Olympic Solidarity Powers Athletes Toward Milano Cortina 2026
As the 2024–25 winter season wraps up, athletes from around the globe are shifting their focus to the upcoming Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Over 400 competitors are receiving vital support from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) through Olympic Solidarity scholarships, which have been instrumental in helping them train at elite levels and achieve outstanding results this season. Among the beneficiaries are Japanese snowboarder Taiga Hasegawa, Brazilian skeleton athlete Nicole Silveira, and Latvian luge pair Roberts Plūme and Mārtiņš Bots.
The initial batch of scholarships for the Milano Cortina 2026 Games was distributed in autumn 2023. Currently, 423 athletes (245 men and 178 women) from 87 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) are benefitting from the program.
Reaching for the Top
Japanese snowboarder Taiga Hasegawa, who secured a silver medal at the 2025 FIS World Championships, is aiming for gold next year. He believes the scholarship has provided essential resources, allowing him to train in optimal environments and compete internationally. “At Milano Cortina 2026, I will win both big air and slopestyle,” he confidently states.
Italy’s Flora Tabanelli, a freestyle skier, also saw major progress this season. She and her brother Miro clinched first place in the Big Air World Cup in Tignes, and she went on to win the overall Park & Pipe Crystal Globe. Reflecting on her growth, she credits the Olympic Solidarity programme for enabling year-round, comprehensive training.
Historic Achievements in Skeleton
Brazilian skeleton racer Nicole Silveira made history as the first athlete from her country to medal in a winter sport World Cup event. She emphasized the scholarship’s importance in giving her access to top-tier training in Europe and North America. With multiple podium finishes—including IBSF World Cup bronze medals and a Pan American championship title—Silveira sees every victory as progress not only for herself but for aspiring athletes in Brazil.
Latvia’s Luge Breakthrough
In luge, Roberts Plūme and Mārtiņš Bots have set new benchmarks for Latvia. The duo earned several World Cup wins and took silver at the 2025 World Championships—the best result for Latvia in luge doubles at this level. Both athletes praise Olympic Solidarity as a key contributor to their growth and performance.
Climbing New Peaks
Spanish ski mountaineer Oriol Cardona Coll enjoyed a standout season, capturing gold in the men’s sprint at the ISMF World Championships and silver in the mixed relay alongside fellow scholarship-holder Ana Alonso Rodriguez. As ski mountaineering prepares to debut at the Olympics, both athletes acknowledge that financial support has allowed them to train more professionally and reach top form.
Rodriguez noted the emotional significance of their qualification and expressed how the scholarship relieved financial pressures, allowing her to focus fully on high-performance training and recovery.
On the Ice and the Slopes
Belgian short track speed skater Stijn Desmet added to his achievements by winning silver in the men’s 1,500m at the ISU World Championships in Beijing. The support he receives enables him to train in top-quality facilities and prepare effectively for multiple events at the upcoming Olympics.
Meanwhile, Croatian skier Zrinka Ljutić claimed the FIS World Cup slalom Crystal Globe for the 2024–25 season. She highlighted the importance of Olympic Solidarity in providing access to crucial training camps and resources that have helped refine her technique.
Levelling the Playing Field
Olympic Solidarity aims to ensure that athletes from all corners of the world—particularly those from under-resourced nations—have the opportunity to train and compete at the highest level. Ahead of the Beijing 2022 Games, 429 athletes from 80 countries received scholarships; over half of them qualified, and their efforts resulted in 10 medals.
As preparations for Milano Cortina 2026 intensify, the continued impact of these scholarships is clear: they are empowering athletes to pursue excellence and represent their nations on the world stage.
The initial batch of scholarships for the Milano Cortina 2026 Games was distributed in autumn 2023. Currently, 423 athletes (245 men and 178 women) from 87 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) are benefitting from the program.
Reaching for the Top
Japanese snowboarder Taiga Hasegawa, who secured a silver medal at the 2025 FIS World Championships, is aiming for gold next year. He believes the scholarship has provided essential resources, allowing him to train in optimal environments and compete internationally. “At Milano Cortina 2026, I will win both big air and slopestyle,” he confidently states.
Italy’s Flora Tabanelli, a freestyle skier, also saw major progress this season. She and her brother Miro clinched first place in the Big Air World Cup in Tignes, and she went on to win the overall Park & Pipe Crystal Globe. Reflecting on her growth, she credits the Olympic Solidarity programme for enabling year-round, comprehensive training.
Historic Achievements in Skeleton
Brazilian skeleton racer Nicole Silveira made history as the first athlete from her country to medal in a winter sport World Cup event. She emphasized the scholarship’s importance in giving her access to top-tier training in Europe and North America. With multiple podium finishes—including IBSF World Cup bronze medals and a Pan American championship title—Silveira sees every victory as progress not only for herself but for aspiring athletes in Brazil.
Latvia’s Luge Breakthrough
In luge, Roberts Plūme and Mārtiņš Bots have set new benchmarks for Latvia. The duo earned several World Cup wins and took silver at the 2025 World Championships—the best result for Latvia in luge doubles at this level. Both athletes praise Olympic Solidarity as a key contributor to their growth and performance.
Climbing New Peaks
Spanish ski mountaineer Oriol Cardona Coll enjoyed a standout season, capturing gold in the men’s sprint at the ISMF World Championships and silver in the mixed relay alongside fellow scholarship-holder Ana Alonso Rodriguez. As ski mountaineering prepares to debut at the Olympics, both athletes acknowledge that financial support has allowed them to train more professionally and reach top form.
Rodriguez noted the emotional significance of their qualification and expressed how the scholarship relieved financial pressures, allowing her to focus fully on high-performance training and recovery.
On the Ice and the Slopes
Belgian short track speed skater Stijn Desmet added to his achievements by winning silver in the men’s 1,500m at the ISU World Championships in Beijing. The support he receives enables him to train in top-quality facilities and prepare effectively for multiple events at the upcoming Olympics.
Meanwhile, Croatian skier Zrinka Ljutić claimed the FIS World Cup slalom Crystal Globe for the 2024–25 season. She highlighted the importance of Olympic Solidarity in providing access to crucial training camps and resources that have helped refine her technique.
Levelling the Playing Field
Olympic Solidarity aims to ensure that athletes from all corners of the world—particularly those from under-resourced nations—have the opportunity to train and compete at the highest level. Ahead of the Beijing 2022 Games, 429 athletes from 80 countries received scholarships; over half of them qualified, and their efforts resulted in 10 medals.
As preparations for Milano Cortina 2026 intensify, the continued impact of these scholarships is clear: they are empowering athletes to pursue excellence and represent their nations on the world stage.
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