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  • Map: Here’s where Team USA’s Olympic medalists are from

    The cauldrons have been lit, and Team USA’s 232 athletes are now battling to bring home some hardware from the Olympic Games.The Get the Facts Data Team is tracking which Team USA athletes have medaled, and where they’re from. Breezy Johnson – who won gold in the Olympic downhill on the opening weekend – secured the United States’ first medal of the 2026 Winter Games. So far, 31 athletes have medaled. The U.S. has won 24 medals overall, as some of the medalists competed as teams.The medalists are from 15 different states across the country and Washington, D.C. Colorado is winning in the medal race so far with six medals. California and Vermont are tied as the runner-ups with four medals each. Here are the athletes who have won gold Breezy JohnsonJohnson secured gold in the Olympic downhill event. The 30-year-old is from Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She had previously competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics, but a knee injury prevented her from competing in the 2022 Games.Johnson finished the downhill run in 1 minute, 36.10 seconds – narrowly beating the German silver medalist by .04 seconds. Figure skating team eventThe U.S. figure skating team medalists include Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, Ilia Malinin, Madison Chock, Evan Bates, Ellie Kam, and Danny O’Shea. The team event involves eight segments of competition: men’s short program, women’s short program, men’s free skate, women’s free skate, pairs short program, pairs free skate, rhythm dance and free dance.Ice dancers Chock and Bates finished first in both rhythm and free dance.Kam and O’Shea competed together in the pairs events, finishing fourth in free skate and fifth in the short program. Liu and Malinin competed in the short program for women’s and men’s – both earning second place. Glenn placed third in the women’s free skate, and Malinin placed first in the men’s.Elizabeth LemleyLemley won gold in women’s freestyle moguls skiing and shared a podium with fellow Team USA athlete Jaelin Kauf, who took home silver.Lemley, 20, is the youngest member of the American mogul team. She is from Vail, Colorado, and scored 82.30 points.Jordan StolzStolz didn’t just earn a gold medal at the men’s 1,000 meters competition. He also set a new Olympic record. The 21-year-old speedskater from Kewaskum, Wisconsin, completed his race in 1:06.28, beating the previous Olympic record time of 1:07.18 set in 2002 — before Stolz was born. He previously competed in the 2022 Beijing Games.Silver medalistsBen OgdenOgden won silver in the men’s sprint classic, finishing just .87 second behind the gold medalist from Norway. The 25-year-old is from Landgrove, Vermont. This is the first cross-country skiing medal the U.S. has won in 50 years. Alex HallThe 27-year-old from Salt Lake City, Utah, won a silver medal in the men’s freestyle skiing slopestyle event. Hall was the defending gold medalist, but Norway’s Birk Ruud took that honor this year. Korey Dropkin and Cory ThiesseDropkin and Thiesse won the silver medal in mixed doubles curling at the Winter Olympic Games in Italy. It was the first time the U.S. had reached an Olympic curling mixed doubles final.The pair lost 5-6 to Sweden in what was a narrow match.Dropkin is from Southborough, Massachusetts, and Thiesse is from Duluth, Minnesota. Both are now based in Duluth and have full-time jobs outside of curling. Jaelin KaufThe 29-year-old took home her second consecutive silver in the women’s freestyle moguls skiing competition on Feb. 11. She also won silver in the 2022 Beijing Olympics.Kauf shared the podium with her first-time Olympian teammate Elizabeth Lemley, who won the top slot. Kauf is from Alta, Wyoming, and landed a score of 80.77.Ryan Cochran-SiegleThe 33-year-old athlete from Starksboro, Vermont, won his second consecutive silver medal in the men’s super-G event. He finished .13 seconds behind the Swiss athlete who won gold.Cochran-Siegle is a three-time Olympian. He previously competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics and won his first silver medal in the men’s super-G event in 2022.Madison Chock and Evan BatesThe pair took home the silver medal in ice dancing on Wednesday, adding to the gold medal in the team figure skating event they earned earlier in the week. They fell 1.43 points shy of the French gold medalists.Chock and Bates have been skating together for 15 years and were married in 2024.Chloe KimKim — who won gold in the halfpipe in the past two Olympics — is taking home a silver medal this year. The 25-year-old Olympian from California ceded the top spot to a snowboarder from South Korea.Bronze medalistsJackie Wiles and Paula MoltzanThe pair took home bronze on Feb. 10 at the women’s team combined alpine skiing event.Moltzan is a Minnesota native who now lives in Vermont. Her first Olympic Games were in 2022.Wiles is from Aurora, Oregon, and competed in both the 2014 and 2022 Olympics. A serious crash before the 2018 Winter Games prevented her from competing that year.Ashley FarquharsonThe luge athlete secured bronze in the women’s singles event on Feb. 10. Farquharson is from Park City, Utah. She is just the second woman from Team USA to medal in luge. She also competed in the 2022 Olympic Games.Jessie DigginsThe 34-year-old from Afton, Minnesota, won bronze in the women’s 10-kilometer interval start freestyle event. Diggins finished with a time of 23:38.9, collapsing on the finish line as she crossed. The Swedish silver medalist was about three seconds faster.This is Diggins’ fourth Olympics, and her fourth medal. She has one gold, one silver and now two bronze medals.PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4=

