If trendsetting was an Olympic sport, Alysa Liu would take home the gold.
The Team USA figure skater has stood out at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, not just for her skating, but also for her distinctive and personal style.
Alysa described her style as ‘alternative’ in a recent interview with TMJ4 News in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ‘I really love fashion,’ she said.
Twenty-year-old Alysa, a gold medalist in team figure skating, has been getting a lot of attention lately because of a small piercing in the tissue under her lip. People noticed the ring when she smiled and many mistakenly thought she had jewels attached to her teeth.
As it turns out, the Olympic athlete gave herself the mouth piercing a little over two years ago.
Okay, so, it sounds crazy, but I was so determined to get this piercing! I actually had my sister help me – she held my lip steady while I looked in the mirror. I grabbed my piercing needle, and honestly, I just… did it. I pushed it right through. It was terrifying, but I had to. I’m obsessed with piercings, and I couldn’t wait any longer!
Since her performance on February 8th, people have been captivated by Alysa’s striking look, including her piercing and a daring hairstyle featuring dark brown hair with horizontal platinum blonde streaks and highlights around her face.
In an interview with TMJ4, Alysa explained her unique way of marking time. She compared it to tree rings, saying she imagines adding a new ‘halo’ or stripe of color to her hair for each year that passes. Since it’s been two years, she feels like she already has two, and soon she’ll add another.
Okay, so she did her own hair coloring this time, which is AMAZING because she’s seriously so talented! It’s incredible she came back to skating after retiring in 2022, and now she’s back and better than ever! But even though she did the coloring herself, she did get Kelsey Miller, that incredible hairstylist from St. Louis, to help her get the perfect blonde shade. Honestly, Kelsey is a genius, and I’m so glad she was involved – it just proves she always strives for perfection, and it shows!
In a recent interview with Allure, Kelsey described a particular experience as “very unique.” She enjoyed the change of pace and doing something different from her usual work.
It took Kelsey five hours to change Alysa’s light ginger highlights to a softer, milk tea shade.
Kelsey described how the hairstyle transformation began at the crown of the head and continued throughout the entire process. She emphasized that hair is a core part of a person’s identity and can significantly boost their self-esteem.
For more on Alysa and the rest of Team USA, keep reading…
Mikaela Shiffrin is a decorated skier with three Olympic medals, but she’s hoping to bounce back at her fourth Olympics. She didn’t perform as well as she wanted at the 2022 Beijing Games, and she recently suffered a serious injury in November 2024 – a puncture to her abdomen that needed surgery.
In a December interview with TIME, Shiffrin explained that she’s acutely aware of the unpredictable nature of competition. She recognizes that even with perfect preparation, success isn’t guaranteed. However, she feels strongly supported by her coaches and team, and believes that strong connection will allow them to overcome any challenges together. She feels that’s all she can do to prepare.
Mikaela Shiffrin has been supported for years by Norwegian skier Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, and the two are now engaged to be married.
He keeps telling me to stay positive and that everything will be alright, she shared with Olympics.com. Last season was particularly tough, and I often wondered if pushing myself to come back was too much, too soon, or even possible. But he reminded me that I know my own limits and that I’m giving it my all, and that it’s okay if it doesn’t work out.
After struggling with repeated knee injuries, Lindsey Vonn retired from competitive skiing in 2019. She was a five-time Olympian, earning a gold medal in downhill and a bronze in Super-G at the 2010 Winter Olympics, and another bronze in downhill at the 2018 Olympics.
After a partial knee replacement in 2024 finally relieved the pain she’d lived with since her first knee surgery in 2013, she rediscovered her desire for speed.
While he appreciates other things in life, like board meetings and investing, the 41-year-old 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 he’ll never experience that same adrenaline rush again, but he’s determined to savor these final moments on the slopes.
Vonn’s crash during a World Cup race in Switzerland on January 30th was serious enough that she needed to be rescued by helicopter, and it almost ended her attempt to return to competition.
