Jessie Diggins, America's most decorated cross-country skier, has announced that the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics will be her fifth and last. The Minnesota native plans to retire from competition afterward and focus on public speaking. Her career highlights include a historic gold medal in 2018 and overcoming personal challenges shared in her memoir.
Jessie Diggins, hailing from Afton, Minnesota, has built a remarkable legacy in cross-country skiing. She began skiing before she could walk and joined the U.S. Ski Team in 2011. Her breakthrough came at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, where she secured Team USA's first-ever gold medal in the discipline, part of her three Olympic medals overall. Diggins has also notched numerous podium finishes at World Championships and, in 2025, won the Overall World Cup Crystal Globe.
Beyond her athletic achievements, Diggins takes particular pride in her openness about mental health struggles. In her book Brave Enough, she recounts overcoming an eating disorder, a story she initially found daunting to share. “The first time I wanted to tell my story, it was a really big scary moment,” she said. “Winning the Olympics was very cool, but I’m most proud of the courage it took for me to open up and tell my story.”
She stresses the role of mental resilience in her success, challenging the image of Olympians as flawless. “Growing up, I remember seeing Olympic athletes and thinking they were perfect,” Diggins noted. “That’s not true. You just control your efforts.” Diggins attributes much of her accomplishments to widespread support, extending beyond her local community to the entire nation. “They say it takes a village, but it takes the whole state, it takes the whole country,” she said. “I feel like those Olympic medals belong to thousands of different people.”
Looking ahead to Milan Cortina, Diggins aims to compete with enthusiasm rather than pressure. “My game face is me smiling in the start gate because I’m excited to be here,” she explained. “I get to do this—and how cool is that?” Her retirement marks the end of an era for American cross-country skiing, but her influence through advocacy is set to continue.
