While many of Australia’s Olympians and Olympic hopefuls are already overseas ahead of the start of the northern-hemisphere winter season, the Moguls team will depart Australia from next week for the last of the international competitions, with Olympic Team selection due to be finalised in late January.
Australia’s Chef de Mission, Alisa Camplin-Warner was on hand to celebrate the milestone as well as see first hand how athlete preparations are tracking.
“This is a very exciting moment in the lead up to the Milano Cortina Games. The vast majority of Australia’s winter athletes have either left or are about to leave the country, to enter the northern winter for pre-season training and competitions.
“This final phase of readiness brings both anticipation and nerves. Every athlete is keen to get their best tricks, skills and strategy in place, before competing for vital quota places to qualify for Games selection.” said Ms Camplin-Warner.
“Seeing some of our athletes in action today, at our state-of-the-art training facility here in Brisbane fills me with pride.
“We have an extremely hard working, focused and strong team, with some very experienced athletes setting the tone for a great Games.
“All going well in the competitive season ahead, this could be one of the largest, deepest and broadest Teams that we have ever sent to a Winter Olympic Games. I hope Australia will fully embrace the once in a generation magic that is this team.
“I wish all of our amazing and talented athletes the very best of luck for the season ahead, Australian’s everywhere can’t wait to see you in action, and I look forward to seeing you all in February at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Games.”
Defending Olympic gold medallist, Jakara Anthony, is looking strong heading into the final 100 days, after making her way back from collarbone injury that she suffered during last year’s World Cup season. She said she’s excited to mark the 100 days to go milestone.
“I’m excited! The last three years have just flown by and it's been a bit of a mix of everything for me…a record breaking season in 2023/24 and then being injured and missing my first season last year.
“Now 100 days out from the Games it’s pretty wild that it’s coming up so fast. But we’ve had some great training opportunities and we’ve got a lot more coming up along the qualifying period. So there’s lots more to happen between now and then but we’re all pretty ready for it,” she said.
Triple Olympian Matt Graham, knows what it takes to be standing on the podium, taking the silver medal at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. The 31 year old team veteran said the Geoff Henke Olympic Winter Training Centre has helped take the Aussies to a new level.
“I’ve been in the sport for a long time now and to watch it evolve from training and jumping into a swamp down on the outskirts of Melbourne, to now training here at the Geoff Henke Winter Olympic Training Centre in Brisbane, it’s game changing for us.
“We’re fortunate enough that our local resorts down in the Snowy Mountains help us a lot, we train primarily down in Perisher. They provide one of the longest and steepest courses in the world which we get access to eight weeks a year during our winter,” he said.
For 20 year old Charlotte Wilson, her sights are firmly set on making her Olympic debut in Milano Cortina. The new Olympic discipline of dual moguls is one she has quickly built a reputation as ‘one to watch’, winning gold at the Olympic Test Event in Livigno earlier this year.
“That was a pretty crazy experience (the Livigno Test Event) - I wasn’t even supposed to be there and found out I was competing on the plane ride over there. I was just taking it all as an experience, to see the Olympic course and really gear up for the qualification period this year.
“The gold medal has also given me a lot of confidence heading into next year, I'm really excited. I’ll take that confidence of knowing where I’m at and knowing I can be competitive,” she said.
Cooper Woods is on track to qualify for his second Olympic Games after making his debut at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games. He is excited for the opportunity to this time compete in front of family, friends and fans.
“To have family and friends at the next Winter Olympics is going to be absolutely insane. I’ve only got one experience, and that’s at the Beijing Olympics and there was no one there except our staff and our team mates. As winter sports athletes it's very hard for our family and friends to travel the world.
“Also to have the European Training Centre in Verase as a base in the lead up to the Games, to have Aussies in the crowd is going to be amazing and I can’t wait for it,” he said.
Alongside the men’s and women’s dual moguls making its Olympic debut in Milano Cortina, three more new events will also debut across existing sports including Skeleton Mixed Team, Luge Women’s Doubles and Women’s Large Hill Ski Jumping.
A new sport on the schedule will be Ski Mountaineering (Ski Mo) with three new events - men’s sprint, women’s sprint and mixed team relay.
The 2026 Winter Olympic Games will be held from 6-22 February in Milano Cortina. For more information, click here.
Story and Image courtesy the Austrian Olympic Committee







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