    The cauldrons have been lit, and Team USA’s 232 athletes are now battling to bring home some hardware from the Olympic Games.

    The Get the Facts Data Team is tracking which Team USA athletes have medaled, and where they’re from.

    Breezy Johnson – who won gold in the Olympic downhill on the opening weekend – secured the United States’ first medal of the 2026 Winter Games.

    So far, 31 athletes have medaled. The U.S. has won 24 medals overall, as some of the medalists competed as teams.

    The medalists are from 16 different states across the country.

    Colorado is winning in the medal race so far with six medals. California and Vermont are tied as the runner-ups with four medals each.

    Here are the athletes who have won gold

    Breezy Johnson

    Johnson secured gold in the Olympic downhill event. The 30-year-old is from Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She had previously competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics, but a knee injury prevented her from competing in the 2022 Games.

    Johnson finished the downhill run in 1 minute, 36.10 seconds – narrowly beating the German silver medalist by .04 seconds.

    Figure skating team event

    The U.S. figure skating team medalists include Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, Ilia Malinin, Madison Chock, Evan Bates, Ellie Kam, and Danny O’Shea.

    The team event involves eight segments of competition: men’s short program, women’s short program, men’s free skate, women’s free skate, pairs short program, pairs free skate, rhythm dance and free dance.

    Ice dancers Chock and Bates finished first in both rhythm and free dance.

    Kam and O’Shea competed together in the pairs events, finishing fourth in free skate and fifth in the short program.

    Liu and Malinin competed in the short program for women’s and men’s – both earning second place. Glenn placed third in the women’s free skate, and Malinin placed first in the men’s.

    Elizabeth Lemley

    Lemley won gold in women’s freestyle moguls skiing and shared a podium with fellow Team USA athlete Jaelin Kauf, who took home silver.

    Lemley, 20, is the youngest member of the American mogul team. She is from Vail, Colorado, and scored 82.30 points.

    Jordan Stolz

    Stolz didn’t just earn a gold medal at the men’s 1,000 meters competition. He also set a new Olympic record.

    The 21-year-old speedskater from Kewaskum, Wisconsin, completed his race in 1:06.28, beating the previous Olympic record time of 1:07.18 set in 2002 — before Stolz was born.

    He previously competed in the 2022 Beijing Games.

    Silver medalists

    Ben Ogden

    Ogden won silver in the men’s sprint classic, finishing just .87 second behind the gold medalist from Norway. The 25-year-old is from Landgrove, Vermont.

    This is the first cross-country skiing medal the U.S. has won in 50 years.

