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Tag: winter games

  • Bruins star Charlie McAvoy delivers unsung heroics in gold medal win

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    Connor Hellebuyck delivered a goaltending performance for the ages, but every netminder needs a little help at times.

    And in the third period of the USA’s heart-stopping 2-1 overtime win over the Canadians in Sunday’s gold medal game, the UMass Lowell product turned to another Hockey East product, Bruins defenseman and former Boston University Terrier Charlie McAvoy, for some game-saving assistance.

    The Canadians threw everything at Hellebuyck with the score tied 1-1. A go-ahead goal for Canada seemed inevitable. At one juncture, former Bruin Brad Marchand threw the puck toward the net. In a scramble, Tom Wilson got the puck and he had Hellebuyck down and out. He flipped it over the netminder, but McAvoy was there on the goal line to block it with his chest and then scoop it with both hands away from danger without closing either one on the puck.

    It was a huge moment in the game, which was eventually won on Jack Hughes’ golden goal less than two minutes into overtime to lift the Americans to a 2-1 win and their first gold medal since 1980.

    And it was quite a moment for McAvoy. The Long Beach, N.Y., native grew up in the U.S. National Team Development Program. Last year at the 4 Nations tournament, McAvoy played a monster game when the Americans beat the Canadians early in the tournament in Montreal but was sidelined for the championship game in Boston with the shoulder injury that became dangerously infected and cost him the rest of the season.

    He was overcome by emotion when Hughes’ goal went in.

    “I can’t wait to see the footage of what happened after we scored, because it was a complete blackout, who I was hugging, where I was going. I don’t know what happened,” McAvoy told reporters in Italy. “It was euphoria, man. I can’t even explain what I was feeling. Just pure joy.”

    There were plenty of local ties to this win. Millis and Boston College product Matt Boldy scored the game’s first goal. McAvoy’s Bruins teammate Jeremy Swayman, who won a game in the tourney, also took home the gold. Wilbraham native and BC alum Bill Guerin was the GM and, in fact, took some heat when he left scorers Cole Caufield and Jason Robertson off the roster.

    And behind the bench was Mike Sullivan, son of Marshfield and BU and McAvoy’s father-in-law. Sullivan went to bat for Guerin.

    “The team was built with personality in mind,” said Sullivan, the former Bruins and current Rangers coach who won two Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh. “There are whiskey drinkers and milk drinkers. And we got a lot of whiskey drinkers.”

     

     

     

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    Stephen Conroy

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  • Brazil’s Lucas Pinheiro Braathen wins giant slalom, earns South America’s 1st medal at Winter Games