Despite tearing the ACL in her left knee, the experienced athlete announced on February 8th that she felt well enough to compete in the women’s downhill race. She had previously stated she was prepared to risk it all to compete.
Speaking at a press conference on February 3rd, she declared her determination, saying, ‘I won’t let this opportunity pass me by. I’m staying strong and focused, and I’ll give it everything I’ve got.’
Sadly, Vonn had a crash during the race and broke her tibia in a complicated way, needing several operations to fix it.
Jessie Diggins, the most accomplished American cross-country skier ever, is competing in what will be her last Olympic Games.
And the Afton, Minn., native is headed to Italy with a purpose.
In a recent Instagram post on January 31st, 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 home with her husband.
Seventeen-year-old Stolz first competed in the Olympics in Beijing, and though he didn’t medal, he’s now a strong contender to win gold in multiple speed skating events at the Milan Cortina Games. These include the 500, 1,000, and 1,500-meter races, plus the mass start – a longer race of 16 laps and 6,400 meters.
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 confident handling the pressure, adding that he’s experienced many high-stakes races and doesn’t anticipate the expectations being a problem, as long as everything goes smoothly.
On February 11th, Stolz took the gold medal in the men’s 100m race, breaking the Olympic record with a time of 1:06.28.
Four years after making history at the Beijing Winter Olympics – becoming the first Black American woman to medal in speed skating and the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal – 500-meter champion Erin Jackson will carry her nation’s flag at the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 Games on February 6th. She will share the honor with bobsledder Frank Del Duca.
The 33-year-old from Ocala, Florida, said it was a great honor to represent the United States internationally. She explained that this wasn’t just about her, but about her family, team, hometown, and all Americans who believe in the importance of sports.
Although she’s not retiring immediately, Jackson plans to start an organization dedicated to helping young Black athletes achieve their goals in speed skating.
It’s incredibly important to see people who look like you succeed, and that hasn’t always happened in winter sports, especially speed skating,” she explained to NBC Olympics. “I’m proud to be a role model and inspire others to try the sport. I want to do everything I can to help make that happen for them.”
Kim sustained a minor labrum tear in January after dislocating her shoulder during training in Switzerland, but this wouldn’t prevent her from competing in her fourth Olympics. There, she’ll be aiming to add to her impressive record with a potential third gold medal in the women’s halfpipe event.
The 25-year-old athlete from Torrance, California, expressed disappointment in a video posted on January 13th about not being able to snowboard again until just before the Olympics, saying it will present a challenge. She acknowledged she hasn’t had as much practice as she’d hoped, but remains positive about it.
She expects a relaxed period leading up to the 2026 Games. In an interview with NBC Olympics on January 22nd, she explained she was currently at home and planned to travel to Europe early the following week for some training 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 Olympics.
The 25-year-old, originally from Ohio and now living in Colorado, told People magazine in January that she still feels young and in great shape. She also expressed how rewarding it is to be a veteran on Team USA, having joined at age 13, and to now be able to mentor the newer athletes.
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 more attention, 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 added pressure and scale.
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.
Skier Ferreira believes this is his year to win a gold medal. He told the Daily Express that he’s entering the competition healthy for the first time, unlike his previous two attempts where he was injured – he broke his collarbone weeks before one games and sprained his ankle before another. He feels more prepared now, being both older and incredibly focused.
Beyond his sister Lourdes and athletic parents – Marcelo, a former professional soccer player from Argentina, and Colleen, a competitive relay racer – he also has a rescue dog named Brandy by his side.
You know, what I adore most about my dog, Brandy, isn’t any kind of achievement or ‘trophy’ she’s won. It’s simply that she’s always overjoyed to see me, tail wagging like crazy, no matter what. She’s there for me through everything – the good times, the bad, and everything in between – and honestly, I don’t know what I’d do without her. She’s just the best companion.
Ferreira won a silver medal at the men’s freestyle skiing slopestyle event on Feb. 10.
Hall is competing in his third Olympics, hoping to repeat his gold medal win in slopestyle. He first competed in the 2018 Games, where he finished 16th.
