Jessie Diggins, America's most decorated cross-country skier, approaches her last Olympics with a focus on enjoyment rather than outcomes. Retiring after the 2026 Milano Cortina Games, she keeps her medals hidden to maintain motivation. Her story highlights a career driven by passion and mental health advocacy.
Jessie Diggins has amassed an impressive collection of achievements in cross-country skiing, becoming the most decorated athlete in U.S. history. Her highlights include a team sprint gold medal at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics alongside Kikkan Randall, marking Team USA's first victory in the discipline. In 2022 Beijing, she earned a bronze in the individual sprint—the first such individual medal for an American—and a silver in the 30k freestyle, completing her Olympic set.
Despite these successes, Diggins stores her three medals in simple tote bags, out of sight in her home. "That's actually for a very specific reason," she explained. "I never take them out. They're not on display ... It's because I want to wake up every single day and go do something that makes me feel proud of how hard I work." This approach keeps her grounded and prevents complacency as she heads into her fourth and final Games.
Announced in November, Diggins' retirement will cap a 15-year career, with her final races at the World Cup Finals in Lake Placid, New York, in late March after the Olympics. Her passion for the sport began in childhood, riding in a backpack on her father's back during weekend skis and watching old Olympic VHS tapes. She idolized Canadian skier Beckie Scott not for her wins, but for her radiant joy. "She had the biggest smile and that was why I liked her," Diggins recalled.
A pre-race ritual of applying biodegradable glitter underscores her emphasis on fun. "Putting glitter on and the sparkles before a race ... it's a reminder, I get to do this. I love skiing," she said. An unexpected setback came in October when she broke her pinky toe on furniture, but she recovered fully without altering her consistent training routine.
Diggins debuted at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, finishing seventh in the 4x5km relay, and views each Games as a unique moment. Her advocacy for mental health stems from overcoming an eating disorder, which she sees as a response to stress and perfectionism, treated at The Emily Program. In her retirement statement, she hoped to be remembered for "the joy, sense of fun on snow, heart-on-sleeve racing, deep vulnerability and openness."