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    With Brazil entering the joyous throes of Carnival, Alpine ski racer Lucas Pinheiro Braathen on Saturday gave it another reason to celebrate — an Olympic medal.It was the first-ever medal at the Winter Games for any country in South America. And not just any medal: Gold.The win for the 25-year-old known in Brazil as “O cara do ski” — the skiing dude — happened on the first full day of Carnival, the pre-Lenten party that fills city streets with revelers drinking and dancing to their hearts’ content. Even if lots of ordinary Brazilians were more preoccupied with that bacchanal, Pinheiro Braathen’s gold-medal glory bumped Carnival news from top spots on major news websites. It was another in a series of recent scores for Brazil on top global stages that have provided what some view as long-overdue acclaim.“This has become one of my top five Brazil gold medals in Olympic history, no doubt,” radio host and sports fanatic Thiago Varella, 41, told The Associated Press from Campinas, a city where Pinheiro Braathen has relatives and took several childhood vacations. “He will be our skiing dude forever. Even people who don’t understand the sport now will come to admire his story and his Brazilian-ness.”Once a racer for Norway, Pinheiro Braathen switched to Brazil, his mother’s home country, and with two powerful runs Saturday to win the Olympic giant slalom he earned the distinction of picking up South America’s first medal at a Winter Games.“I’ve tried over and over again to put words into what it is that I’m feeling,” Pinheiro Braathen said. “But it’s simply impossible.”He gave his country another reason to celebrate even if it already just so happened to be Carnival season. The fun-loving, samba-dancing skier had the perfect helmet for the occasion, too, stenciling on the back “Vamos Dancar” — “Let’s Dance.”He did a rhythmic number in the first run that gave him a 0.95-second edge.With snow falling and fog settling in on the final run, the 25-year-old Pinheiro Braathen remained cool and relaxed as he navigated his way through the technical Stelvio course. After seeing his place — No. 1 — he just stared. When it finally sank in, he fell to the snow before starting to scream.He finished in a two-run combined time of 2 minutes, 25 seconds to beat Swiss racer Marco Odermatt, the defending Olympic champion, by 0.58 seconds. Odermatt’s teammate, Loic Meillard, earned bronze.“It’s a moment that’s hard to grasp, even though it’s crystal clear that you are officially the Olympic champion,” Pinheiro Braathen explained. “Even though I had such faith and I knew that this was written for me, it is still so incredible to live that dream turned reality. I couldn’t quite grasp it.”Pinheiro Braathen’s mother is Brazilian and his father is Norwegian. He started racing for Norway until abruptly retiring before the 2023 season, only to return a year later representing Brazil.He’s already accomplished plenty of firsts with his new country: First Brazilian Alpine racer to finish on a World Cup podium last year and first World Cup win for the country this season.Now, he’s the first Olympian from the South American continent to bring home a winter medal.”The emotions that I’m feeling right now is an internal sun inside of me that is shining so, so bright and toward so many people,” he said. “I was skiing with my heart, and when you ski the way you are, anything is possible. The only thing that matters to me is that I remain who I am. I am a Brazilian skier who became an Olympic champion.”That’s why he got so choked up hearing his nation’s anthem on the podium. Brazil has taken part of every edition of the Winter Olympics since 1992. The country’s best result until Pinheiro Braathen’s gold medal was ninth place in women’s snowboarding in 2006 with Isabel Clark.“Being the reason that I get to hear and share that song in a stadium in the middle of mountains, because of a Winter Olympic gold medal for these colors, I’m beyond proud,” Pinheiro Braathen said.He gave a shoutout to the Norwegian Ski Federation as well.“I don’t have any hate or bad feelings about what has happened,” he said. “I’m just thankful, because it’s our differences in our perspectives that have forced me to confront myself to follow my own dream. And it was that heart, and that strength, that brought me to the top of the Olympics.”It was another medal for Odermatt at the Milan Cortina Games. He also won silver in the team combined event, where he partnered with Meillard, and bronze in the super-G.“Three medals,” Odermatt said, “is amazing.”Odermatt was asked about seeing a Brazilian on top of the Olympic podium and its significance: “For me, it doesn’t represent anything. He did his whole education in Norway. He just switched to Brazil now, so I don’t care about this. But he’s an amazing skier, and I have respect for him as an athlete.”Atle Lie McGrath of Norway finished fifth. He has known Pinheiro Braathen since they began racing together as kids for their ski club.“We shared a nice hug over there,” said McGrath, who wore a black armband in tribute to his late grandfather. “I’m really proud of him.”In Milan, Pinheiro Braathen’s fans, decked out in green and yellow, crowded into “Casa Brasil.” They cheered for the entirety of his run, screaming and jumping to their feet once he finished. The sound system blared “We Are The Champions” before playing samba-infused songs for everyone to dance to.For Pinheiro Braathen, it’s hard for him to imagine how he will be perceived now that he’s won gold for Brazil. He’s eager to find out.“I can’t tell you how many comments I’ve read through from the day I started representing Brazil until becoming an Olympic champion today that has been along the lines of, ‘I have no idea of what’s going on, but let’s go Brazil. Let’s go Lucas,’” Pinheiro Braathen recounted. “I think it’s that unconditional love and support from the Brazilians, even though we’re still in this journey of introducing ski racing to Brazil, that I really brought with me today and allowed me to ski as fast as I did.” In Milan, several hundred fans packed into Brazil House, a gathering spot organized by its Olympic committee.“We’re used to this feeling a lot in (soccer), sometimes in volleyball, but, you know, it’s a winter sport, it’s a snow sport,” said Aline Fialho of Recife, in Brazil’s northeast. “We don’t have snow in Brazil, so it’s a little bit surreal, but I feel very proud.”

    BORMIO, Italy —

    With Brazil entering the joyous throes of Carnival, Alpine ski racer Lucas Pinheiro Braathen on Saturday gave it another reason to celebrate — an Olympic medal.

    It was the first-ever medal at the Winter Games for any country in South America. And not just any medal: Gold.

    The win for the 25-year-old known in Brazil as “O cara do ski” — the skiing dude — happened on the first full day of Carnival, the pre-Lenten party that fills city streets with revelers drinking and dancing to their hearts’ content. Even if lots of ordinary Brazilians were more preoccupied with that bacchanal, Pinheiro Braathen’s gold-medal glory bumped Carnival news from top spots on major news websites. It was another in a series of recent scores for Brazil on top global stages that have provided what some view as long-overdue acclaim.

    “This has become one of my top five Brazil gold medals in Olympic history, no doubt,” radio host and sports fanatic Thiago Varella, 41, told The Associated Press from Campinas, a city where Pinheiro Braathen has relatives and took several childhood vacations. “He will be our skiing dude forever. Even people who don’t understand the sport now will come to admire his story and his Brazilian-ness.”

    Once a racer for Norway, Pinheiro Braathen switched to Brazil, his mother’s home country, and with two powerful runs Saturday to win the Olympic giant slalom he earned the distinction of picking up South America’s first medal at a Winter Games.

    “I’ve tried over and over again to put words into what it is that I’m feeling,” Pinheiro Braathen said. “But it’s simply impossible.”