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.
In an interview with POWDER magazine in October 2025, Hall expressed his excitement about the return of the Olympics to Europe, particularly the prospect of skiing on quality snow amidst impressive mountains – something the last two Olympics lacked. He also shared a personal connection to the upcoming games, noting that his mother is from Bologna, Italy, and many of his family members who still live there will be attending. He described this as a ‘pretty sweet’ experience.
The 29-year-old freestyle skier is competing in her third Olympic Games and hopes to build on her silver medal from Beijing.
She always knows who to ask for help, whether it’s about getting better at her sport or dealing with the stress of competing on the world stage.
Patti Sherman-Kauf is a 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 moguls skiing, Patti excelled in skicross, earning three bronze medals at the X Games.
You know, when my daughter Jaelin arrived, she was a little different than what you’d expect. Most babies love being gently rocked, but Jaelin? She preferred a good bounce! It was so unique and we quickly learned to adapt to her little preferences.
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 a viable path for herself – something many people don’t get to see or receive support for. She always felt confident she could pursue it.
Team Jaelin also includes her boyfriend, Bradley Wilson, a two-time Olympic skier who is now retired, and his brother Bryon Wilson, who won a bronze medal and also coaches Kauf.
Kauf won a silver medal in women’s freestyle skiing moguls on Feb. 11.
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, winning gold medals in both 2010 and 2014, and a bronze in 2018.
In 2019, she surprised everyone in the sports world by leaving 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.
In 2019, Humphries began competing for the U.S. team while also maintaining her Canadian citizenship, stating she didn’t intend to choose between the two countries.
She clarified that her love for Canada hasn’t diminished, but she’s capable of loving someone and something new equally. Having lived in the U.S. for four years, she found love – and married an American. Now, life has presented them with new opportunities, and they’re navigating the choices that come with those changes.
Elana Humphries became a U.S. citizen in 2021 and then went on to win a gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics in the very first monobob event—a one-person bobsled race.
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, athletes are showing that it’s possible to be both a parent and continue competing at the top of their sport.
For five-time Olympian, bobsledding is now a personal escape. Since becoming a mother with her husband, Nic Taylor, to son Nico in 2020 and then to son Noah in 2022, she finds time for herself through the sport. Nico has Down syndrome, and both boys are deaf due to a genetic mutation that both parents unknowingly carried 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.
“The challenges they’ll face are beyond what I can imagine,” the 41-year-old explained to The Athletic. “I hope they learn that even when things get hard, you can still chase your goals. I want them to see my successes – the medals – but also to see me struggle, recover, and keep fighting.”
Although Kaillie Meyers Taylor has earned five Olympic medals across four Olympic 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 involves speeding headfirst down an icy, winding track on a small sled, reaching up to 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 actually won.
She remembers her first time trying skeleton in 2016 vividly. After being told she was too small for bobsled, her coach guided her to the starting line. She said it happened so quickly she couldn’t see or think. When she reached the bottom, her immediate reaction was, ‘That’s it, I’m never doing that again!’ She told The Athletic this in December.
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 brand new mixed team event, which is being introduced at the 2026 Games.
Outside of training and competition, Ro works as a tour guide at the Lake Placid Olympic Center. She’s one of many athletes who takes on a second job to make ends meet. Ro is the second oldest of eleven children, and has a twin sister who is fourteen minutes younger than her.
I’m completely immersed in that environment – I work and train there, it’s my whole life. Tourists enjoy the tours because they get to walk around with an athlete who shares their personal experiences. It’s a great experience, but the income from tours won’t be enough to fully fund my training and competition.
Illya Malinin comes from a family of figure skating stars—both his parents were Uzbekistani champions. He started skating at age six, but growing up in Virginia, he actually preferred playing soccer outdoors to practicing in the chilly rink.
At age 17, he made history as the first – and so far, only – skater to land a complete quadruple axel during an international competition, achieving this feat at the 2022 CS U.S. International Classic.
