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Every Winter Olympics brings legends back into the limelight. Stars like Lindsey Vonn and Chloe Kim remind fans what greatness looks like. At the same time, each Games also introduces teenagers who are just starting their Olympic stories. Milan Cortina 2026 shows a wide age range, from athletes still in school to veterans in their 50s. This mix proves how open the Games are to both youth and experience.
This list focuses only on the youngest competitors at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Some are returning Olympians. Others are stepping onto the Olympic stage for the first time. Many already hold world medals or junior titles. A few took unusual paths to qualify, skipping standard national programs and earning their spots through results alone. Their sports include skiing, snowboarding, figure skating, luge, skeleton, and speed skating. Countries from every continent are represented. These athletes may be young, but their records show they belong among the world’s best.
Below is the list of the youngest athletes at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
MORE: Oldest athletes in the 2026 Winter Olympics
Silver medalist Ailing Eileen Gu of the People’s Republic of China looks on during the medal ceremony for the women’s big air final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park. Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Eileen Gu is already one of the most famous names in winter sports. She competes for China in freeskiing. Her career includes historic Olympic and World Cup results. At the 2026 Games, she added more medals and strengthened her place in history. Gu remains one of the most successful female freestyle skiers ever.
Ilia Malinin of the United States of America looks on after competing in the men’s singles free program during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena. Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images
Ilia Malinin is known for his technical skills. Fans call him the “Quad God” because of his many quadruple jumps. He is famous for landing the quad axel in competition. Heading into 2026, he was seen as a top medal hope. These Games tested him under heavy pressure, which is part of learning at the Olympic level.
Eunice Lee (USA) competes in the women 1500 meters quarterfinals during the 2022 ISU World Short Track Championships at Maurice Richard Arena. Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
Eunice Lee was named to the 2022 Olympic team as a relay backup but did not race. In 2026, she finally competes on the Olympic ice. At the 2024 World Championships, she helped the U.S. relay team win silver. That medal ended a long drought for American women in the event. Lee also balances sport with school and studies pre-med at Duke University.
MORE: 8 US-born athletes representing other countries at the 2026 Winter Olympics
Jordan Stolz of the United States celebrates after winning the men’s speed skating 500m during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Speed Skating Stadium. Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
Jordan Stolz is competing in his second Olympics. He debuted in Beijing at just 17. Since then, he became a triple world champion in the 500m, 1,000m, and 1,500m. He repeated that feat again and won the world all-around title. During the 2024–25 season, Stolz won 18 straight World Cup races. Milan Cortina is his chance to chase Olympic gold.
Ansel Haugsjaa and Marcus Mueller of the United States in the doubles luge competition during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Cortina Sliding Centre. Credit: Michael Madrid-Imagn Images
Ansel Haugsjaa competes in men’s doubles luge with partner Marcus Mueller. He started the sport at 12 after a friend invited him to try it. At 18, he moved to Lake Placid to train full-time. The pair won the Youth A World Cup and later took gold at the Junior World Championships. They also earned silver at the Milan Cortina test event. A World Cup win followed soon after.
Alysa Liu (24) of the United States competes in the womens figure skating short program during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena. Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Alysa Liu first went to the Olympics in 2022 at age 16. Soon after, she retired because of burnout. She wanted a normal teenage life. Two years later, she returned to competition and won the 2025 world title. That made her the first U.S. woman in almost 20 years to do so. Now she enters her second Olympics with a relaxed mindset.
Kate Gray competes in both halfpipe and slopestyle. She is the only athlete named to both teams. In 2024, she won bronze at the Youth Olympic Games in halfpipe. Then she later skied all three freeski events at the world championships. Gray also made history as the first woman to land a bone roll in competition.
Isabeau Levito (25) of the United States reacts after competing in the women’s figure skating short program during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena. Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Isabeau Levito began skating at age three. At 14, she placed third at the U.S. Championships. Three months later, she won the world junior title. That was the first for an American woman in 14 years. She later won U.S. gold and world silver. A bronze medal at the 2026 national championships secured her spot at the Olympics.
MORE: Team USA athletes at the 2026 Winter Olympics who grew up abroad
Mia Brookes of Great Britain during slopestyle qualification during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park. Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Mia Brookes is one of Britain’s top medal hopes. She competes in slopestyle and big air. As a teenager, she became the youngest snowboard world champion. Her career already includes X Games gold and World Cup titles. Milan Cortina marks another major step for her.
Giorgia Collomb of Italy during the first run of the women’s giant slalom alpine skiing race in the 2025 FIS Ski World Cup at Sun Valley. Credit: Michael Madrid-Imagn Images
Giorgia Collomb races in alpine skiing. She has already won team gold at the World Championships. Strong World Cup results placed her among Italy’s top young skiers. The home Olympics give her a rare chance to shine on familiar slopes.
