Australia is sending its most powerful contingent ever to the upcoming Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, with a remarkable surge in female representation leading the charge! But here's where it gets truly exciting: at just 15 years old, freeskier Indra Brown is poised to be a breakout star and a key contender for medals.
This year's Australian team, unveiled by Chef de Mission Alisa Camplin, boasts a record 53 athletes set to compete in Italy. This isn't just a small increase; it's 10 more athletes than the Beijing team that achieved a historic four medals. And this time, the balance is shifting dramatically, with women making up an impressive 62.3% of the delegation – a new benchmark for any Australian Summer or Winter Games team, surpassing even the 55.9% seen in Paris 2024 and the 51.2% in China four years ago.
Among the 27 athletes making their Olympic debut, Indra Brown stands out as the youngest. She's already making waves, having secured three medals, including a gold, in her first three World Cup events this year. "It’s pretty special to be the youngest athlete for Australia at Milano Cortina," Brown shared. She's set to turn 16 before the Games officially kick off on February 6th (local time). Her Olympic dream was ignited in 2022 after witnessing Jakara Anthony's moguls gold medal victory, a moment that fueled her passion and determination to reach the same heights. "I’m really excited just to get this experience that not many people are able to experience in their lifetime," she added.
Leading the charge for medal success is reigning Olympic moguls gold medallist, Jakara Anthony. She'll be joined by other formidable athletes, including Scotty James, who is fresh off a World Cup win in Switzerland and aims to complete his medal collection with a gold at his fifth Winter Olympics. And this is the part most people miss: while the team is strong, there are three alpine skiing spots (two female, one male) currently under appeal by athletes who narrowly missed selection. This highlights the fierce competition for a place on the team!
Australia is set to compete in 15 disciplines, including the newly added ski mountaineering and dual moguls, offering 27-year-old Anthony a fantastic opportunity to defend her moguls title and potentially add more hardware to her collection. She reflected on her Olympic journey: "Each Winter Games has been a different experience for me. My first one was going in with no real expectations, and the second one was going in as a gold medal favourite, and these ones will be going in as the defending champion."
The Australian athletes are arriving in Italy in peak form, having collectively won 26 medals across seven disciplines during the current World Cup season, including 13 gold medals. Bree Walker, ranked world No. 2 in bobsleigh, has been particularly dominant, securing five medals. With 10 genuine medal chances, the 2026 team is on track to surpass the one gold, two silver, and one bronze achieved in Beijing. The only medal winner from Beijing not returning is retired skeleton medallist Jackie Narracott.
Veteran moguls ski star Matt Graham and snowboard cross champion Jarryd Hughes, both medalists in 2018, are also set to compete in their fourth Games. "Whether you’re talking about aerials, moguls, halfpipe, snowboard cross or bobsleigh, we now have many regular World Cup podium performers, so this is a well-rounded team of fierce competitors on snow and ice," Camplin stated. She further emphasized the team's unique composition: "There is such a unique blend of youth and experience in Australia’s 2026 Winter Olympic team. It’s iconic to have Scotty James at his fifth Games; balanced by an exciting pipeline of young talent, including five teenagers."
Now, over to you! With such a strong and diverse team, do you think Australia can achieve its best-ever Winter Olympics performance? And what are your thoughts on the increasing participation and success of women in winter sports? Let us know in the comments below!
