Wyoming’s Last Olympic Hopeful Has a Chance to Medal

One more Wyoming girl is competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics, and she is in the most BRUTAL event of all.

Her competition began on Thursday, the 19th. Now the two await the mixed team relay on Saturday.

Teton County's Anna Gibson finished her first-round heat in fifth place with a time of 3 minutes, 17.44 seconds. She's not done yet. That was just round one.

COME ON, ANNA! You got this.

Gibson finished in what is thought of as the lucky loser spot and advanced to the semifinals. So, she is still in there and in the top five. That does not suck, and she still has a very good chance at a medal.

The event she is in is new to the Olympics.

Thursday, February 19 (men’s and women’s sprints) and Saturday, February 21 (mixed relay). The events feature three medal events total, starting with sprint heats in the early morning.

What is this new sport that Anna is competing in? Watch the video below.

Ski mountaineering (skimo) makes its official debut as a new sport at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, marking the first addition of a new winter sport since snowboarding in 1998. The sport is brutal. It combines uphill climbing (skinning) and downhill skiing, featuring men’s/women’s sprints and a mixed relay, with a focus on speed and rapid transitions.

The Olympic format is fast paced, with sprint races lasting only about 3 minutes. The competition includes men's and women's individual sprints and a mixed relay.

Athletes ascend steep slopes using climbing 'skins' attached to their skis, sometimes carrying their skis on their backs (boot-packing) while wearing specialized, lightweight boots.

Winning often depends on the speed of transitioning between climbing, boot-packing, and descending.

While new to the Olympics, the sport has deep roots in 19th-century Alpine mountaineering.

While included in 2026, its inclusion in the 2030 Winter Games has not yet been finalized.

Anna Gibson is a native of Jackson Hole, will compete in the first-ever Olympic Ski Mountaineering competition. This new event is a combination of skiing up and down snowbound alpine terrain.

This new competition is BRUTAL. It's not just skiing downhill and letting gravity do its thing.

Ski mountaineering (Skimo) debuts at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, featuring intense races combining uphill climbs with skins, boot-packing sections, and fast downhill skiing, with events including men's sprint, women's sprint, and a mixed relay, showcasing endurance and technical skill in alpine terrain.

Athletes use lightweight skis with climbing skins for ascents and transition rapidly between climbing, running in boots, and skiing down to the finish.

The video below will let you see how this works.

So, grab some popcorn and watch our Wyoming girls. Let's cheer them on.