Australian Winter Olympic Contenders Set for Podium Success in Italy
The eyes of the sporting world will turn to Italy as the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics officially commence with a spectacular opening ceremony in Milan on February 6th. Over the ensuing 16 days of elite competition, a cohort of 53 Australian athletes will represent their nation across 12 distinct winter sports disciplines. Among this talented delegation, several standout performers have been widely tipped by experts as possessing a genuine chance to secure the ultimate prize: an Olympic gold medal.
Jakara Anthony: Defending Champion on a Mission
Jakara Anthony carries the weight of expectation as Australia's most recent Winter Olympic gold medallist, having triumphed in the freestyle skiing moguls event in Beijing four years ago. The 27-year-old Queenslander has demonstrated remarkable consistency since her historic victory. However, her journey has not been without significant adversity. After achieving a record-breaking haul of points and victories during the 2023/24 World Cup season, Anthony suffered a broken collarbone in a training incident. Demonstrating immense resilience, she has since returned to competition, securing two World Cup event wins to send a powerful message to her international rivals ahead of her title defence.
Valentino Guseli: Snowboarding's Rapidly Ascending Star
Making his Olympic debut at just 16 years of age, Valentino Guseli has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the world of snowboarding. The Canberra-born athlete, now 20, finished an impressive 6th in the halfpipe in Beijing and has since claimed medals in slopestyle, big air, and halfpipe events at the highest level. He aims to become the first male snowboarder to compete in all three disciplines at a single Olympic Games. His path has involved overcoming a serious knee injury, returning dominantly from ACL surgery in late 2024. Guseli's prodigious talent was evident from a young age; he is the youngest snowboarder in history to have performed a double backflip, a feat he accomplished at just 11 years old.
Indra Brown: Teenage Debutant with Historic Potential
Set to make her Olympic debut as a teenager, Indra Brown represents the exciting future of Australian winter sports. The 16-year-old Melbourne-born skier, whose pet event is the halfpipe, could potentially become the youngest Australian Winter Olympic medallist in history should she reach the podium. Originally targeting the 2030 Games in Nice, Brown qualified comfortably for Milano Cortina following a stunning start to her senior career, having won bronze, silver, and gold medals at her first three World Cup events.
Scotty James: Veteran Snowboarder Chasing Elusive Gold
In a remarkable testament to longevity, veteran snowboarder Scotty James is preparing for his sixth Winter Olympic appearance. The 31-year-old halfpipe specialist boasts a glittering career resume featuring World Cup golds, world championship titles, crystal globes, and multiple X Games victories. Yet, the one accolade that has eluded him across his decorated 15-year career is an Olympic gold medal. He enters the Milano Cortina Games in formidable form, having just claimed his fifth consecutive X Games gold medal, the eighth of his storied career.
Bree Walker: Bobsleigh Pioneer Aiming for History
Bree Walker is favoured to make history by winning Australia's first-ever Olympic gold medal in bobsleigh. The 33-year-old athlete has amassed 17 World Cup medals and has stood on the podium in five of her seven World Cup starts this season. She will tackle the newly-rebuilt Cortina d'Ampezzo circuit, where sleds are expected to reach speeds of approximately 125km/h. Currently ranked No. 2 in the world, Walker brings a wealth of elite sporting experience, having previously been a professional track athlete specialising in the 400-metre hurdles before successfully transitioning to bobsleigh a decade ago. In Milano Cortina, she will compete in both the monobob (single-seat) event and the two-woman bobsleigh event with teammate Kiara Reddingius.
The 2026 Winter Olympics will be broadcast for Australian audiences on Channel Nine and Stan Sport, with coverage of the opening ceremony beginning at 6am AEDT on Saturday, February 7th.
