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Why Skier Mikaela Shiffrin Has Half an Eyebrow at Olympics 2026
When it comes to this Olympics 2026 sport, it’s about the climb—and the descent.
Ski mountaineering, or skimo, is the newest sport of the Olympics 2026 adds to the long list of seemingly impossible athletic feats that have already been made in Milano Cortina after the winter games kicked off Feb. 6.
Indeed, this year 36 competitors—18 men and women, respectively—will partake in the first-ever skimo events, beginning in Bormio, Italy, on Feb. 19, which include the men’s sprint, women’s sprint and mixed gender relay.
As a sport, skimo dates back to the 19th century before ski lifts were the norm and essentially consists of an athlete climbing up a mountain with their skis in tow and skiing back down. In a sprint event, a competitor travels about 500 meters in just under three minutes, first wearing “skins”—or pieces of fabric over their skis to prevent backsliding as they traverse uphill—then briefly running in only their boots while wearing their skis on their backs, before putting back on their skis, removing the skins, to race downhill.
In a team relay race, athletes compete two laps of a 1500 meter course, one after another, mimicking the steps in an individual sprint. While a similar setup to the sprint, the relay is a much longer run and takes up to a half hour to complete.
On top of the endurance needed simply to complete their climb and descent, athletes are also scored on their technique in storing and holding onto their gear. For example, if an athlete loses or incorrectly stores their ski skin amid the race, it can lead to up to a 30-second penalty (meaning 30 seconds will be added to their final time).
Sercan Kucuksahin/Anadolu via Getty Images
This year, the United States has representatives in the relay, a team consisting of Anna Gibson and Cam Smith.
Smith, for his part, is a seasoned skimo pro, but Gibson—a world bronze medalist mountain and trail runner—only picked up the sport last year with the support from her now-teammate.
“All of that makes me super excited, but I think in my head, I’m going to approach it the exact same way that I approached the world cup,” Gibson told Team USA in a statement leading up to the Olympics, “which was loose and without a ton of expectation, and just going in hoping to learn stuff.”
And considering Gibson and Smith’s entry into the Olympics 2026 will mark Gibson’s third time ever competing in a skimo event, the 26-year-old is mostly just happy to be there.
“For me, a win in terms of the outcome, is just to have another really cool experience,” she said. “I think we know what we’re capable of. And we know that we are now part of the conversation more than we’ve ever been.”
For a deeper look into what has unraveled at the Olympics 2026 so far, keep reading…
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Heartbreak on the Ice
U.S. figure skater Amber Glenn breaks down in tears after missing her triple loop jump during the women’s short program event.
Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images
Gloves Off
Tom Wilson of Canada scuffles with Pierre Crinon of France in a rare Olympic hockey fight.
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Golden Moment
Brazilian skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen is visibly emotional after winning the country's first-ever gold medal in Winter Olympic history at the men's giant slalom event.
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Across the Finish Line
As the first cross-country skier to represent to Haiti in Olympic history, Stevenson Savart collapses to thunderous applause after finishing the men's 10km race.
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Bello!
Spanish figure skater Tomas Guarino dresses up as a Minion for his Despicable Me-inspired short program.
Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP via Getty Images
Dog Day Afternoon
A dog wanders onto the track during the women's team cross country free sprint qualifiers.
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Canadian Chaps
Canadian curler Marc Kennedy watches his teammate Brad Jacobs apply lip balm during the men's round robin match.
Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Slip Up
U.S. figure skater Ilia Malinin, also known as "Quad God," takes an uncharacteristic fall during the men's single free skating competition, ultimately landing him in eighth place.
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Head in the Game
German bobsledder Laura Nolte gears up before training for the monobob, the single-person bobsleigh event for women.
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
Victory Selfie
Following the women’s snowboard halfpipe competition, Korean snowboarder Gaon Choi poses for picture with Team USA's Chloe Kim and Mitsuki Ono of Japan taken using the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition.
Qian Jun/MB Media/Getty Images
From One Olympian to Another
Georgian figure skater Nika Egadze snaps a photo with Simone Biles, the most-decorated gymnast in Olympic history, during the men's singles figure skating competition.
Daniel Kopatsch/VOIGT/Getty Images
You're on Candid Camera
A cameraman films U.S. skiers Breezy Johnson and Mikaela Shiffrin hugging after the second run of the women's team combined salom event.
Odd ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images
A Small Gift
French biathlete Lou Jeanmonnot has some fun with plushies of Milan-Cortina Olympics mascots Milo and Tina, which she received as part of winning the silver medal in the women's biathlon 15km individual event.
Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
Thinking of Home
Skier Dmytro Shepiuk uses a sticky note to send love to his fellow Ukranians after finishing the men's super-G event.
WANG Zhao/AFP via Getty Images
Scream and Shout
Japan's Kaori Sakamoto is surprised by her score in the women's singles free skating team event.
JASPER JACOBS/BELGA MAG/Belga/AFP via Getty Images
All the Emotions
Dutch speedskater Jutta Leerdam wipes tears from her eyes after learning she set an Olympic record in the women’s 1,000-meter race.
Ian MacNicol/Getty Images
Big Air
China's Eileen Gu competes in the women's freestyle slopestyle—which earned her a silver medal.
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
With Him Always
U.S. skater Maxim Naumov holds a photo of his late parents close after competing in the men's single skating short program.
Hector Vivas/Getty Images
Twists and Turns
A composite image shows off the many tricks seen in the women's freestyle slopestyle.
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Pierogi Power
Polish figure skater Ekaterina Kurakova holds up a plushie of a pierogi—widely considered to be Poland's national food—as she celebrates with her teammates during the women's single skating short program.
Tom Weller/Getty Images
It's a Bird, It's a Plane
No, it's Team Austria's ski jumper Julia Muehlbacher.
Robert Michael/picture alliance via Getty Images
Double Trouble
Selina Egle and Lara Michaela Kipp of Austria zoom by during the luge women's doubles.
Andreas Rentz/Getty Images
Say Cheese!
The winners of the figure skating team event snap a selfie with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition while on the podium.
Daniel Kopatsch/VOIGT/GettyImages
Never Give Up
U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn looks determined as she attends a training session days after rupturing her ACL in a crash.
Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Spin It to Win It
Alysa Liu of the United States performs the Biellmann spin during the women's single skating short program event.
Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images
So Close
Team Great Britain's Jennifer Dodds has a nail-biting reaction to the curling mixed doubles round robin match against South Korea.
Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images
Curl It Like It's Hot
Snoop Dogg, serving as an Olympics correspondent for NBC, tries his hand at curling at a practice.
Tim Clayton/Getty Images
In Sync
U.S. figure skaters and real-life couple Evan Bates and Madison Chock are a perfect match while performing their rhythm ice dance routine.
Federico Manoni/NurPhoto via Getty Images
On the B-rink of History
Laila Edwards, the first Black woman representing the U.S. in Olympic hockey, faces off against Czech player Sara Cajanova during the United States vs. Czech Republic game.
Hannah Peters/Getty Images
Friendship Knows No Borders
Australian snowboarder Valentino Guseli shares a hug with Team Czechia's Jakub Hrones during the men's snowboard big air qualifiers.
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