    He gave his country another reason to celebrate even if it already just so happened to be Carnival season. The fun-loving, samba-dancing skier had the perfect helmet for the occasion, too, stenciling on the back “Vamos Dancar” — “Let’s Dance.”

    He did a rhythmic number in the first run that gave him a 0.95-second edge.

    With snow falling and fog settling in on the final run, the 25-year-old Pinheiro Braathen remained cool and relaxed as he navigated his way through the technical Stelvio course. After seeing his place — No. 1 — he just stared. When it finally sank in, he fell to the snow before starting to scream.

    Anadolu

    Marco Odermatt of Switzerland, Lucas Pinheiro Braathen of Brazil and Loic Meillard of Switzerland on the podium of the Giant Slalom race at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games on February 14, 2026.

    He finished in a two-run combined time of 2 minutes, 25 seconds to beat Swiss racer Marco Odermatt, the defending Olympic champion, by 0.58 seconds. Odermatt’s teammate, Loic Meillard, earned bronze.

    “It’s a moment that’s hard to grasp, even though it’s crystal clear that you are officially the Olympic champion,” Pinheiro Braathen explained. “Even though I had such faith and I knew that this was written for me, it is still so incredible to live that dream turned reality. I couldn’t quite grasp it.”

    Pinheiro Braathen’s mother is Brazilian and his father is Norwegian. He started racing for Norway until abruptly retiring before the 2023 season, only to return a year later representing Brazil.

    He’s already accomplished plenty of firsts with his new country: First Brazilian Alpine racer to finish on a World Cup podium last year and first World Cup win for the country this season.

    Now, he’s the first Olympian from the South American continent to bring home a winter medal.

    “The emotions that I’m feeling right now is an internal sun inside of me that is shining so, so bright and toward so many people,” he said. “I was skiing with my heart, and when you ski the way you are, anything is possible. The only thing that matters to me is that I remain who I am. I am a Brazilian skier who became an Olympic champion.”

    That’s why he got so choked up hearing his nation’s anthem on the podium. Brazil has taken part of every edition of the Winter Olympics since 1992. The country’s best result until Pinheiro Braathen’s gold medal was ninth place in women’s snowboarding in 2006 with Isabel Clark.

    “Being the reason that I get to hear and share that song in a stadium in the middle of mountains, because of a Winter Olympic gold medal for these colors, I’m beyond proud,” Pinheiro Braathen said.

    He gave a shoutout to the Norwegian Ski Federation as well.

    “I don’t have any hate or bad feelings about what has happened,” he said. “I’m just thankful, because it’s our differences in our perspectives that have forced me to confront myself to follow my own dream. And it was that heart, and that strength, that brought me to the top of the Olympics.”

    It was another medal for Odermatt at the Milan Cortina Games. He also won silver in the team combined event, where he partnered with Meillard, and bronze in the super-G.

    “Three medals,” Odermatt said, “is amazing.”

    Odermatt was asked about seeing a Brazilian on top of the Olympic podium and its significance: “For me, it doesn’t represent anything. He did his whole education in Norway. He just switched to Brazil now, so I don’t care about this. But he’s an amazing skier, and I have respect for him as an athlete.”

    Atle Lie McGrath of Norway finished fifth. He has known Pinheiro Braathen since they began racing together as kids for their ski club.

    “We shared a nice hug over there,” said McGrath, who wore a black armband in tribute to his late grandfather. “I’m really proud of him.”

    In Milan, Pinheiro Braathen’s fans, decked out in green and yellow, crowded into “Casa Brasil.” They cheered for the entirety of his run, screaming and jumping to their feet once he finished. The sound system blared “We Are The Champions” before playing samba-infused songs for everyone to dance to.

    For Pinheiro Braathen, it’s hard for him to imagine how he will be perceived now that he’s won gold for Brazil. He’s eager to find out.

    “I can’t tell you how many comments I’ve read through from the day I started representing Brazil until becoming an Olympic champion today that has been along the lines of, ‘I have no idea of what’s going on, but let’s go Brazil. Let’s go Lucas,’” Pinheiro Braathen recounted. “I think it’s that unconditional love and support from the Brazilians, even though we’re still in this journey of introducing ski racing to Brazil, that I really brought with me today and allowed me to ski as fast as I did.”

    In Milan, several hundred fans packed into Brazil House, a gathering spot organized by its Olympic committee.

    “We’re used to this feeling a lot in (soccer), sometimes in volleyball, but, you know, it’s a winter sport, it’s a snow sport,” said Aline Fialho of Recife, in Brazil’s northeast. “We don’t have snow in Brazil, so it’s a little bit surreal, but I feel very proud.”