Bronze medalist Flora Tabanelli of Italy holds her medal during the medal ceremony for the women’s big air final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park. Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Flora Tabanelli excels in big air and slopestyle. She won gold in both events at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics. Her season ended with crystal globes in big air, park, and pipe. At the 2026 Olympics, she earned bronze in women’s big air, giving Italy a historic result.
Yaroslav Lavreniuk comes from Zhytomyr. He won junior medals across Europe and claimed U20 world junior gold. A silver medal at the Youth Olympics confirmed his talent. He is now one of Ukraine’s top hopes in sliding sports.
Tallulah Proulx qualified through the basic quota system. She is making her Olympic debut in alpine skiing. Her entry highlights the growing presence of the Philippines at the Winter Games. She is also one of the country’s youngest Olympians.
Lily Dhawornvej of the United States reacts after her third run in the women’s snowboarding slopestyle final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park. Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Lily Dhawornvej competes in slopestyle. She gained attention at the Copper Mountain X Games qualifier. There, she placed second in Next X and third in Street Style Pro. A second-place finish at the 2026 Laax Open gave her first World Cup podium. That result was her eighth top-10 finish.
Abby Winterberger is the youngest athlete on Team USA. She comes from Truckee, California. Unlike most Olympians, she qualified as a club-level athlete. She skipped the usual national team path and earned her spot through results. During the 2025–26 season, she won the U.S. title and placed sixth at the final Olympic qualifier.
Indra Brown is Australia’s youngest standout. She reached the World Cup podium in her debut season. Bronze came first, followed by silver and gold. Her creative skiing and calm mindset make her one of Australia’s brightest winter prospects.
The youngest athletes at the 2026 Winter Olympics prove that age is not a barrier to world-class sport. Many already hold national titles and global medals. Others are opening doors for new countries and new fans. Milan Cortina is only the beginning for most of them.
— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —
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The post Youngest athletes in the 2026 Winter Olympics appeared first on The Big Lead.
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This list focuses only on the youngest competitors at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Some are returning Olympians. Others are stepping onto the Olympic stage for the first time. Many already hold world medals or junior titles. A few took unusual paths to qualify, skipping standard national programs and earning their spots through results alone. Their sports include skiing, snowboarding, figure skating, luge, skeleton, and speed skating. Countries from every continent are represented. These athletes may be young, but their records show they belong among the world’s best.
Below is the list of the youngest athletes at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
MORE: Oldest athletes in the 2026 Winter Olympics
China – Freestyle Skiing: Eileen Gu (22)
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Silver medalist Ailing Eileen Gu of the People’s Republic of China looks on during the medal ceremony for the women’s big air final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park. Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Eileen Gu is already one of the most famous names in winter sports. She competes for China in freeskiing. Her career includes historic Olympic and World Cup results. At the 2026 Games, she added more medals and strengthened her place in history. Gu remains one of the most successful female freestyle skiers ever.
USA – Figure Skating: Ilia Malinin (21)
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Ilia Malinin of the United States of America looks on after competing in the men’s singles free program during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena. Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images
Ilia Malinin is known for his technical skills. Fans call him the “Quad God” because of his many quadruple jumps. He is famous for landing the quad axel in competition. Heading into 2026, he was seen as a top medal hope. These Games tested him under heavy pressure, which is part of learning at the Olympic level.
USA – Short Track Speed Skating: Eunice Lee (21)
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Eunice Lee (USA) competes in the women 1500 meters quarterfinals during the 2022 ISU World Short Track Championships at Maurice Richard Arena. Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
Eunice Lee was named to the 2022 Olympic team as a relay backup but did not race. In 2026, she finally competes on the Olympic ice. At the 2024 World Championships, she helped the U.S. relay team win silver. That medal ended a long drought for American women in the event. Lee also balances sport with school and studies pre-med at Duke University.
MORE: 8 US-born athletes representing other countries at the 2026 Winter Olympics
USA – Speed Skating: Jordan Stolz (21)
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Jordan Stolz of the United States celebrates after winning the men’s speed skating 500m during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Speed Skating Stadium. Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
Jordan Stolz is competing in his second Olympics. He debuted in Beijing at just 17. Since then, he became a triple world champion in the 500m, 1,000m, and 1,500m. He repeated that feat again and won the world all-around title. During the 2024–25 season, Stolz won 18 straight World Cup races. Milan Cortina is his chance to chase Olympic gold.
USA – Luge: Ansel Haugsjaa (21)
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Ansel Haugsjaa and Marcus Mueller of the United States in the doubles luge competition during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Cortina Sliding Centre. Credit: Michael Madrid-Imagn Images
Ansel Haugsjaa competes in men’s doubles luge with partner Marcus Mueller. He started the sport at 12 after a friend invited him to try it. At 18, he moved to Lake Placid to train full-time. The pair won the Youth A World Cup and later took gold at the Junior World Championships. They also earned silver at the Milan Cortina test event. A World Cup win followed soon after.