    Alex Hall

    The 27-year-old from Salt Lake City, Utah, won a silver medal in the men’s freestyle skiing slopestyle event. Hall was the defending gold medalist, but Norway’s Birk Ruud took that honor this year.

    Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse

    Dropkin and Thiesse won the silver medal in mixed doubles curling at the Winter Olympic Games in Italy. It was the first time the U.S. had reached an Olympic curling mixed doubles final.

    The pair lost 5-6 to Sweden in what was a narrow match.

    Dropkin is from Southborough, Massachusetts, and Thiesse is from Duluth, Minnesota. Both are now based in Duluth and have full-time jobs outside of curling.

    Jaelin Kauf

    The 29-year-old took home her second consecutive silver in the women’s freestyle moguls skiing competition on Feb. 11. She also won silver in the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

    Kauf shared the podium with her first-time Olympian teammate Elizabeth Lemley, who won the top slot. Kauf is from Alta, Wyoming, and landed a score of 80.77.

    Ryan Cochran-Siegle

    The 33-year-old athlete from Starksboro, Vermont, won his second consecutive silver medal in the men’s super-G event. He finished .13 seconds behind the Swiss athlete who won gold.

    Cochran-Siegle is a three-time Olympian. He previously competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics and won his first silver medal in the men’s super-G event in 2022.

    Madison Chock and Evan Bates

    The pair took home the silver medal in ice dancing on Wednesday, adding to the gold medal in the team figure skating event they earned earlier in the week. They fell 1.43 points shy of the French gold medalists.

    Chock and Bates have been skating together for 15 years and were married in 2024.

    Chloe Kim

    Kim — who won gold in the halfpipe in the past two Olympics — is taking home a silver medal this year. The 25-year-old Olympian from California ceded the top spot to a snowboarder from South Korea.

    Bronze medalists

    Jackie Wiles and Paula Moltzan

    The pair took home bronze on Feb. 10 at the women’s team combined alpine skiing event.

    Moltzan is a Minnesota native who now lives in Vermont. Her first Olympic Games were in 2022.

    Wiles is from Aurora, Oregon, and competed in both the 2014 and 2022 Olympics. A serious crash before the 2018 Winter Games prevented her from competing that year.

    Ashley Farquharson

    The luge athlete secured bronze in the women’s singles event on Feb. 10. Farquharson is from Park City, Utah. She is just the second woman from Team USA to medal in luge.

    She also competed in the 2022 Olympic Games.

    Jessie Diggins

    The 34-year-old from Afton, Minnesota, won bronze in the women’s 10-kilometer interval start freestyle event. Diggins finished with a time of 23:38.9, collapsing on the finish line as she crossed. The Swedish silver medalist was about three seconds faster.

    This is Diggins’ fourth Olympics, and her fourth medal. She has one gold, one silver and now two bronze medals.

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  • Map: Here’s where Team USA’s Olympic medalists are from

