes are showing that it’s possible to be both a parent and continue competing successfully.
For five-time Olympian, bobsledding is now a personal escape. Since becoming a mother with her husband, Nic Taylor, she’s found solace in the sport. They welcomed their son, Nico, in 2020, and another son, Noah, in 2022. Nico has Down syndrome, and both boys are deaf – a condition caused by a genetic trait both parents carried unknowingly until Nico’s birth.
Even though her home life was incredibly busy, Meyers Taylor really wanted her children to see what she did at work.
As a huge fan, it really struck me when I read what they said. They know the younger generation will face hurdles I can’t even imagine, and they want to show them that you can always chase your dreams, no matter what. It’s not just about the glory, though – they want to be a real example. They want people to see the wins, absolutely, but also the struggles, the times they fall, and how they always find a way to get back up and keep fighting. That’s incredibly inspiring to me.
Although Kaillie Meyers Taylor has earned five Olympic medals across four Games – four in two-woman bobsled and a silver in monobob in 2022 – she’s still hoping to win her first gold medal.
Skeleton racing is undeniably cool – it’s a sport where athletes slide headfirst down an icy, winding track, reaching speeds as high as 90 miles per hour.
Ro, who in 2025 became the first American to win a medal in skeleton at the IBSF World Championships in over a decade, initially didn’t believe she’d be the one to achieve it.
I remember my very first time trying skeleton back in 2016 – they’d told me I was too small for bobsled, so I gave it a shot. The coach walked me up to the starting line, gave me the nod, and then… whoosh! It was unbelievably fast. Everything just blurred, and I honestly couldn’t think. I finally reached the bottom and my immediate reaction was, ‘No way am I ever doing that again!’ It was terrifying, but I guess I got hooked somehow.
But after listening to enough people rave about how cool it was, she tried it again.
Ten years after starting her journey, the athlete from Virginia is now competing in her first Olympics. She’ll be participating in both individual events and the new mixed-team competition, which is being introduced at the 2026 Games.
Outside of training and competition, Ro—one of eleven children, and a twin by just fourteen minutes—works as a tour guide at the Lake Placid Olympic Center. Like many athletes in less-publicized sports, she takes on a second job to help make ends meet.
She described being fully immersed in her training environment, saying it’s where she lives and breathes. She also explained that the tours, led by athletes offering a personal look at the facility, are a hit with visitors. However, she emphasized that income from tours wouldn’t be enough to fully fund her athletic pursuits.
Illya Malinin comes from a family of figure skating stars – both his parents were Uzbekistani champions. He started skating at age six, but initially preferred playing soccer with friends in his Virginia neighborhood over practicing in the chilly rink.
At age 17, he achieved a historic feat at the 2022 CS U.S. International Classic by becoming the first—and so far only—skater to land a complete quadruple axel in an international competition.
Ilia Malinin, known as the “Quad God,” has successfully landed four-jump combinations many times. He’s currently the strongest American contender to win gold in the men’s singles competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics, especially since Nathan Chen, previously called the “Quad King,” isn’t competing in the Milan Cortina Games.
Four years after not making Team USA, the 20-year-old is now concentrating on preparing himself to perform well.
I’m a huge Ilia Malinin fan, and I recently heard him explain his mindset going into competitions. It’s really inspiring! He says he doesn’t focus on winning medals at all. Instead, he concentrates on giving the best performance he can and doing his job as a skater. He puts in so much preparation so he can step onto the ice feeling confident and deliver his program to the fullest. He believes that if he skates cleanly, the medals will naturally follow – and honestly, watching him, it’s easy to see why!
After competing in the Beijing Olympics and World Championships – where she earned a bronze medal – Liu retired from competitive skating in 2022.
Liu explained to NBC News that she began training at age five and continued intensely until she was sixteen. Because she was homeschooled her entire life, and really values social connection, she found it difficult to be isolated for so long, living alone with no family or friends nearby while dedicating herself to training. She reflected on this when discussing her decision to retire at seventeen.