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  • Olympics 2026: How to watch, schedule of events, and everything else you need to know about the Winter Games

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    The 2026 Winter Olympics are taking place in Italy this year, with all the action taking place in Milan and the Alpine city of Cortina. This year marks the fourth time Italy has hosted the Winter Games; most recently, Turin hosted in 2006. Of the 16 sports that will be featured at the Winter Olympics, there will be 15 returning favorites, including figure skating, Alpine skiing, curling, ice hockey, speedskating, snowboarding, freestyle skiing and ski jumping, and one entirely new sport, snow mountaineering. (Will it be as big a hit as the 2024 Summer Games’ new addition, breaking? It remains to be seen.)

    Live coverage of every event at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 will be available to stream on Peacock — though thanks to the time difference between Italy and the U.S., to watch many of the events live, you’ll have to wake up (or stay up) until 2AM or 3AM ET. Primetime replays and select live coverage will air on NBC. The games officially kick off with the opening ceremony on Feb. 6, 2026.

    Here’s what else you need to know about watching the 2026 Winter Olympics.

    How to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics

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    Dates: Feb. 6 – Feb. 22

    TV channel: NBC

    Streaming: Peacock

    When are the 2026 Winter Olympics?

    The Winter Olympics officially begin with the opening ceremony on Feb. 6, although some events will start as early as Feb. 4). The Milano Cortina 2026 games will run through Feb. 22. The closing ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics will take place in the Arena di Verona on Feb. 22.

    Where are the Winter Olympics this year?

    The 2026 Winter Olympics will be held in Northern Italy, primarily in Milan and also the Alpine mountain resort town of Cortina d’Ampezzo, where events like bobsled, skeleton, alpine skiing, curling, para snowboard, and more will take place.

    What channel are the Olympics on?

    The 2026 Winter Olympics will air on NBC and stream live on Peacock.

    How to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics without cable

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    For $11/month, an ad-supported Peacock subscription lets you stream live sports and events airing on NBC, including the 2026 Winter Olympics, Super Bowl LX and more. Plus, you’ll get access to thousands of hours of shows and movies, including beloved sitcoms such as Parks and Recreation and The Office, every Bravo show and much more.

    For $17 monthly you can upgrade to an ad-free subscription which includes live access to your local NBC affiliate (not just during designated sports and events) and the ability to download select titles to watch offline.

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    When is the Winter Olympics opening ceremony?

    The Milano Cortina 2026 opening ceremony will be held on Feb. 6, 2026. Due to the time difference, the ceremony will kick off around 2PM ET/11AM PT.

    Winter Olympics time difference

    This year’s Olympic Games are in Italy, which is 6 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time. Meaning that some events will start bright and early for U.S. viewers, and live coverage will likely wrap up around 4PM ET each day. NBC will have primetime replays of the biggest moments each night.

    2026 Winter Olympics TV/streaming schedule:

    All times Eastern.

    Wednesday, Feb. 4 (early competition starts)

    • Curling (round robin) – 2AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Curling (round robin) – 8AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Alpine skiing training – 3–6AM (Peacock – Live)

    Thursday, Feb. 5

    • Curling (round robin) – 2AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Curling (round robin) – 8AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Freestyle skiing qualifications – 4AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Snowboard qualifications – 6AM (Peacock – Live)

    Friday, Feb. 6 – opening ceremony

    • Curling (round robin) – 2AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Figure skating (team event short programs) – 6AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Snowboard slopestyle qualifications – 6AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Speedskating (early distances) – 8AM (Peacock – Live)

    • opening ceremony – 2PM (Peacock – Live)

    • opening ceremony – 8PM (NBC – Primetime)

    Saturday, Feb. 7

    • Alpine skiing (men’s downhill) – 3AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Snowboard slopestyle finals – 6AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Speedskating medals – 7AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Figure skating (team free programs) – 8AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Hockey (group play begins) – 10AM (Peacock – Live)

    Sunday, Feb. 8

    • Alpine skiing (women’s downhill) – 3AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Freestyle skiing moguls finals – 6AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Figure skating (pairs short program) – 8AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Luge (singles runs) – 9AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Hockey (group play) – 12PM (Peacock – Live)

    Monday, Feb. 9

    • Biathlon sprint – 5AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Speedskating medals – 7AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Figure skating (pairs free skate – medals) – 8AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Curling (round robin) – 9AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Skeleton (heat 1–2) – 11AM (Peacock – Live)

    Tuesday, Feb. 10

    • Alpine skiing (giant slalom) – 4AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Snowboard halfpipe qualifications – 6AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Figure skating (men’s short program) – 8AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Curling (round robin) – 10AM (Peacock – Live)

    Wednesday, Feb. 11

    • Nordic combined – 4AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Freestyle skiing aerials finals – 6AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Figure skating (men’s free skate – medals) – 8AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Speedskating medals – 11AM (Peacock – Live)

    Thursday, Feb. 12

    • Alpine skiing (slalom) – 4AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Snowboard halfpipe finals – 6AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Figure skating (ice dance rhythm dance) – 8AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Curling (medal round qualifiers) – 10AM (Peacock – Live)

