Dr. Regina Martinez Lorenzo has become the first woman from Mexico to qualify for Olympic cross-country skiing, joining a small group of compatriots at the 2026 Milano Cortina Games. Meanwhile, Allan Corona, a former triathlete, has also earned a spot after reinventing himself in the sport. Both athletes highlight Mexico's growing presence in winter sports.
Mexico's participation in cross-country skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics marks a milestone with the qualification of Dr. Regina Martinez Lorenzo, the nation's first female representative in the discipline. Born in Mexico City, Martinez Lorenzo, a certified emergency-room doctor, took up the sport while studying medicine in Minnesota. She credits her medical career for building the resilience needed for skiing's demands. As she told reporters, “Medicine has helped me immensely. It’s a long career with no instant gratification. You’re constantly pushed to your limits, making critical decisions, facing difficult realities. That gave me emotional and mental strength, and I’ve transferred that directly to skiing.” Her achievement adds to Mexico's sparse Olympic history in the event, following Roberto Alvarez's appearances at Calgary 1988 and Albertville 1992, and German Madrazo's debut at PyeongChang 2018. The Games, set for February in Italy, will see Martinez Lorenzo compete against athletes from Nordic powerhouses with far greater resources. Separately, 35-year-old Allan Corona is also set for his Olympic debut after switching from triathlon to cross-country skiing. He moved to Norway during the COVID-19 pandemic, learning the sport from scratch outside formal programs. Corona qualified through consistent performances in international competitions, describing the transition as a challenging yet enriching late-career move. Training far from home, he faces stiff competition in one of winter sports' most grueling disciplines. These qualifications underscore Mexico's efforts to expand in winter events, though the athletes operate with limited support compared to traditional skiing nations.
