9 Gen Z Athletes To Watch This Winter Olympics
The 2026 Winter Olympics are coming this February 6, and Gen Z athletes are turning up the heat.
From fashion shows, to local and international art weeks, 2026 has started off strong with a string of events. Next on the roster: sports. Specifically, the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 happening from February 6 to 22, and it’s going to be the biggest yet.
For one, it’s the most gender-balanced Winter Olympics ever, with 47% of participation comprising women. Between 16 sports disciplines, expect major upsets, triumphs, and surprises. From the champions of the 2022 Beijing Olympics returning to defend their spots on the podium, to major comebacks, and new blood contending for the gold, this Winter Olympics 2026 is set to thrill.
At the forefront are these Gen Z athletes whom you should definitely be keeping an eye out for.
1. Alysa Liu, 19
Representing: Team USA
Her sport: Figure skating
Why she’s one to watch: The 2026 Winter Olympics marks the return of this figure skating prodigy. In 2022, Liu made a shocking retirement announcement at 16 years old. Two years later, she announced her return to the sport and began training again, emerging better than ever despite her two-year hiatus. Fast forward to 2026: she’s officially representing the USA for women’s figure skating at the Winter Olympics and is a major contender for the gold. She’s also the internet’s newest style icon, sporting bleached angel rings and a smiley piercing which she DIY-ed — ouch!
2. Chloe Kim, 26
Representing: Team USA
Her sport: Snowboarding
Why she’s one to watch: Headed for her third consecutive Winter Olympics, Kim has her eyes on the gold and another world record. Expectations are pretty high for her, after all, she’s no stranger to breaking records: at her first Winter Olympics, Kim became the youngest woman to ever win a medal in women’s snowboard halfpipe. She’s also the first woman to win two gold medals for snowboarding at the Winter Youth Olympic Games, cementing her stastus as one of the world’s best snowboarder. If she wins a gold this year, she’ll be the first woman ever to win a gold medal three times in a row in her event.
3. Eileen Gu, 22
Representing: Team China
Her sport: Freestyle skiing
Why she’s one to watch: Considered the G.O.A.T of skiing, Gu’s been a long-time Gen Z It-girl for the Winter Olympics. Amidst fashion cover spreads, breaking world records, and her long list of accolades, Gu’s main aim for this year’s Olympics: defending her gold medals in the halfpipe and big air categories, and fighting for the gold for the slopestyle category.
4. Ilia Malinin, 21
Representing: Team USA
His sport: Figure skating
Why he’s one to watch: After missing out on making it onto Team USA for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, Malinin is on a war path to prove why he’s earned his spot and the nickname, the ‘Quad God.’ Not only can he accomplish an impressive number of quadruple jumps (a jump where skaters complete four consecutive rotations in mid-air) he’s also known for doing backflips on the ice. In fact, he was the first to land a quadruple axel, a notoriously difficult figure skating move, in an international competition. As he gears up for the upcoming Olympics, he’s already broken a world record this past January. Basically: he’s a favourite for gold for the men’s category this year.
5. Zoe Atkin, 23
Representing: Team Great Britain
Her sport: Freestyle skiing
Why she’s one to watch: In the world of skiing, Atkin has been a rising star of interest for the past two years. Although she got 9th place at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, her four-year journey for Milan makes her a top contender for this year’s games. She’s the defending champion for multiple international freestyle skiing competitions and was ranked first for the Freeski World Cup for women’s freeski halfpipe in 2025. This year, she’s a favourite to win the gold, and is about to go ski-to-ski with another Gen Z skiing legend, Team China’s Eileen Gu.
6. Adeliia Petrosian, 18
Representing: Individual Neutral Athletes
Her sport: Figure skating
Why she’s one to watch: Of the 13 Russian athletes allowed to participate in the Milan Cortina Games, Petrosian is one of the youngest. She’s a back-to-back Russian National Champion, the winner of the 2025 International Skating Union Skate to Milano Olympic qualifier despite an injury, and has a slew of high-level skills in her pocket (quads and a triple axel), set to help her rack up those points. Due to Olympic Committee regulations, she might be competing without her coaches physically present — a true test of mental fortitude for this 18-year-old skater.
7. Mia Brookes, 19
Representing: Team Great Britain
Her sport: Snowboarding
Why she’s one to watch: At just 19, Brookes already has a highly decorated snowboarding career. At 16, she became the youngest world champion in the history of the sport, winning a gold in slopestyle. Since then, she’s dominated the X games, sweeping up gold medals left and right. While she missed out on the 2022 Beijing Olympics due to her age, she’s making her Olympic debut as one of snowboarding’s brightest young talents, ever.
8. Amber Glenn, 26
Representing: Team USA
Her sport: Figure skating
Why she’s one to watch: Another skater from Team USA, this is Glenn’s first Olympics — and it’s set to be the first chapter in her comeback story. Throughout her well-decorated career, Glenn never thought that she’d make it to the Olympics. In fact, she retired from the sport at 16 years old due to her declining mental health and eating disorder. Later on in 2022, she missed out on the Beijing Olympics after testing positive for COVID-19. Fast forward four years later, she’s now a three-time U.S. Figure Skating Championship winner, and recorded the highest score ever for short program at the U.S. Figure Skating Championship 2026, finally making it to Team USA’s figure skating team as the USA’s eldest women’s figure skater in 100 years.
9. Laila Edwards, 21
Representing: Team USA
Her sport: Ice hockey
Why she’s one to watch: Ice hockey is currently having its moment in pop culture. In the women’s division, history is being made by 21-year-old Edwards. For one, she’s the first African-American hockey player ever to play for Winter Olympic ice hockey for Team USA. She was also the youngest American to win the Most Valuable Player award at the women’s hockey world championships last year. As a rare two-position player (she plays both defence and forward), she’s a major asset to her team, a feat considering that this is her first Olympics.