USA – Figure Skating: Alysa Liu (20)
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Alysa Liu (24) of the United States competes in the womens figure skating short program during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena. Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Alysa Liu first went to the Olympics in 2022 at age 16. Soon after, she retired because of burnout. She wanted a normal teenage life. Two years later, she returned to competition and won the 2025 world title. That made her the first U.S. woman in almost 20 years to do so. Now she enters her second Olympics with a relaxed mindset.
USA – Freeskiing: Kate Gray (19)
Kate Gray competes in both halfpipe and slopestyle. She is the only athlete named to both teams. In 2024, she won bronze at the Youth Olympic Games in halfpipe. Then she later skied all three freeski events at the world championships. Gray also made history as the first woman to land a bone roll in competition.
USA – Figure Skating: Isabeau Levito (18)
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Isabeau Levito (25) of the United States reacts after competing in the women’s figure skating short program during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena. Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Isabeau Levito began skating at age three. At 14, she placed third at the U.S. Championships. Three months later, she won the world junior title. That was the first for an American woman in 14 years. She later won U.S. gold and world silver. A bronze medal at the 2026 national championships secured her spot at the Olympics.
MORE: Team USA athletes at the 2026 Winter Olympics who grew up abroad
Great Britain – Snowboarding: Mia Brookes (18)
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Mia Brookes of Great Britain during slopestyle qualification during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park. Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Mia Brookes is one of Britain’s top medal hopes. She competes in slopestyle and big air. As a teenager, she became the youngest snowboard world champion. Her career already includes X Games gold and World Cup titles. Milan Cortina marks another major step for her.
Italy – Alpine Skiing: Giorgia Collomb (18)
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Giorgia Collomb of Italy during the first run of the women’s giant slalom alpine skiing race in the 2025 FIS Ski World Cup at Sun Valley. Credit: Michael Madrid-Imagn Images
Giorgia Collomb races in alpine skiing. She has already won team gold at the World Championships. Strong World Cup results placed her among Italy’s top young skiers. The home Olympics give her a rare chance to shine on familiar slopes.
Italy – Freestyle Skiing: Flora Tabanelli (17)
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Bronze medalist Flora Tabanelli of Italy holds her medal during the medal ceremony for the women’s big air final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park. Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Flora Tabanelli excels in big air and slopestyle. She won gold in both events at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics. Her season ended with crystal globes in big air, park, and pipe. At the 2026 Olympics, she earned bronze in women’s big air, giving Italy a historic result.
Ukraine – Skeleton: Yaroslav Lavreniuk (17)
Yaroslav Lavreniuk comes from Zhytomyr. He won junior medals across Europe and claimed U20 world junior gold. A silver medal at the Youth Olympics confirmed his talent. He is now one of Ukraine’s top hopes in sliding sports.
Philippines – Alpine Skiing: Tallulah Proulx (17)
Tallulah Proulx qualified through the basic quota system. She is making her Olympic debut in alpine skiing. Her entry highlights the growing presence of the Philippines at the Winter Games. She is also one of the country’s youngest Olympians.
USA – Snowboarding: Lily Dhawornvej (16)
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Lily Dhawornvej of the United States reacts after her third run in the women’s snowboarding slopestyle final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park. Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Lily Dhawornvej competes in slopestyle. She gained attention at the Copper Mountain X Games qualifier. There, she placed second in Next X and third in Street Style Pro. A second-place finish at the 2026 Laax Open gave her first World Cup podium. That result was her eighth top-10 finish.
USA – Freeski Halfpipe: Abby Winterberger (15)
Abby Winterberger is the youngest athlete on Team USA. She comes from Truckee, California. Unlike most Olympians, she qualified as a club-level athlete. She skipped the usual national team path and earned her spot through results. During the 2025–26 season, she won the U.S. title and placed sixth at the final Olympic qualifier.
Australia – Freestyle Skiing: Indra Brown (15)
Indra Brown is Australia’s youngest standout. She reached the World Cup podium in her debut season. Bronze came first, followed by silver and gold. Her creative skiing and calm mindset make her one of Australia’s brightest winter prospects.
Conclusion
The youngest athletes at the 2026 Winter Olympics prove that age is not a barrier to world-class sport. Many already hold national titles and global medals. Others are opening doors for new countries and new fans. Milan Cortina is only the beginning for most of them.
— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —
NFL: Former 49ers wide receiver announces immediate retirement from football
OLYMPICS: Mikaela Shiffrin sends 2-word message after winning Olympic gold medal
MLB: MLBPA chooses Tony Clark’s replacement one day after abrupt resignation
NFL: College quarterback who won 7 Super Bowl rings as NFL executive dies
SPORTS MEDIA: College Hall of Famer, father of Chicago Bulls coach, dies
VIRAL: Red Sox issue, retract, reissue statement about Fanatics uniform snafu
The post Youngest athletes in the 2026 Winter Olympics appeared first on The Big Lead.
Continue reading...
