The 2026 Winter Olympics are on the horizon.
The Milan-Cortina Games are shaping up to be quite significant.
According to the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, around 3,000 athletes from over 93 national Olympic committees will come together in Milan-Cortina. Team USA may also field its largest team ever, potentially comprising 232 athletes, which would exceed the previous largest squad of 228 at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games and 222 in Sochi in 2014.
Rocky Harris, USOPC Director of Sports and Athlete Services and Team USA Mission Director for the 2026 Winter Olympics, remarked, “We are excited to present the 2026 U.S. Olympic Team, a blend of established champions and daring newcomers who can elevate Team USA’s winter success and inspire our nation.” He added that they are committed to supporting these athletes alongside the national governing body as they prepare for the world’s top contenders in Milan-Cortina.
The athletes hail from diverse backgrounds – from college sensations to club-level competitors to those pursuing careers outside of sports.
They come with varying ages, too.
Let’s take a closer look at the oldest and youngest athletes heading to the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Who are the oldest and youngest players on Team USA in 2026?
Starting with the younger athletes, the youngest member of Team USA is Abby Winterberger, a 15-year-old freeskier from California. Her journey is a bit different from most; she became the only club-level freeskier to skip the traditional U.S. Ski & Snowboard rookie and pro pathways to qualify for the Winter Olympics.
This season, Winterberger achieved three top-10 finishes, and she heads to Italy as the halfpipe champion. Notably, she secured a sixth-place finish at the competitive Aspen Grand Prix, marking her as a leading figure in U.S. freeskiing.
Cooper Davidson, her coach at OVFree Freeski, has seen this potential since she joined the club at age seven. “Watching Abby’s growth, commitment, and fearlessness in the halfpipe has been truly inspiring,” he commented. “She has earned this spot through perseverance and consistency.”
On the flip side, Team USA also features seasoned veterans like Lindsey Vonn (skiing, with an injury), Evan Bates (figure skating), Nick Baumgartner (snowboarding), Faye Sellen (snowboarding), Kylie Humphries (bobsled), Hilary Knight (ice hockey), and Elana Myers Taylor (bobsled). Humphries brings experience from four previous Winter Olympics, having served as an alternate in Turin back in 2006.
The most senior of these athletes is Baumgartner, a 40-year-old snowboarder who claimed gold at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. He humorously noted that he’s, well, racing against “kids” now.
“I’m competing in a sport filled with youth,” Baumgartner remarked. “While younger athletes dominate snowboarding, there’s pride in being an older contender, too.”
But Baumgartner isn’t the oldest Team USA member.
That title goes to Rich Ruohonen, a member of the curling team. At 54, he is the oldest athlete on Team USA, although being an alternate means he might not compete. If he does, he’ll set a record as the oldest U.S. athlete in Olympic history.
Ruohonen is also a trial lawyer and a partner at a law firm.
After previously missing out on Olympic opportunities, he’s looking forward to embracing the role of the “old man” on the team, humorously considering a shirt that says, “I’m not a father, nor a coach.”
And he’s certainly bringing some dad jokes with him.
Who are some other athletes around the world?
Outside of Team USA, several athletes from various countries are gearing up for the Games.
Australia’s Indra Brown will make her appearance as the youngest competitor, having just turned 16.
Despite her youth, Brown is a strong contender in freestyle skiing, rapidly climbing the World Cup ranks. She only began her World Cup journey in December 2025 but has posted impressive finishes of 3rd, 2nd, 1st, and 4th in her four halfpipe competitions, placing her among the top in the standings heading into the Olympics.
She also made headlines by winning a silver medal at the Aspen X Games, becoming the youngest medalist in the event’s history at just 15.
Meanwhile, 17-year-old Marta Anjane from Latvia is the youngest in sliding sports, while Brazilian bobsledder Edson Bindiratti, born in 1979, is set to turn 47, making him the oldest participant in that event.