    The cauldrons have been lit, and Team USA’s 232 athletes are now battling to bring home some hardware from the Olympic Games.The Get the Facts Data Team is tracking which Team USA athletes have medaled, and where they’re from. Breezy Johnson – who won gold in the Olympic downhill on the opening weekend – secured the United States’ first medal of the 2026 Winter Games.The seven-member figure skating team also brought home gold after clenching a one-point lead over runner-up Japan. Ilia Malinin – nicknamed the “Quad God” – skated last for his team and landed a 200.03 score that ultimately surpassed his Japanese rival’s 194.86 points. The other gold medalists include freestyle skier Elizabeth Lemley and speedskater Jordan Stolz.So far, 21 athletes have medaled. The U.S. has won 14 medals overall, as some of the medalists competed as teams.The medalists are from 12 different states across the country. California is winning in the medal race so far with four medals.Colorado and Minnesota are right behind with three medals each.Here are the athletes who have won gold Breezy JohnsonJohnson secured gold in the Olympic downhill event. The 30-year-old is from Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She had previously competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics, but a knee injury prevented her from competing in the 2022 Games.Johnson finished the downhill run in 1 minute, 36.10 seconds – narrowly beating the German silver medalist by .04 seconds. Figure skating team eventThe U.S. figure skating team medalists include Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, Ilia Malinin, Madison Chock, Evan Bates, Ellie Kam, and Danny O’Shea. The team event involves eight segments of competition: men’s short program, women’s short program, men’s free skate, women’s free skate, pairs short program, pairs free skate, rhythm dance and free dance.Ice dancers Chock and Bates finished first in both rhythm and free dance.Kam and O’Shea competed together in the pairs events, finishing fourth in free skate and fifth in the short program. Liu and Malinin competed in the short program for women’s and men’s – both earning second place. Glenn placed third in the women’s free skate, and Malinin placed first in the men’s.Elizabeth LemleyLemley won gold in women’s freestyle moguls skiing and shared a podium with fellow Team USA athlete Jaelin Kauf, who took home silver.Lemley, 20, is the youngest member of the American mogul team. She is from Vail, Colorado, and scored 82.30 points.Jordan StolzStolz didn’t just earn a gold medal at the men’s 1,000 meters competition. He also set a new Olympic record. The 21-year-old speedskater from Kewaskum, Wisconsin, completed his race in 1:06.28, beating the previous Olympic record time of 1:07.18 set in 2002 — before Stolz was born. He previously competed in the 2022 Beijing Games.Silver medalistsBen OgdenOgden won silver in the men’s sprint classic, finishing just .87 second behind the gold medalist from Norway. The 25-year-old is from Landgrove, Vermont. This is the first cross-country skiing medal the U.S. has won in 50 years. Alex HallThe 27-year-old from Salt Lake City, Utah, won a silver medal in the men’s freestyle skiing slopestyle event. Hall was the defending gold medalist, but Norway’s Birk Ruud took that honor this year. Korey Dropkin and Cory ThiesseDropkin and Thiesse won the silver medal in mixed doubles curling at the Winter Olympic Games in Italy. It was the first time the U.S. had reached an Olympic curling mixed doubles final.The pair lost 5-6 to Sweden in what was a narrow match.Dropkin is from Southborough, Massachusetts, and Thiesse is from Duluth, Minnesota. Both are now based in Duluth and have full-time jobs outside of curling. Jaelin KaufThe 29-year-old took home her second consecutive silver in the women’s freestyle moguls skiing competition on Feb. 11. She also won silver in the 2022 Beijing Olympics.Kauf shared the podium with her first-time Olympian teammate Elizabeth Lemley, who won the top slot. Kauf is from Alta, Wyoming, and landed a score of 80.77.Ryan Cochran-SiegleThe 33-year-old athlete from Starksboro, Vermont, won his second consecutive silver medal in the men’s super-G event. He finished .13 seconds behind the Swiss athlete who won gold.Cochran-Siegle is a three-time Olympian. He previously competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics and won his first silver medal in the men’s super-G event in 2022.Madison Chock and Evan BatesThe pair took home the silver medal in ice dancing on Wednesday, adding to the gold medal in the team figure skating event they earned earlier in the week. They fell 1.43 points shy of the French gold medalists.Chock and Bates have been skating together for 15 years and were married in 2024.Chloe KimKim — who won gold in the halfpipe in the past two Olympics — is taking home a silver medal this year. The 25-year-old Olympian from California ceded the top spot to a snowboarder from South Korea.Bronze medalistsJackie Wiles and Paula MoltzanThe pair took home bronze on Feb. 10 at the women’s team combined alpine skiing event.Moltzan is a Minnesota native who now lives in Vermont. Her first Olympic Games were in 2022.Wiles is from Aurora, Oregon, and competed in both the 2014 and 2022 Olympics. A serious crash before the 2018 Winter Games prevented her from competing that year.Ashley FarquharsonThe luge athlete secured bronze in the women’s singles event on Feb. 10. Farquharson is from Park City, Utah. She is just the second woman from Team USA to medal in luge. She also competed in the 2022 Olympic Games.Jessie DigginsThe 34-year-old from Afton, Minnesota, won bronze in the women’s 10-kilometer interval start freestyle event. Diggins finished with a time of 23:38.9, collapsing on the finish line as she crossed. The Swedish silver medalist was about three seconds faster.This is Diggins’ fourth Olympics, and her fourth medal. She has one gold, one silver and now two bronze medals.PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4=

