Every Wednesday in February, JWS celebrates Black History Month by spotlighting a prominent Black figure in women's sports history.
Lauryn Williams stands out on the Olympic stage, retiring as one of just six athletes in the world — and the first-ever US woman — to medal at both the Summer and the Winter Games.
Born in 1983, the Pennsylvania product started her historic career as a sprinter on the track and field team at the University of Miami, qualifying for her first Olympics within weeks of graduating in 2004 — before going on to take silver in the 100-meter dash in Athens.
After failing to medal at the 2008 Beijing Games, Williams stepped away from competing for a year, returning to the track in 2011 and earning her first Olympic gold medal in 2012 as part of Team USA's 4×100-meter team in London.
The three-time World Champion sprint star then traded one track for another in the fall of 2013, pivoting to bobsledding where her speed took her to the highest echelon of the cold-weather sport.
Less than 18 months after last medaling in the Summer Games, Williams qualified to represent the USA in the two-woman bobsled on the Winter Olympics' stage, traveling to the 2014 Sochi Games where she brought home silver alongside US bobsled icon Elana Meyers Taylor.
Skyrocketing from complete bobsled novice to the Olympic podium in just six months, Williams made history 12 years ago — and to date, the 42-year-old remains the only US woman to eve earn both Summer and Winter Olympic hardware.
"Anytime I step on any track — ice track, regular track, any kind of track — my goal is to win," Williams said after her Sochi victory. "So I'm not surprised at all."
Entering the 2026 Olympics with a newly torn ACL, Team USA skiing icon Lindsey Vonn will race in the women's downhill event on Sunday — with the 41-year-old using it as a test case before committing to additional events at the Winter Games.
Vonn is also hoping to compete in Tuesday's team combined slalom event — possibly alongside fellow US star Mikaela Shiffrin — but the recent knee injury could derail her fifth, and likely final, Winter Olympics run.
"It will be objective performance that will define what our teams look like," USA women's skiing head coach Paul Kristofic clarified. "In the end, my job is to put the best pairings together so we can perform and get a medal and potentially win."
With Vonn's status technically still unclear, Italy is eyeing a home win, as 2018 gold medalist Sofia Goggia teams up with fellow decorated veteran Federica Brignone on Tuesday.
That said, Vonn successfully completed an early Friday training run — on the same Cortina course where she holds a record 12 World Cup wins.
"She was smart. She didn't go all in," said Vonn's coach Aksel Lund Svindal after her 11th-place run. "There was reserves today.... It's going to be hard but I think she could possibly [medal] on Sunday."
"No one would have believed I would be here…but I made it!!" Vonn posted to social media prior to Friday's downhill training. "I'm not going to waste this chance.... Let's go get it!!"
How to watch Lindsey Vonn at the 2026 Winter Olympics downhill event
Vonn will make her 2026 Olympic debut in the women's downhill event at 5:30 AM ET on Sunday, with live coverage airing on USA Network.
USA Hockey is off to a hot start in Milan, taking down Czechia 5-1 on Thursday to open their 2026 Winter Olympics campaign in style.
While Barbora Juříčková registered Czechia's lone tally, Hayley Scamurra scored a brace and Alex Carpenter notched both a goal and an assist in the rout, with Ohio State junior Joy Dunne also finding the back of the net before USA captain Hilary Knight scored the 13th Olympic goal of her career.
"It was incredible," Scamurra told reporters postgame. "Whenever I go out there, I just try to bring all the energy that I can to the team. To be able to produce is the cherry on top."
The US will next turn their attention to Saturday's showdown against Finland, with the Finns still recovering from a norovirus outbreak that postponed their Thursday opener with Canada.
The IOC rescheduled the Finland vs. Canada matchup for next Thursday, but the weekend game remains on the official Olympic hockey schedule.
"I think we're planning on playing Finland, until somebody tells me differently," said USA Hockey head coach John Wroblewski. "But, I hope that they're okay. That's the most important part."
How to watch USA Hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics
Team USA will take on Finland at 10:40 AM ET on Saturday, airing live on USA Network.
Three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto delivered a commanding performance in this morning's figure skating team event, scoring 78.88 points to lift Japan to second place at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics.
The 25-year-old finished first in the women's short program at Milano Ice Skating Arena, edging out reigning world champion Alysa Liu of Team USA by nearly four points.
