Lindsey Vonn’s remarkable return to ski racing in her forties is set to culminate at the Milan Cortina Olympics, headlining the US Ski & Snowboard team selection.
However, the comeback aspirations of another American gold medallist, snowboarder Jamie Anderson, have unfortunately fallen short.
Anderson, a two-time slopestyle champion who re-entered the sport after having two children, was unable to secure a podium finish this season and will not join the national squad in Italy.
Meanwhile, Mikaela Shiffrin has earned her fourth Olympic team selection, and snowboarder Chloe Kim is aiming for a third gold medal at her third Games, though her participation is under scrutiny following a shoulder injury sustained in training earlier this month.
These athletes lead a 97-person roster announced on Thursday, which presented few surprises given that most selections were based on results from the past two years.
The 41-year-old Vonn, alongside Kim and Shiffrin, collectively boast five Olympic gold medals and spearhead a team that, despite its star power, is notably short on Olympic experience, featuring 48 first-time Olympians.
The squad comprises 50 women and 47 men, with ages spanning from 15-year-old halfpipe freestyle skier Abby Winterberger to 44-year-old snowboardcross rider Nick Baumgartner, who will compete in his fifth Olympics as a defending champion in the mixed event.
This contingent is poised to form nearly half of the entire US delegation to Milan Cortina, having contributed 15 of the nation’s 25 medals at the Beijing Games four years ago.
"I am confident about the impact they will make in Italy," stated U.S. Ski & Snowboard president and CEO Sophie Goldschmidt. "More than the results, our athletes are also bringing some of the most captivating story lines to Milano Cortina."
Vonn, who returned last season after a partial knee replacement, swiftly regained the form that previously earned her four overall World Cup titles.
She has secured two World Cup downhill victories this season, bringing her career total to 84, and is a strong favourite in both speed events in Cortina.
There is even potential for her to partner with Shiffrin in the Olympic debut of the team combined event.
Shiffrin herself is looking to rebound after failing to secure a medal in Beijing, having previously won slalom gold at Sochi 2014 and giant slalom gold four years later in South Korea. She has dominated the slalom this season, with six wins.
Cross-country skier Jessie Diggins, a three-time Olympic medallist including a team sprint gold in 2018, will compete in her fourth and final Olympics before retiring at the end of the season. Alpine skier Breezy Johnson also makes a comeback after tearing her right knee a month before the 2022 Beijing Games.
In snowboarding, Red Gerard, who famously won slopestyle gold at 17 in 2018, returns for his third Games.
He is joined by another 17-year-old talent, Ollie Martin, known for being the first to land a pair of 2160-degree spins in opposite directions. The post-Shaun White era in the halfpipe sees a roster of underdogs, with Chase Josey and Jake Pates returning, neither having finished higher than sixth.
Freeskiing sees Nick Goepper, a two-time silver and one-time gold medallist in slopestyle, transition to the halfpipe for his fourth Olympics, alongside Alex Ferreira, who holds silver and bronze in the discipline.
Notably absent are David Wise, a two-time gold medallist, and big air silver medallist Colby Stevenson, both of whom missed out after failing to reach the podium during the qualifying period. Alex Hall will defend his slopestyle title.
In moguls and aerials, Jaelin Kauf is the reigning Olympic silver medallist in moguls, while Chris Lillis aims to build on the mixed team aerials gold he won in China four years ago. Winter Vinecki will compete in her second Olympics.
Anouk Patty, chief of sport for U.S. Ski & Snowboard, concluded: "Throughout this season, we’ve seen quite remarkable results from our athletes across all 10 of our sports. I know this is one of the strongest teams we have sent to the Games."
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