    The cauldrons have been lit, and Team USA’s 232 athletes are now battling to bring home some hardware from the Olympic Games.

    The Get the Facts Data Team is tracking which Team USA athletes have medaled, and where they’re from.

    Breezy Johnson – who won gold in the Olympic downhill on the opening weekend – secured the United States’ first medal of the 2026 Winter Games.

    The seven-member figure skating team also brought home gold after clenching a one-point lead over runner-up Japan.

    Ilia Malinin – nicknamed the “Quad God” – skated last for his team and landed a 200.03 score that ultimately surpassed his Japanese rival’s 194.86 points.

    The other gold medalists include freestyle skier Elizabeth Lemley and speedskater Jordan Stolz.

    So far, 21 athletes have medaled. The U.S. has won 14 medals overall, as some of the medalists competed as teams.

    The medalists are from 12 different states across the country.

    California is winning in the medal race so far with four medals.

    Colorado and Minnesota are right behind with three medals each.

    Here are the athletes who have won gold

    Breezy Johnson

    Johnson secured gold in the Olympic downhill event. The 30-year-old is from Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She had previously competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics, but a knee injury prevented her from competing in the 2022 Games.

    Johnson finished the downhill run in 1 minute, 36.10 seconds – narrowly beating the German silver medalist by .04 seconds.

    Figure skating team event

    The U.S. figure skating team medalists include Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, Ilia Malinin, Madison Chock, Evan Bates, Ellie Kam, and Danny O’Shea.

    The team event involves eight segments of competition: men’s short program, women’s short program, men’s free skate, women’s free skate, pairs short program, pairs free skate, rhythm dance and free dance.

    Ice dancers Chock and Bates finished first in both rhythm and free dance.

    Kam and O’Shea competed together in the pairs events, finishing fourth in free skate and fifth in the short program.

    Liu and Malinin competed in the short program for women’s and men’s – both earning second place. Glenn placed third in the women’s free skate, and Malinin placed first in the men’s.

    Elizabeth Lemley

    Lemley won gold in women’s freestyle moguls skiing and shared a podium with fellow Team USA athlete Jaelin Kauf, who took home silver.

    Lemley, 20, is the youngest member of the American mogul team. She is from Vail, Colorado, and scored 82.30 points.

    Jordan Stolz

    Stolz didn’t just earn a gold medal at the men’s 1,000 meters competition. He also set a new Olympic record.

    The 21-year-old speedskater from Kewaskum, Wisconsin, completed his race in 1:06.28, beating the previous Olympic record time of 1:07.18 set in 2002 — before Stolz was born.

    He previously competed in the 2022 Beijing Games.

    Silver medalists

    Ben Ogden

    Ogden won silver in the men’s sprint classic, finishing just .87 second behind the gold medalist from Norway. The 25-year-old is from Landgrove, Vermont.

    This is the first cross-country skiing medal the U.S. has won in 50 years.

    Alex Hall

    The 27-year-old from Salt Lake City, Utah, won a silver medal in the men’s freestyle skiing slopestyle event. Hall was the defending gold medalist, but Norway’s Birk Ruud took that honor this year.

    Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse

    Dropkin and Thiesse won the silver medal in mixed doubles curling at the Winter Olympic Games in Italy. It was the first time the U.S. had reached an Olympic curling mixed doubles final.

    The pair lost 5-6 to Sweden in what was a narrow match.