Sakamoto skated near-flawlessly despite an edge error on her opening triple Lutz, going on to earn top levels on all her spins and footwork sequences. The two-time Olympic medalist expressed relief after Friday's performance, acknowledging her nerves while maintaining composure.
The Milano-Cortina Games mark Kaori Sakamoto's final Olympic appearance. After narrowly missing a fourth consecutive world championship win in June, she announced plans to retire from competitive figure skating following this season. With three world titles, she's currently tied with Japanese legend Asada Mao for the winningest Japanese women's figure skater.
Sakamoto won bronze in the individual event and silver in the team competition at Beijing 2022, after finisheing sixth at her 2018 Olympic debut in PyeongChang. This year, she aims to complete her medal collection by capturing Olympic gold.
After retirement, Kaori Sakamoto discussed plans to pursue coaching in her hometown of Kobe, hoping to develop the next generation of world-class Japanese figure skaters.
What's next for figure skater Kaori Sakamoto at the 2026 Winter Olympics?
Japan currently sits two points behind Team USA heading into the second day of team competition. Five nations remain in contention to advance to the final round, with Italy, Georgia, and Canada also in the running.
Sakamoto will likely return to the ice on Sunday, when the figure skating team event concludes with women's free skate at 2:45 PM ET, live across NBC and Peacock.
Speed skating champion Erin Jackson has been tapped to lead Team USA at Friday's 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony.
The 33-year-old Ocala, Florida native shares flag-bearing duties with bobsledder Frank Del Duca, after her teammates voted her into the prestigious role.
Jackson made history in 2022, becoming the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal at the Winter Games. After capturing the 500-meter speed skating title in Beijing, she returns to defend her crown while also competing in the 1,000-meter event.
Milan will host the main Opening Ceremony at San Siro Stadium, with simultaneous celebrations across Predazzo, Livigno, and Cortina d'Ampezzo. The ceremony will make history by lighting two Olympic cauldrons, with one in Milan and another in Cortina d'Ampezzo.
In a pre-ceremony interview, Jackson spoke about the significance of representing her country, saying the honor goes beyond than one individual. As an Olympic flag bearer, she feels she's standing in for her family, teammates, hometown, and everyone who believes in the power of sport. And she takes pride in being an inspiration to aspiring Black athletes around the world.
After retirement, the three-time Olympian plans to start an organization helping young Black speed skaters pursue their dreams. She stressed that representation is crucial, discussing how winter sports have historically lacked diversity. She now sees herself as someone trying to change the game.
Jackson will join Team USA in wearing a Ralph Lauren-designed uniform on Friday, becoming the ninth US speed skater to carry the Olympic flag. She follows her longtime friend Brittany Bowe, who served as flag bearer at Beijing 2022.
What time is the Milano-Cortina Olympics Opening Ceremony?
The Olympics opening ceremony starts at 2 PM ET, live on Peacock.
Afterwards, NBC will air a primetime encore with special coverage at 8 PM ET.
USA Hockey is officially off to the races at the 2026 Winter Olympics, hitting the ice in Milan for their initial group-stage matchup against Czechia on Thursday morning ahead of Friday's Opening Ceremony.
The competition's preliminary round features two groups of five teams, with Team USA squaring off against fellow automatic quarterfinalists Czechia, Finland, Switzerland, and Canada in Group A over the next six days to determine seeding for the knockout rounds.
Meanwhile, the countries comprising Group B — Sweden, Germany, France, Italy, and Japan — will concurrently play their round-robin group stage, but with higher stakes: Only the top three finishers from their pool will advance to the knockouts.
"It's a clean slate every time you get to a tournament," Team USA captain Hilary Knight said. "You have to work hard."
The US and Canada enter the eighth edition of the tournament as strong gold-medal favorites, but the rapid rise of the PWHL has produced the deepest field in Olympic history.
Czechia's roster includes eight PWHL players, with a total of 22 PWHL athletes representing six European countries at the Winter Games.
Along with the 16 standouts playing for Team USA and the 23 on Canada's roster, 61 PWHL players — 30% of the entire North American league — are competing on the Olympic ice this month.
"It's only our second Olympics," said Czechia head coach Carla MacLeod, who also helms the PWHL's Ottawa Charge. "But certainly there's a belief in the room that we can go play our best games and see where it takes us."
How to watch USA hockey vs. Czechia at the Winter Olympics
USA Hockey will open their 2026 Winter Olympics against Czechia at 10:40 AM ET on Thursday, with live coverage airing on USA Network.