She explained that she had very little control over her own choices, like what she wore or what events she competed in. She felt used, like a doll being dressed up, and didn’t want to participate, but felt obligated to fulfill her responsibilities and compete in the Olympics for the sake of her younger self.
After starting her studies at UCLA in the fall of 2023 and enjoying a typical college experience, she rediscovered her competitive spirit during a ski trip in January. By March 2024, she was officially competing again. The 20-year-old athlete from Clovis, California, then went on to win gold at the World Championships in 2025. Now, she’s aiming to help the U.S. women’s team break their 20-year streak without an individual medal—and ideally, win more gold—at the 2026 Games.
When she takes the ice now, “it’s fully for myself,” Liu explained. “Yeah, it’s pretty cool.”
This will be the fourth Olympic Games for the couple, and their first since they got married in June 2024.
In December, Chock shared with TopMob News that getting married strengthened her and her partner’s dedication to both their relationship and their skating. They already had a strong connection through their shared passion for skating, but marriage has allowed them to fully support each other as true partners, both on and off the ice, in everything they do.
Though they helped the U.S. figure skating team win gold in Beijing in 2022, the three-time world champion pair haven’t yet earned an Olympic medal of their own.
Oh my gosh, you guys, I just heard Bates say they’re working SO hard, putting in all the hours, really grinding! But the sweetest part? They said they’re genuinely grateful for every single day and the chance to do what they love. It just… it melts my heart! They’re so humble and dedicated, it’s amazing!
While both the 36-year-old skater and his 33-year-old partner haven’t announced their retirement, they recognize they’re nearing the end of their competitive careers.
At the 2026 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Bates told NBC Olympics that they were trying to stay focused and not get overwhelmed by the emotions of the event and their 15-year partnership. They said the best reward would be a strong performance, but they also wanted to savor the moment, recognizing it might be their last competition. They ultimately won gold at the event.
The veteran U.S. women’s hockey player, a gold medalist in 2018, has announced that the upcoming Milan Cortina Olympics will be her last. At 36 years old, this will be her fifth Olympic Games, making her the American hockey player—male or female—with the most Olympic appearances.
Although winning another gold medal would be fantastic, Knight emphasized to Today.com that a large portion of the team – possibly more than half – are first-time Olympians. She’s focused on ensuring everyone feels comfortable and can perform at their best. Knight believes the team has incredible talent, and getting everyone to reach their full potential will be key to their success and could lead to an outstanding performance.
A University of Wisconsin graduate, she currently plays hockey for the Seattle Torrent in Washington. However, she and her partner, Brittany Bowe—a veteran speed skater competing in her fourth and final Olympics shortly before turning 38 on February 24th—have made their home in Salt Lake City.
As elite athletes, you develop a strong sense of what someone else needs – whether it’s encouragement or time to themselves,” Knight explained to NBC Olympics in June 2025. “Because we’ve both been performing at a high level for so long, we’re able to understand each other well.
This mixed doubles curling team, paired up after the 2022 Beijing Olympics, will be making their Olympic debut together. They previously placed fifth at the 2025 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship and won a world championship in 2023. The partners believe their success is due to both their abilities and how well their personalities mesh.
Before the Milan Cortina Games, figure skater Dropkin, 30, explained how well she and her partner, Cory, work together. She said they’re able to stay relaxed and focused on the present. They also have complementary personalities – someone recently described them as ‘the calm and the fire.’ Cory is known for being calm, confident, and steady on the ice, while Dropkin brings a lot of energy and passion. She believes this combination is what makes them so successful as a team.
He and his wife, Thiesse, who married Sam Thiesse in June 2022, live in Duluth, Minnesota. They both work regular jobs to support their passion for curling.
Dropkin works in real estate, and Thiesse is a lab technician who tests wastewater for mercury. Thiesse shared with Duluth’s ABC 10 that she’s thankful to have a stable job while pursuing her passion for curling, saying it’s been a lifelong dream for her and her teammates.
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2026-02-04 15:54