    Dropkin is from Southborough, Massachusetts, and Thiesse is from Duluth, Minnesota. Both are now based in Duluth and have full-time jobs outside of curling.

    Jaelin Kauf

    The 29-year-old took home her second consecutive silver in the women’s freestyle moguls skiing competition on Feb. 11. She also won silver in the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

    Kauf shared the podium with her first-time Olympian teammate Elizabeth Lemley, who won the top slot. Kauf is from Alta, Wyoming, and landed a score of 80.77.

    Ryan Cochran-Siegle

    The 33-year-old athlete from Starksboro, Vermont, won his second consecutive silver medal in the men’s super-G event. He finished .13 seconds behind the Swiss athlete who won gold.

    Cochran-Siegle is a three-time Olympian. He previously competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics and won his first silver medal in the men’s super-G event in 2022.

    Madison Chock and Evan Bates

    The pair took home the silver medal in ice dancing on Wednesday, adding to the gold medal in the team figure skating event they earned earlier in the week. They fell 1.43 points shy of the French gold medalists.

    Chock and Bates have been skating together for 15 years and were married in 2024.

    Chloe Kim

    Kim — who won gold in the halfpipe in the past two Olympics — is taking home a silver medal this year. The 25-year-old Olympian from California ceded the top spot to a snowboarder from South Korea.

    Bronze medalists

    Jackie Wiles and Paula Moltzan

    The pair took home bronze on Feb. 10 at the women’s team combined alpine skiing event.

    Moltzan is a Minnesota native who now lives in Vermont. Her first Olympic Games were in 2022.

    Wiles is from Aurora, Oregon, and competed in both the 2014 and 2022 Olympics. A serious crash before the 2018 Winter Games prevented her from competing that year.

    Ashley Farquharson

    The luge athlete secured bronze in the women’s singles event on Feb. 10. Farquharson is from Park City, Utah. She is just the second woman from Team USA to medal in luge.

    She also competed in the 2022 Olympic Games.

    Jessie Diggins

    The 34-year-old from Afton, Minnesota, won bronze in the women’s 10-kilometer interval start freestyle event. Diggins finished with a time of 23:38.9, collapsing on the finish line as she crossed. The Swedish silver medalist was about three seconds faster.

    This is Diggins’ fourth Olympics, and her fourth medal. She has one gold, one silver and now two bronze medals.

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  • Trio of Russian athletes barred from luge World Cup amid neutrality concerns

    The International Luge Federation has withdrawn the eligibility of three Russian athletes who intended to compete in Lake Placid, New York, this weekend

    The International Luge Federation has withdrawn the eligibility of three Russian athletes who intended to slide in Lake Placid, New York, this weekend in hopes of moving closer to qualifying for the Milan Cortina Olympics, the governing body announced Tuesday.

    The federation’s executive board made the decision to remove Alexsandr Gorbatsevich, Sofiia Mazur and Kseniia Shamova from the list of eligible sliders after “new evidence” was presented and discussed with, among others, the International Olympic Committee.

    FIL officials did not reveal the nature of the evidence, but a person familiar with the situation said it called into question the neutrality of Gorbatsevich, Mazur and Shamova regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because that detail was not released publicly.

    The neutrality issue is paramount in the process of determining which Russian athletes will be allowed to even have a chance of qualifying for the Olympics. Certain sports federations are preparing to let Russian athletes compete, but only after they are cleared by an independent review process to ensure that they have not publicly supported the war and are not affiliated with Russia’s military or other forces.

    For now, Russian sliders Matvei Perestoronin, Pavel Repilov and Daria Olesik are still expected to compete at this weekend’s luge World Cup stop in Lake Placid. All three participated in official training on Tuesday and are expected to again on Wednesday, before likely taking part in a Nations Cup race Thursday. The Nations Cup is a qualifying race for those not automatically assured of a spot in the World Cup field.

