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Posted on Jan 12, 2026 / Sports

Team Austria will compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, although its delegation is smaller than in past Games with 32 athletes across seven sports including alpine skiing, biathlon, cross‑country skiing, figure skating, short‑track, ski mountaineering, and speed skating. Austria hopes to match or stay near its strong showing from the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, where it finished with 18 medals, and Austrian officials have publicly stated their goals around matching that haul.

Despite being known for winter sports power, Austria’s alpine skiing quotas are limited with only one male and one female spot through the basic quota, which puts more emphasis on strong performances from those racers in technical and speed events. In biathlon, Austria qualified nine athletes (five women and four men) through the 2024–25 Biathlon World Cup standings, giving the nation a solid presence in sprint, pursuit, and relay races.

Speed skating is a relative strength this year, with Austria qualifying ten skaters (five per gender) via the 2025–26 ISU Speed Skating World Cup, where Austrian athletes will be looking for personal bests and possible top‑10 finishes. The nation also secured spots in cross‑country skiing and ski mountaineering, including two athletes in the latter for its Olympic debut, aiming for competitive showings.

In figure skating, Austria qualified a quota in women’s singles thanks to strong results at the 2025 World Championships, and Olga Mikutina is expected to be a key representative aiming for a high placement. Short‑track speed skating also features an Austrian male skater, giving the team a chance to compete in fast, tactical ice races.

Austria’s winter sports tradition includes big names and champions in past Games, but recent world results suggest some challenges as the team seeks consistency, especially in alpine technical disciplines where World Cup podiums have been less frequent. The nation also qualified competitors in biathlon and Nordic skiing, though these squads are typically more competitive at top‑10 levels than outright medal favourites this cycle.

While Austria will not field ice hockey teams in Milan due to non‑qualification in that category, its athletes in individual and small‑group disciplines still aim for strong results and personal bests. A few emerging athletes and veterans alike will be under the spotlight as they take Centre stage in Olympic arenas across snow and ice venues.

Overall, Team Austria comes to Milan‑Cortina 2026 with a blend of tradition, speed skating hopes, biathlon depth, and technical skiers — looking to secure solid placements, surprise podiums, and sustain their country’s proud Winter Olympic legacy.

While legendary alpine star Marcel Hirscher had flirted with a comeback to the Olympics, he recently announced that he will not compete in Milano Cortina due to performance challenges.

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