    Friday, Feb. 13

    • Biathlon pursuit – 5AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Figure skating (ice dance free dance – medals) – 8AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Skeleton finals – 10AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Hockey (quarterfinals) – 12PM (Peacock – Live)

    Saturday, Feb. 14

    • Alpine skiing (team combined) – 4AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Cross-country skiing distance race – 6AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Figure skating (women’s short program) – 8AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Speedskating medals – 11AM (Peacock – Live)

    Sunday, Feb. 15

    • Snowboard cross finals – 6AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Figure skating (women’s free skate – medals) – 8AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Luge relay – 11AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Hockey (semifinals) – 1PM (Peacock – Live)

    Monday, Feb. 16

    • Freestyle skiing dual moguls – 6AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Cross-country skiing team sprint – 8AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Curling (medal games) – 10AM (Peacock – Live)

    Tuesday, Feb. 17

    • Biathlon relay – 5AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Speedskating team pursuit – 7AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Hockey (placement games) – 12PM (Peacock – Live)

    Wednesday, Feb. 18

    • Alpine skiing (final technical events) – 4AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Freestyle skiing big air – 6AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Curling (gold medal match) – 9AM (Peacock – Live)

    Thursday, Feb. 19

    • Cross-country skiing marathon – 6AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Snowboard parallel events – 8AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Hockey (bronze medal games) – 1PM (Peacock – Live)

    Friday, Feb. 20

    • Biathlon mass start – 6AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Speedskating final medals – 8AM (Peacock – Live)

    • Figure skating gala – 1PM (Peacock – Live)

    Saturday, Feb. 21

    • Men’s hockey gold medal game – 12PM (Peacock – Live)

    • Women’s hockey gold medal game – 3PM (Peacock – Live)

    • Men’s hockey gold medal game – 8PM (NBC – Primetime)

    Sunday, Feb. 22 – closing ceremony

    • Cross-country skiing final event – 6AM (Peacock – Live)

    • closing ceremony – 2PM (Peacock – Live)

    • closing ceremony – 8PM (NBC – Primetime)

    More ways to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics on NBC

    While Peacock is the best way to watch the Winter Olympics, there are other options if you restrict yourself to the NBC broadcasts. As our guide to the best live TV streaming services to cut cable notes, both YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV are excellent options, but you’ll want to skip Fubo until and unless the service resolves its contract dispute with Comcast, as NBC channels remain unavailable for now.

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    Danica Creahan,Liz Kocan

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  • ‘Dying to Ask’ podcast: Visualize your life like an Olympian with Chris Lillis

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    Saying Chris Lillis is a details guy is like saying he kind of wants to win another Olympic gold medal. Lillis won gold in mixed team aerials at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games. Making a second Olympic team in his discipline of freestyle skiing is arguably more mental than physical. Tracking the details of how he eats, sleeps, trains and recovers is crucial to unlocking what does and doesn’t work for him as an athlete. The data helps shape his mindset training. The key to mental preparation is visualization.Chris says, “Visualization can just be like a kind of mental imagination, whether it’s in the first person or the third person. You really just imagine yourself doing that jump.” Aerialists are like acrobats on skis. They ski down a ramp, launch themselves in the air and complete a series of flips and twists while maintaining enough spatial awareness to land on on snow. Jumps last seconds. But Chris says the time in the air feels a lot longer than that because of how in tune he is with every small move his body makes. Just making the 2026 Olympic Team isn’t enough. “It’s different when you’ve won before because the only question anyone has for you is, are you going to win again? My answer is always the same. It’s yes,” says Chris. On this Dying to Ask: What it’s like to live your life with that much attention to detailThe move Chris had to make to follow his Olympic dream and how he spends his summersGoing from newbie to veteran. The importance of mentoring the next generation of OlympiansAnd how to master the art of visualization like an Olympic athleteOther places to listenCLICK HERE to listen on iTunesCLICK HERE to listen on StitcherCLICK HERE to listen on SpotifySee more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    PARK CITY, Utah —

    Saying Chris Lillis is a details guy is like saying he kind of wants to win another Olympic gold medal.

    Lillis won gold in mixed team aerials at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games.

    Making a second Olympic team in his discipline of freestyle skiing is arguably more mental than physical.

    Tracking the details of how he eats, sleeps, trains and recovers is crucial to unlocking what does and doesn’t work for him as an athlete.

    The data helps shape his mindset training. The key to mental preparation is visualization.

    Chris says, “Visualization can just be like a kind of mental imagination, whether it’s in the first person or the third person. You really just imagine yourself doing that jump.”

    Aerialists are like acrobats on skis. They ski down a ramp, launch themselves in the air and complete a series of flips and twists while maintaining enough spatial awareness to land on on snow.

    Jumps last seconds. But Chris says the time in the air feels a lot longer than that because of how in tune he is with every small move his body makes.