    Russians have not taken part in a World Cup luge race since January 2022, part of the response that the FIL and other sports governing bodies had to that country’s invasion of Ukraine.

    The IOC wants Russians — in many sports — to have the opportunity to compete as neutral athletes at the Milan Cortina Games. Luge, like some other sports, originally refused to allow any Russians to take part this year, then amended those decisions after appeals.

    ___

    AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

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  • Better than gold? $100,000 for US athletes who make the Winter Olympics and Paralympics

    NEW YORK — The stakes for all these U.S. skiers, skaters, snowboarders and sliders over the next 100 days could not be more clear.

    A chance for Olympic glory.

    A chance to compete for a gold medal.

    And this year, for the first time, a chance to make $100,000.

    Thanks to a recent record $100 million donation to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Foundation, athletes who make the U.S. Olympic or Paralympic teams starting next year in Milan-Cortina will be eligible to receive a $100,000 award when they retire.

    It’s a game-changing piece of news for Olympic athletes, most of whom toil in obscurity outside of the two weeks the lights go on at the Games, and many of whom live in or near poverty: According to the foundation, some 57% of U.S. athletes earn $50,000 or less a year.

    “At the age of 25, 26, I definitely was like: ‘I can’t do this to (my family) anymore. I can’t continue living in my car. I have student loans. I have to get on with my life,’” said biathlete Deedra Irwin, who is now 33 and has made ends meet by everything from dog sitting to joining the Vermont National Guard.

    Though Wednesday marked the 100-days-out point on the Olympic calendar, only a small slice of the approximately 225 Olympic and 65 Paralympic spots on Team USA in Italy have been locked up.

    The majority of those spots will be earned based on athletes’ finishes in upcoming World Cup events being held across the globe over the next few months.

    So, while many of these athletes have heard the stories about how the Olympics can change their lives — usually through sponsorships, speaking engagements and talk-show appearances that spring from inspiring performances — never before has the promise of cold hard cash been dangled quite like this.

    “As an athlete, you don’t put into a 401K,” Paralympian Oksana Masters said. “We don’t have those traditional jobs of paying into that kind of stuff. It’s about time that we’ve done this.”

    There are a few catches, mostly that the money will be divided into four payments and won’t go into bank accounts until 20 years after the athletes retire, or when they reach 45 — whichever comes later. (The math is interesting for snowboarder Nick Baumgartner, who will be 44 next year and hopes to extend his career through Salt Lake City in 2034.)

    The grant also funds a $100,000 life insurance policy for a beneficiary.

    Both the award and the insurance are accrued each time an athlete makes the Olympics, meaning, for instance, someone who makes it three times would receive $600,000 in total benefits.

    “We’ve received other transformational gifts, but this has reflected a shift in how we’re able to holistically care for our athletes,” USOPF president Christine Walshe said.

    The $100 million came from Ross Stevens, the founder and CEO of Stone Ridge Holdings Group, a finance firm that focuses on “nontraditional” investment options such as crypto and fine art.

    It was the biggest single donation to the USOPF, which started operation in 2013 — the brainchild of former Olympic leader Peter Ueberroth, who helped turn the Olympics into a moneymaker, in part out of necessity because the U.S. government does not fund its Olympic athletes.

    With most of the next decade’s TV and sponsorship dollars accounted for, the foundation will need to bankroll improvements in athlete benefits for the foreseeable future. Walshe said the charitable arm is projecting to account for 27% of the USOPC’s revenue this Olympic cycle, compared to 12% from 2021-24.

    The foundation’s contributions are directed toward athlete-centered programs that focus on performance and innovation, health and wellness, and career placement and economic mobility. Never before has the economic mobility part looked as simple as this: Make the Olympics, get $100,000.

    “The $100,000 definitely motivates all of us to make that team,” cross-country skier Gus Schumacher said. “Cross-country isn’t generally huge money, and $100,000, especially for the people that maybe are on the edge of the team, is going to be a lot.”

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    AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

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