Australia’s winter athletes are counting down the days until the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics on February 6 to 22 with around 60 Aussies set to compete.
Qualifications for the Aussie team is based on the athlete’s world rankings in January 2026, so the next six months is crucial for those looking to score a place.
Australian Olympic Team Chef de Mission Alisa Camplin said athletes and support staff are laser focused on doing everything possible to be at their best for the upcoming Olympic season.
“Six months out from Milano Cortina there’s immense anticipation,” said Camplin.
“Every minute, every rep, every practise counts, to put yourself in a position physically, emotionally, mentally and tactically to firstly make the Australian Winter Olympic Team and then represent at the Games. An Olympic dream is so powerful but it’s also incredibly fragile, you need to get so many things right to be at your best when your moment comes.
“Many of our teams are currently training and competing in world class facilities across Australia’s amazing winter resorts. From snowboard cross athletes at Mt Hotham to mogul skiers at Perisher, aerialists at Mt Buller, cross country skiers at Falls Creek, to park and pipe athletes at Thredbo, Australia’s winter resorts are providing the perfect training base for our Olympians and those aspiring to make their first Games in 2026.”
Beijing 2022 bronze medallist snowboarder Tess Coady is currently training in Thredbo.
“It’s super exciting to be just six months from the Olympics, it’s crazy how quickly it’s come around,” the 24-year-old said.
“The next six months is about getting really confident in my riding and my tricks, to feel really good on my board and make sure I’m enjoying it a lot.
“I want a really great run for the Games and I want Aussie fans to be able to watch good snowboarding and good vibes.”
The Australian Team stats
Australia is expected to send a team of around 60 athletes from 12 sports. In contrast, the Australian Team at the Cortina D’Amprezzo Games in 1956 had only 10 competitors – eight men and two women.
The Australian Olympic Team in Beijing 2022 Winter Games secured our greatest ever medal haul with four medals – one gold, two silver and bronze.
The 2026 Winter Games will see Ski Mountaineering make its Olympic debut, while two new events – dual moguls and the aerials mixed team relay – present even greater opportunities for Australia’s freestyle skiers to shine at the Games.
The 2026 Winter Olympic Games stats
2900 athletes from more than 90 nations will compete from 6 – 22 February 2026, with the Games hosting 116 medal events across 16 sports.
Milano Cortina 2026 is the first time two cities have officially hosted an Olympics and marks the third time Italy has hosted a Winter Olympics – 20 years on from Torino 2006 and 70 years after Cortina hosted for the first time in 1956 (Cortina D’Ampezzo).
From the Opening Ceremony in Milan’s famed San Siro stadium to alpine events in the Dolomite mountains and freestyle skiing and snowboarding in Livigno, athletes will compete across eight separate competition hubs in the most geographically spread Games ever.
Around 2900 athletes from 93 nations will compete across 116 medal events – across 16 winter sports – Alpine Skiing, Biathlon, Bobsleigh, Cross-Country Skiing, Curling, Figure Skating, Freestyle Skiing (includes Aerials, Moguls, Ski Cross and Freeski), Ice Hockey, Luge, Nordic Combined, Short Track Speed Skating, Skeleton, Ski Jumping, Ski Mountaineering, Snowboarding (Includes Snowboard Cross, Halfpipe, Big Air, Slopestyle), Speed Skating
It will be the most geographically widespread Winter Olympics ever – with eight different competition and ceremony venues across the region – a total area of 22,000 km2
The event gender split consists of 1538 men, 1362 women (Approx 53/47% gender split – closest in Winter Olympic history)
The Games mascots are Tina (Olympic mascot) and Milo (Paralympic mascot).
The Olympic torch relay will take place with 10,000 torchbearers transporting the Olympic flame through 110 provinces in Italy, from 6 December 2025 to arrive at the Opening Ceremony in Milan on 6 February.