The comeback story for Team USA skier Lindsey Vonn isn't over yet, as the 41-year-old announced on Tuesday that she'll hit the slopes at the 2026 Winter Olympics despite tearing her ACL last week.
Vonn said she "completely ruptured" her left ACL while also suffering bone bruising and meniscus damage during last Friday's FIS World Cup downhill event in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, but added tht she's still able to ski with a knee brace.
"My knee is not swollen, and with the help of a knee brace, I am confident that I can compete on Sunday," Vonn told reporters. "I will do everything in my power to be in the starting gate."
Amid one of the biggest comeback seasons in alpine skiing history, Vonn expressed comfort with overcoming adversity — even if it's for the last time.
"This would be the best comeback I've done so far," Vonn said, after recovering from a previous ACL injury and subsequent surgery more than 10 years ago. "Definitely the most dramatic."
In addition to her signature downhill event, the three-time Olympic medalist voiced interest in participating in the Super G and a new combined team event.
How to watch Lindsey Vonn at the 2026 Winter Olympics
Vonn will open her Milano-Cortina campaign in the women's downhill at 5:30 AM ET on Sunday, airing live on Peacock.
The 2026 Winter Olympics have officially arrived. After years of planning, the world's best on snow and ice are descending upon Northern Italy for the Milano-Cortina Games.
And in addition to all the normal reasons to celebrate, the 2026 Olympics will feature a record-breaking 47% participation rate for women's sports athletes — the largest in Winter Games history.
From the streets of Milan to the peaks of Cortina d'Ampezzo, here is everything you need to know about the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The Basics: 2026 Winter Olympics Schedule in Milano-Cortina
Dates
The Winter Olympics schedule runs from February 6th through February 22nd, 2026, with preliminary ice hockey matches beginning February 4th.
Location
The Winter Games will take over Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, with additional venues in Valtellina, Val di Fiemme, and Anterselva.
Time Difference
Italy is six hours ahead of New York (ET) and nine hours ahead of Los Angeles (PT).
Opening and Closing Ceremonies
The Opening Ceremony takes place on February 6th at Milan's San Siro Stadium, with the Closing Ceremony capping things off at the historic Verona Arena on February 22nd.
Women's Sports Stars and Storylines Headlining the Winter Olympics Schedule
From figure skating to ice hockey, here are the buzziest Olympic names and most compelling narratives playing out in Milan.
Mikaela Shiffrin (USA, Alpine Skiing)
The sport's undisputed GOAT enters the 2026 Games as the winningest alpine skier of all time. And after a dominant 2025 season, Mikaela Shiffrin has emerged as the gold-medal favorite in both the Slalom and Giant Slalom events. According to the Winter Olympics schedule, alpine skiing runs February 8th through the 22nd at Cortina's Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre. Tune in to see if she can add to her growing legacy as the most decorated skier in history.
Lindsey Vonn (USA, Alpine Skiing)
The most talked-about comeback in sports is finally hitting the Olympic stage. At 41, Lindsey Vonn has overcome the odds — and a partial knee replacement — to return to the slopes in winning fashion. To complicate matters, Vonn tore her ACL just last week, but the five-time Olympian says she'll still compete despite the injury. Regardless of her performance in Milan, her presence alone has already redefined perceptions of veteran athletes in high-impact sports.
Chloe Kim (USA, Snowboarding)
25-year-old Team USA favorite Chloe Kim is chasing a historic three-peat in the women's snowboard halfpipe. Already the first women's snowboarder to win back-to-back golds in the event, Kim remains the technical standard-bearer for the sport — though her performance in Milan might hinge on her health, as she continues to recover from a recent shoulder injury. The snowboarding competition runs February 8th through the 16th in Livigno.
Eileen Gu (China, Freestyle Skiing)
Following a triple-medal performance in Beijing, China's Eileen Gu returns to the Games as a global icon. With high marks in Halfpipe, Slopestyle, and Big Air, the 22-year-old remains one of the most versatile — and promising — threats on powder.
Amber Glenn (USA, Figure Skating)
Known for explosive athleticism, captivating storytelling, and a powerful triple Axel, Amber Glenn is a cornerstone of the US figure skating team. Becoming the first openly queer woman to win a senior US title after picking up gold at the 2026 US Championships, Glenn's journey to the 2026 Games makes for especially good TV and even better on-ice competition. Figure skating events take place February 7th through the 21st at Milano Ice Skating Arena.