    Just making the 2026 Olympic Team isn’t enough.

    “It’s different when you’ve won before because the only question anyone has for you is, are you going to win again? My answer is always the same. It’s yes,” says Chris.

    On this Dying to Ask:

    • What it’s like to live your life with that much attention to detail
    • The move Chris had to make to follow his Olympic dream and how he spends his summers
    • Going from newbie to veteran. The importance of mentoring the next generation of Olympians
    • And how to master the art of visualization like an Olympic athlete

    Other places to listen

    CLICK HERE to listen on iTunes
    CLICK HERE to listen on Stitcher
    CLICK HERE to listen on Spotify

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • Born on the slopes, moguls skier Jaelin Kauf favorite to win gold medal at Milan Cortina Olympics

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    Jalen Gough was born on the slopes. The oldest child of professional mogul skiers, her mother Patty is *** 3-time X Games champion. One of the first Americans to qualify for the games in Italy, Jalen is one of the favorites to win gold. But before we talk about her skiing, let’s talk about her dancing. Last year, Cough and her US mogul’s teammates went viral after performing the Dallas Cowboys cheerleader’s famed thunderstruck routine. Impressed by her moves in ski boots, America’s sweethearts invited her to dance with them pregame last fall. I was very nervous. I was like shaking, meeting the cowgirls and dancing with them. Um, I mean, I feel like the nervous competing is, you know, you get the jitters, but like. I know that run. I know how to ski it. I’m nervous to like dance with professional dancers is like I don’t know how to dance. This is like not so out of my comfort zone, but um it was really cool to be able to do that. Something else that’s. Last March, she won the Mogul’s World Championship, conquering the course in Lavino, where she’ll be skiing during the Olympics. Like I feel really great with where my skiing is at right now. Prepared, focused, and ready to earn her first Olympic gold. And to indulge *** bit on some of the food at the games. I’m going to be eating *** lot of pizza and pasta the whole time. I could never get sick of either of those foods. So Kough’s longtime boyfriend Bradley Wilson is also *** mogul skier, *** three-time Olympian. He retired from the sport after the 2022 games in Beijing. On the road to Milan Cortina, I’m Fletcher Mackle.

    Born on the slopes, moguls skier Jaelin Kauf favorite to win gold medal at Milan Cortina Olympics

    Updated: 3:00 AM PST Jan 14, 2026

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    Originally called “hot dogging,” freestyle skiing became an Olympic sport at the Calgary games in 1988, and for one American skier, freestyle is a family affair.Jaelin Kauf was born on the slopes, the oldest child of professional mogul skiers. Her mother, Patti, is a three-time X-Games champion.One of the first American athletes to qualify for the games in Italy, Jaelin is one of the favorites to win gold, but before we tell you about her skiing, let’s talk about her dancing.Last year, Kauf and her U.S. moguls teammates went viral after performing the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders’ famed thunderstruck routine.Impressed by her moves in ski boots, America’s Sweethearts invited her to dance with them pregame last fall. “I was very nervous. I was, like, shaking, meeting the cowgirls, dancing with them. I mean, I feel like skiing, I get nervous competing, you know, you get the jitters, but, like, I know that? I know how to see it. I’m nervous to, like, dance with professional dancers, I don’t know how to dance, so it’s like, so out of my comfort zone, but it was really cool to be able to do that,” Kauf said. Something else that’s cool, last March she won the moguls World Championship, conquering the course in Livigno where she’ll be skiing during the Olympics. “I feel really great with where my seeing is out right now,” Kauf said.Prepared, focused, and ready to earn her first Olympic gold, and to indulge a bit in some of the food at the games.”I’m going to be eating a lot of pizza and pasta the whole time. I could never get sick from either of those foods,” Kauf said. Kauf’s longtime boyfriend, Bradley Wilson, was also a moguls skier. A three-time Olympian, he retired from the sport after the 2022 Games in Beijing.

    Originally called “hot dogging,” freestyle skiing became an Olympic sport at the Calgary games in 1988, and for one American skier, freestyle is a family affair.

    Jaelin Kauf was born on the slopes, the oldest child of professional mogul skiers. Her mother, Patti, is a three-time X-Games champion.

    One of the first American athletes to qualify for the games in Italy, Jaelin is one of the favorites to win gold, but before we tell you about her skiing, let’s talk about her dancing.

    Last year, Kauf and her U.S. moguls teammates went viral after performing the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders’ famed thunderstruck routine.

    Impressed by her moves in ski boots, America’s Sweethearts invited her to dance with them pregame last fall.

    “I was very nervous. I was, like, shaking, meeting the cowgirls, dancing with them. I mean, I feel like skiing, I get nervous competing, you know, you get the jitters, but, like, I know that? I know how to see it. I’m nervous to, like, dance with professional dancers, I don’t know how to dance, so it’s like, so out of my comfort zone, but it was really cool to be able to do that,” Kauf said.

