Women take lead as Aussies chase record Olympic haul

Melissa Woods | January 23, 2026

Australia will send its strongest ever team to the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics next month, with women making up almost two-thirds of the athletes in a record showing.

Team chef de mission Alisa Camplin will on Friday unveil a team of 53 athletes to compete in Italy – the second largest Australian Winter selection, and 10 more than the team that brought home a peak medal haul of four from Beijing.

With reigning Olympic moguls gold medallist Jakara Anthony the spearhead, there are 33 women and 20 men included for Italy.

It is easily the most women on an Australian Summer or Winter Games team, with a 62.3 per cent split eclipsing the 55.9 gender breakdown in Paris 2024 and 51.2 per cent of females competing four years ago in China.

With 27 athletes making their Games debut, 15-year-old freeskier Indra Brown is the youngest, while aerials veteran Laura Peel will compete at her third Games aged 36. 

Making her maiden appearance at World Cup level this year, Melbourne product Brown was a breakout star, winning three medals, including gold, in her first three events.

“It’s pretty special to be the youngest athlete for Australia at Milano Cortina,” said Brown, who will turn 16 before the Games opening ceremony on February 6 (local time).

“I started dreaming about being an Olympian in 2022 after seeing Jakara Anthony win gold in moguls. It was super inspirational and just gave me a lot of passion and desire to do it as well.

“I’m really excited just to get this experience that not many people are able to experience in their lifetime.” 

Fresh off his World Cup triumph in Switzerland, Scotty James will try to complete his medal collection by landing gold when he joins an elite group of four other Australians to compete at five Winter Olympics.

Three alpine skiing spots – two female and one male – are being appealed by athletes who missed selection, as Australians look to compete in 15 disciplines, including ski mountaineering and dual moguls, which are new additions to the Olympic program.

That gives 27-year-old Anthony a double chance to add to her Beijing moguls gold.

“Each Winter Games has been a different experience for me,” said the Victorian, who made her debut in PyeongChang in 2018.

“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.”

Australian athletes will arrive in Italy in impressive form, with 11 athletes winning 26 medals across seven different disciplines during the current World Cup season.

That includes 13 gold medals, with bobsleigh world No.2 ranked Bree Walker stockpiling five medals.

With 10 genuine medal chances, the 2026 team is on track to top the one gold, two silver and one bronze won in Beijing, with retired skeleton medallist Jackie Narracott the only one of the four medal winners not to return.

Veteran moguls ski star Matt Graham and snowboard cross gun Jarryd Hughes, who both medalled in 2018, remain in the team for a 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 said.

“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.”

MILAN-CORTINA BY THE NUMBERS:

* Team size 53 – 33 women and 20 men competing in 15 disciplines.

* Scotty James will compete in his fifth Olympics, while seven athletes are at their fourth.

* There are five teenagers, all female, on the team, which is up one on Beijing 2022.

* Biathlete debutant Darcie Morton will follow her dad, 2006 Olympian Cameron Morton, becoming the first father-daughter duo to represent Australia at the Winter Olympics.  

* Phil Bellingham will become just the second Australian, and first man, to compete in two Winter Olympics sports behind Jenny Lyons (nee Owens).