Kaori Sakamoto (Japan, Figure Skating)
The reigning queen of consistency, Kaori Sakamoto is a widely expected contender in the women's figure skating field. Armed with immense speed and technical precision, the 25-year-old enters 2026 looking to add an elusive individual gold medal to her resume.
Women's Ice Hockey
Marking the first Winter Olympics of the PWHL era, expect rosters across the field to be deeper and more game-ready than ever before. Most storylines will undoubtedly revolve around Canada and Team USA's heated rivalry, led by longtime captains Hilary Knight (USA) and Marie-Philip Poulin (Canada).
But count on European powerhouses like Finland and Czechia to close the competitive gap thanks to the sport's overall professionalization. Women's ice hockey is set to take over the Winter Olympics schedule from February 5th through the 19th.
New Events Debuting at the 2026 Winter Games
The IOC introduced several new medal events this year, primarily in an effort to improve gender parity throughout the Games.
Ski Mountaineering (AKA Skimo)
A high-endurance sport that involves racing up mountains on skis using specialized skins for grip, covering steep terrain on foot, and cruising quickly through backcountry.
Women's Individual Large Hill (AKA Ski Jumping)
This February, women's sports athletes will additionally compete on the same high-altitude, long-distance jump hills as the men's event, moving beyond the traditional Normal Hill.
Women's Doubles Luge
This sled racing event features two women sharing a single sled, navigating an icy track at speeds exceeding 80 MPH.
Freestyle Dual Moguls
This freestyle skiing event showcases two athletes racing side-by-side down a mogul-studded slope, picking up points for speed, technical turns, and aerial tricks in a head-to-head knockout format.
How to Watch the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina
NBC and Peacock have signed on as the exclusive broadcasters of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Peacock will offer 24-hour livestreamed coverage of the complete Winter Olympics schedule, while NBC and USA Network subsequently handle primetime action as well as highlights.
International soccer fans should start saving airline miles, as organizers for the LA Olympics announced on Tuesday that the 2028 Summer Games' soccer tournament will play out in seven stadiums across the US.
Giving the competition a coast-to-coast footprint, organizers tapped venues in New York, Columbus, Nashville, St. Louis, San Jose, and San Diego to host both men's and women's matches, before returning to the Rose Bowl in LA for both tournament finals.
All six venues outside LA house MLS clubs, with San Diego's Snapdragon Stadium and San Jose's PayPal Park also serving as home pitches for the NWSL's Wave and Bay FC, respectively.
"Bringing Olympic Football group-stage and knockout matches to stadiums across the United States means more fans will witness this global event and experience the Olympic spirit firsthand," said LA28 chief of sport and games delivery officer Shana Ferguson in a Tuesday statement.
Joining several other off-site LA 2028 events including Oklahoma City's softball tournament and canoe slalom races, the Summer Olympics' expanded soccer competition will likely kick off before the Opening Ceremony.
The tournament will also follow a progressive east-to-west itinerary to minimize travel demands for the teams, with dates and match distribution set to drop this April.
The LA Olympics' women's football final will take place on July 29th, 2028 — the Summer Games' penultimate day of competition.
Every Wednesday in February, JWS celebrates Black History Month by spotlighting a prominent Black figure in women's sports history.
More than 20 years ago, Team USA bobsledder Vonetta Flowers changed the Olympics forever, becoming the first Black athlete — in any sport, from any country — to win a Winter Games gold medal when her team topped the podium in Salt Lake City in at the 2002.
Originally a standout sprinter and long jumper at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Flowers turned her track and field dreams into bobsled success by transitioning to become a brakeman for the 2002 USA team, earning gold in the inaugural Olympic women's bobsled event alongside driver Jill Bakken.
After giving birth to twins, Flowers returned to the bobsled track to compete with driver Jean Racine-Prahm and the pair raced to bronze at the 2004 World Championships before finishing sixth at the 2006 Turin Olympics.
Retiring after the 2006 Games, Flowers blazed a trail for Black women in winter sports all the way to Team USA's 2026 flag bearer, Olympic champion speed skater Erin Jackson.
The 2022 US flag bearer, 41-year-old bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor — already the most decorated Black athlete in Winter Olympics history before competing in her fifth straight Games this month — counts Flowers as an inspiration.
"Vonetta Flowers is the reason I'm here," Meyers Taylor said after winning both silver and bronze in Beijing in 2022.
"It's just been such a long legacy of Black athletes at the Winter Olympics and hopefully it just continues."