    Something else that’s cool, last March she won the moguls World Championship, conquering the course in Livigno where she’ll be skiing during the Olympics.

    “I feel really great with where my seeing is out right now,” Kauf said.

    Prepared, focused, and ready to earn her first Olympic gold, and to indulge a bit in some of the food at the games.

    “I’m going to be eating a lot of pizza and pasta the whole time. I could never get sick from either of those foods,” Kauf said.

    Kauf’s longtime boyfriend, Bradley Wilson, was also a moguls skier. A three-time Olympian, he retired from the sport after the 2022 Games in Beijing.

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  • How Olympians think about success and failure, and what we can learn from them

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    If winning gold medals were the only standard, almost all Olympic athletes would be considered failures.Video above: Amber Glenn opens up about mental health, coming out and her figure skating journeyA clinical psychologist with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, Emily Clark’s job when the Winter Games open in Italy on Feb. 6 is to help athletes interpret what it means to be successful. Should gold medals be the only measure?Part of a 15-member staff providing psychological services, Clark nurtures athletes accustomed to triumph but who invariably risk failure.The staff deals with matters termed “mental health and mental performance.” They include topics such as motivation, anger management, anxiety, eating disorders, family issues, trauma, depression, sleep, handling pressure, travel and so forth.Clark’s area includes stress management, the importance of sleep and getting high achievers to perform at their best and avoid the temptation of looking only at results.”A lot of athletes these days are aware of the mental health component of, not just sport, but of life,” Clark said in an interview with The Associated Press. “This is an area where athletes can develop skills that can extend a career, or make it more enjoyable.” The United States is expected to take about 235 athletes to the Winter Olympics, and about 70 more to the Paralympics. But here’s the truth.”Most of the athletes who come through Team USA will not win a gold medal,” Clark said. “That’s the reality of elite sport.”Here are the numbers. The United States won gold medals in nine events in the last Winter Games in Beijing in 2022. According to Dr. Bill Mallon, an esteemed shoulder surgeon and Olympic historian, 70.8% of Winter and Summer Olympic athletes go to only one Olympics.Few are famous and successful like swimmer Michael Phelps, or skiers Mikaela Shiffrin or Lindsey Vonn.Clark said she often delivers the following message to Olympians and Paralympians: This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Focus on the process. Savor the moment.”Your job is not to win a gold medal, your job is to do the thing, and the gold medal is what happens when you do your job,” she said.”Some of this might be realigning what success looks like,” she added. “And some of this is developing resilience in the face of setbacks and failure.”Clark preaches staying on task under pressure and improving through defeat.”We get stronger by pushing ourselves to a limit where we’re at our maximum capacity — and then recovering,” she said. “When we get stressed, it impacts our attention. Staying on task or staying in line with what’s important is what we try to train for.” Kendall Gretsch has won four gold medals at the Summer and Winter Paralympics. She credits some of her success to the USOPC’s mental health services, and she described the value this way.”We have a sports psychologist who travels with us for most our season,” she said. “Just being able to touch base with them … and getting that reminder of why are you here? What is that experience you’re looking for?”American figure skater Alysa Liu is the 2025 world champion and was sixth in the 2022 Olympics. She’s a big believer in sports psychology and should be among the favorites in Italy.”I work with a sport psychologist,” she said without giving a name. “She’s incredible — like the MVP.”Of course, MVP stands — not for Most Valuable Person or Most Valuable Player — for “Most Valuable Psychologist.””I mean, she’s very helpful,” Liu added. American downhill skier Vonn will race in Italy in her sixth Olympics. At 41, she’s coming off nearly six years in retirement and will be racing on a knee made of titanium.Two-time Olympic champion Michaela Dorfmeister has suggested in jest that Vonn “should see a psychologist” for attempting such a thing in a very dangerous sport where downhill skiers reach speeds of 80 mph.Vonn shrugged off the comments and joked a few months ago that she didn’t grow up using a sport psychologist. She said her counseling came from taping messages on the tips of her skis that read: “stay forward or hands up.””I just did it myself,” she said. “I do a lot of self-talk in the starting gate.” “Sleep is an area where athletes tend to struggle for a number of reasons,” Clark said, listing issues such as travel schedules, late practices, injuries and life-related stress.”We have a lot of athletes who are parents, and lot of sleep is going to be disrupted in the early stages of parenting,” she said. “We approach sleep as a real part of performance. But it can be something that gets de-prioritized when days get busy.”Clark suggests the following for her athletes — and the rest of us: no caffeine after 3 p.m., mitigate stress before bedtime, schedule sleep at about the same time daily, sleep in a dark room and get 7-9 hours.Dani Aravich is a two-time Paralympian — she’s been in both the Summer and Winter Games — and will be skiing in the upcoming Paralympics. She said in a recent interview that she avails herself of many psychological services provided by the USOPC.”I’ve started tracking my sleep,” she said, naming Clark as a counselor. “Especially being an athlete who has multiple jobs, sleep is going to be your No. 1 savior at all times. It’s the thing that, you know, helps mental clarity.” Clark agreed.”Sleep is the cornerstone of healthy performance,” she added.