Ilia Malinin, known as the “Quad God,” has successfully landed four quadruple jumps in a single program several times. He’s currently the top U.S. male figure skater with a strong chance of winning gold at the 2026 Olympics, especially since Nathan Chen, previously known as the “Quad King,” has decided not to compete 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 don’t focus on winning medals when I compete,” Ilia Malinin explained on the USA Today podcast, Milan Magic. “I concentrate on giving a strong performance and doing my job as a skater. I make sure I’m well-prepared so I can skate my best. If I do that, I figure the medals will take care of themselves.
He and his U.S. figure skating teammates clinched the gold medal in the teams event on Feb. 8.
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 her intensive training at age five and continued until she was sixteen. Having been homeschooled throughout her life, she realized she missed social interaction. She shared that she spent many years training in isolation, without family or friends nearby, despite being a very social person who values human connection. This ultimately contributed to 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 she was treated like a doll, forced to participate in the Olympics, not for herself, but because she felt obligated to fulfill a responsibility to her younger self.
She started studying at UCLA in the fall of 2023 and was enjoying a typical college experience. However, a ski trip in January reignited her competitive spirit, and by March 2024, she decided to compete again. The 20-year-old athlete from Clovis, California, then went on to win a gold medal 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 another gold – at the 2026 Games.
When she takes the ice now, “it’s fully for myself,” Liu explained. “Yeah, it’s pretty cool.”
Liu and her U.S. figure skating teammates clinched the gold medal in the teams event on Feb. 8.
This Olympic Games marks a special occasion for the couple, who are competing together for the fourth time, but it’s their first competition since they got married in June 2024.
In December, Chock explained to TopMob News that getting married strengthened their bond and dedication to skating. They already had a strong connection through their shared passion, but marriage has made them true partners, supporting each other in everything they do, both on and off the ice.
Although 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 for themselves.
We’ve been working incredibly hard and dedicating a lot of time and effort,” Bates shared with TopMob, “but we truly appreciate every day and the chance we’ve been given.
Although Madison Chock and Evan Bates, aged 36 and 33 respectively, haven’t announced their retirement, they recognize they are nearing the end of their competitive skating careers.
At the 2026 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Bates explained to NBC Olympics that they were trying to stay focused and not get overwhelmed by the emotions of the moment and their 15-year partnership. They said the best reward was performing well, but they also wanted to savor the experience, knowing it might be their last competition. They ultimately won gold at the event.
As a lifestyle enthusiast, I was thrilled to see this incredible pair take home the gold in the team figure skating event on February 8th! And to add to their success, they also earned a well-deserved silver medal in the ice dance competition. What a fantastic achievement!
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 she’d love to win another gold medal, Knight emphasized to Today.com that a large portion of the team – possibly more than half – are Olympic first-timers. She explained that a key focus is ensuring all players are comfortable and can perform at their best. With so many talented athletes, helping them reach their full potential will be crucial for the team’s overall success.
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.
Speaking to NBC Olympics in June 2025, Knight explained that as elite athletes, they have a strong understanding of what each other needs, whether it’s encouragement or time to themselves. She believes their shared experience at the highest level helps them connect and understand one another.
This mixed doubles curling team, paired up after the 2022 Beijing Olympics, is competing in their first Olympics as a duo. They previously placed fifth at the 2025 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship and won a world championship in 2023. They attribute their success not only to their skill and dedication, but also to how well their personalities mesh.
Ahead of the Milan Cortina Games, figure skater Dropkin, 30, explained how well she and her partner, Cory, work together. She said they’re good at staying relaxed and focused on the present. They also complement each other’s personalities – someone recently described them as ‘the calm and the fire.’ Cory is known for being calm, confident, and composed on the ice, while Dropkin brings a lot of energy and passion. She believes this combination is a key to their success.
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, something she and her teammates have dreamed of since childhood.
The pair won a silver medal in the mixed doubles event on Feb. 10.
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2026-02-18 22:21