7 athletes with Washington ties are competing in Winter Olympics. Who are they?
Across the world, athletes spend their lives training for the chance to compete against the best of the best.
That includes top-tier skiiers, skates, curlers and others with links to Washington state.
In 2026, a total of seven athletes from Washington are competing in the Olympic Winter Games, while one Washingtonian will compete in the Paralympic Winter Games.
Here’s who will be representing the Evergreen State on the world stage:
When are Winter Olympics in 2026? Where?
The 2026 Olympic Games will take place in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy.
The opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics is on Friday, Feb. 6.
The Milano Cortina games conclude on Sunday, Feb. 22.
What sports can I watch in the Winter Olympics?
According to the Olympic Games website, sporting events in the 2026 Winter Olympics include:
- Biathlon
- Bobsleigh
- Cross-country skiing
- Curling
- Figure skating
- Ice hockey
- Luge
- Skeleton
- Ski jumping
- Snowboarding
- Speed skating
Which Olympic athletes are from Washington state?
Two skiiers from Washington state will be competing in the Winter Olympics in February.
Katie Hensien, alpine skiing
Originally from Redmond, Hensien grew up skiing at Crystal Mountain, according to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard team.
In 2015, she moved to Park City, Utah to ski full-time while attending Rowmark Ski Academy.
The University of Denver graduate previously competed in the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Novie McCabe, cross country skiing
This Winthrop native is making her second Olympic Games appearance.
As a University of Utah student, Novie swept the 2023 NCAA Championships in Lake Placid, New York, “winning both classic and skate races,” her official biography on the U.S. Ski and Snowboard website says. “This impressive achievement, among others, led her to compete in the 2022 Olympics, where she placed in the top 10 in the 4x5k relay.”
Skaters from Washington heading to Winter Olympics
Three speed skaters with ties to Washington state will compete in the 2026 Olympic Games.
Eunice Lee
Lee, who previously competed in the 2022 Winter Olympics, began speed skating when her and her family moved to Tacoma from Korea, according to the US Speedskating team’s website.
“I only started a sport when I was younger because I had such terrible coordination and my legs were so weak that I would fall down just walking,” Lee said in her official bio. “My parents said they needed to put me in a sport, so I would be able to run around normally like the other kids.”
Corinne Stoddard
Stoddard, a Federal Way native, is making her second Olympic Games appearance in February, according to the Team USA website. She previously competed in the Beijing Olympics in 2022.
“When she was around 11 years old, her mother convinced her to try speedskating because inline skating was not an Olympic sport,” Stoddard’s official bio website reads.
Cooper McLeod
McLeod will make his Olympic Games debut in Italy, according to the U.S. Speedskating team.
The Burlington native will hit the ice for Team USA after winning several World Cups.
“His favorite skating moment of his career so far was breaking through and making his first World Cup team after years of almost making teams,” McLeod’s official Team USA bio reads. “He says the feeling was ‘unmatched.’”
Who are Washington natives on US curling team?
At the 2026 Winter Olympics, Team USA feature two curlers from Washington state.
Ben Richardson
Richardson, an Issaquah native, will be making his Olympic Games debut in February, after several years of competing in the Youth Olympic Games as a curler.
Richardson won a silver medal representing Team USA at the 2017 world junior men’s curling championship, according to his official bio.
In 2016, he represented the United States at the Winter Youth Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, Team USA said, winning a silver medal.
Luc Violette
Violette, a Granite Falls native and University of Washington alumni, is making his Olympic Games debut in Italy.
“Violette had a very successful junior career qualifying for his first world junior championships at age 14,” his Team USA bio reads.
He finished his junior career as a five-time national curling champion, winning a silver medal at the 2017 world junior men’s curling championship, according to Team USA.
Who will represent Washington in Paralympic Games?
One athlete from Washington state is competing in the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games in Verona, Italy.
The opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games will be on Friday, March 6, and the games will conclude on Sunday, March 15.
Para Nordic skiier Erin Martin will be making her second appearance in the Paralympic Games after competing at the 2022 games in Beijing.
The Seattle native and Seattle University graduate was encouraged by try Nordic skiing by her teammate, Heather Galeotalanza, in 2019, according to Team USA.
How can I watch Winter Olympics in February?
You can watch the 2026 Winter Olympic Games and Paralympic Winter Games live on NBC or streaming on Peacock.
This story was originally published February 5, 2026 at 11:00 AM.