    If winning gold medals were the only standard, almost all Olympic athletes would be considered failures.

    Video above: Amber Glenn opens up about mental health, coming out and her figure skating journey

    A clinical psychologist with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, Emily Clark’s job when the Winter Games open in Italy on Feb. 6 is to help athletes interpret what it means to be successful.

    Should gold medals be the only measure?

    Part of a 15-member staff providing psychological services, Clark nurtures athletes accustomed to triumph but who invariably risk failure.

    The staff deals with matters termed “mental health and mental performance.” They include topics such as motivation, anger management, anxiety, eating disorders, family issues, trauma, depression, sleep, handling pressure, travel and so forth.

    Clark’s area includes stress management, the importance of sleep and getting high achievers to perform at their best and avoid the temptation of looking only at results.

    “A lot of athletes these days are aware of the mental health component of, not just sport, but of life,” Clark said in an interview with The Associated Press. “This is an area where athletes can develop skills that can extend a career, or make it more enjoyable.”

    The United States is expected to take about 235 athletes to the Winter Olympics, and about 70 more to the Paralympics. But here’s the truth.

    “Most of the athletes who come through Team USA will not win a gold medal,” Clark said. “That’s the reality of elite sport.”

    Here are the numbers. The United States won gold medals in nine events in the last Winter Games in Beijing in 2022. According to Dr. Bill Mallon, an esteemed shoulder surgeon and Olympic historian, 70.8% of Winter and Summer Olympic athletes go to only one Olympics.

    Few are famous and successful like swimmer Michael Phelps, or skiers Mikaela Shiffrin or Lindsey Vonn.

    Clark said she often delivers the following message to Olympians and Paralympians: This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Focus on the process. Savor the moment.

    “Your job is not to win a gold medal, your job is to do the thing, and the gold medal is what happens when you do your job,” she said.

    “Some of this might be realigning what success looks like,” she added. “And some of this is developing resilience in the face of setbacks and failure.”

    Clark preaches staying on task under pressure and improving through defeat.

    “We get stronger by pushing ourselves to a limit where we’re at our maximum capacity — and then recovering,” she said. “When we get stressed, it impacts our attention. Staying on task or staying in line with what’s important is what we try to train for.”

    Kendall Gretsch has won four gold medals at the Summer and Winter Paralympics. She credits some of her success to the USOPC’s mental health services, and she described the value this way.

    “We have a sports psychologist who travels with us for most our season,” she said. “Just being able to touch base with them … and getting that reminder of why are you here? What is that experience you’re looking for?”

    American figure skater Alysa Liu is the 2025 world champion and was sixth in the 2022 Olympics. She’s a big believer in sports psychology and should be among the favorites in Italy.

    “I work with a sport psychologist,” she said without giving a name. “She’s incredible — like the MVP.”

    Of course, MVP stands — not for Most Valuable Person or Most Valuable Player — for “Most Valuable Psychologist.”

    “I mean, she’s very helpful,” Liu added.

    American downhill skier Vonn will race in Italy in her sixth Olympics. At 41, she’s coming off nearly six years in retirement and will be racing on a knee made of titanium.

    Two-time Olympic champion Michaela Dorfmeister has suggested in jest that Vonn “should see a psychologist” for attempting such a thing in a very dangerous sport where downhill skiers reach speeds of 80 mph.

    Vonn shrugged off the comments and joked a few months ago that she didn’t grow up using a sport psychologist. She said her counseling came from taping messages on the tips of her skis that read: “stay forward or hands up.”

    “I just did it myself,” she said. “I do a lot of self-talk in the starting gate.”

    “Sleep is an area where athletes tend to struggle for a number of reasons,” Clark said, listing issues such as travel schedules, late practices, injuries and life-related stress.

    “We have a lot of athletes who are parents, and lot of sleep is going to be disrupted in the early stages of parenting,” she said. “We approach sleep as a real part of performance. But it can be something that gets de-prioritized when days get busy.”

    Clark suggests the following for her athletes — and the rest of us: no caffeine after 3 p.m., mitigate stress before bedtime, schedule sleep at about the same time daily, sleep in a dark room and get 7-9 hours.

    Dani Aravich is a two-time Paralympian — she’s been in both the Summer and Winter Games — and will be skiing in the upcoming Paralympics. She said in a recent interview that she avails herself of many psychological services provided by the USOPC.

    “I’ve started tracking my sleep,” she said, naming Clark as a counselor. “Especially being an athlete who has multiple jobs, sleep is going to be your No. 1 savior at all times. It’s the thing that, you know, helps mental clarity.”

    Clark agreed.

    “Sleep is the cornerstone of healthy performance,” she added.

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