One year to go until Winter Olympic Games in Italy

Courtesy AOC

The Australian Winter Olympic Team and the country's winter sports community will today celebrate just one year until Australia takes on the world at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games in Italy.

The milestone comes amidst a flurry of competition in world-class qualifying events, as Australian Team hopefuls strive to secure their opportunity to represent the country on the world's biggest sporting stage.

An expected Australian Team of around 50 athletes will face off with 2900 athletes from more than 90 nations 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.

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 Winter Games ever.

Beijing gold medallist Jakara Anthony and 2022 Olympian Valentino Guseli joined Chef de Mission Alisa Camplin at today's event in Melbourne to mark 365 days until the Opening Ceremony.

Later today, Australian Olympic curlers Tahli Gill and Dean Hewitt will attend a formal function in Milan to accept the official invitation for Australia to compete at the 2026 Games.

The Australian Team is expected to compete across 12 of the 16 sports, with Australian athletes spending most of this year training and competing around the world to earn ranking points vital to qualifying for the Games.

The Australian Olympic Team in Beijing 2022 Winter Games secured our greatest ever medal haul with four medals – one gold, two silver and bronze and the signs for Milano-Cortina are positive. Already this season Australians have earned podium finishes at major world-class events, including aerial skiers Laura Peel, Danielle Scott and Airleigh Frigo, mogul skiers Jakara Anthony and Matt Graham, and snowboarders Scotty James, Josie Baff and Cam Bolton.

The 2026 Winter Games will see Ski Mountaineering make its Olympic debut, while two new events - dual moguls and the aerials mixed team - present even greater opportunities for Australia’s freestyle skiers to shine at the Games.

“For our winter athletes, the four years between each Games can feel like such a long wait – they're training, preparing, rehabbing and pushing their limits, mostly out of the limelight,” Camplin said.

“When we arrive at a milestone like today, suddenly the Winter Olympics feel very, very close. It’s exciting and daunting, because the Games are coming, and each and every winter athlete’s Olympic moment is calling them.

“When it comes to the Winter Olympics, Australia might be a modest-sized team, but for years now we have been rising, earning respect and putting the world on notice.

“To the athletes, know we are fully behind you as you strive to represent Australia in Milano Cortina in one years’ time,” she said.

Dual World Champion aerial skier Laura Peel is landing some of the best jumps of her career this season, notching multiple World Cup victories and leading the world rankings.

“I can't believe we're only a year out from another Games,” the Canberra local said. “I'd absolutely love to pull on the green and gold one more time.

“I was training in Switzerland during the Paris Games and I caught Olympic fever. I was on the right time zone and watched more of the Olympics and Paralympics than I ever have before. It was an amazing Games with so many epic Aussie performances, it really reignited my fire and got me excited for Milano Cortina.

“We're getting close to the halfway point this season, and overall, I've been really happy with my jumping. Coming into the season, my biggest goal was to build on my consistency, and that's still the number one goal. Seeing what I'm capable of, and how far I can go is what excites me about my sport – we’re really seeing both the men's and women's field lift, it's amazing to watch and even better to be a part of it,” she said.

Four-time Olympic snowboarder Scotty James, who won Olympic bronze in 2018 and silver in 2022 said his goal for 2026 was clear.

“One year to go until Milano Cortina and my hopes and dreams are pretty obvious,” the 30-year-old said.

“I would love to stand on top of the podium at an Olympics. I’ve got the silver, got the bronze, it’s one of the last milestones in my career I want to accomplish.”

“One year of getting stuck into the training, getting ready for a good battle with the competition. We’re well positioned to make it one of the greatest Olympics of all time for our Winter Team. I look forward to it, hopefully we can put on a good show and bring home some results,” he said.

Triple Olympian cross country skier Phil Bellingham is aiming for a fourth Games in both Cross Country and the new event of Ski Mountaineering (SkiMo).

“After the last Olympics I was on the verge of retirement,” he said. “Then this opportunity with SkiMo came up and it’s rekindled my love for the sport. I’m doing everything I can in my ability to try and qualify for both SkiMo and cross country. I’m the only one [in the world] doing this for sure.

“Milano Cortina will be so cool, it's a winter nation and they really value winter sports. To be competing through skiing villages is going to be awesome and create an amazing atmosphere.”