The 2026 Winter Olympics: Girl Power Redefined

By Daphne Tsarnas ‘26

Though the 2026 Winter Olympics have been over for nearly two weeks, the pure passion and thrill that the event gathers from people across the world is still lingering. The Games, besides being pure entertainment, provide individuals from every corner of the globe with an opportunity to celebrate masters of their craft in a rare and fleeting moment of unity that transcends borders and politics. As a former athlete myself, I hold tightly to memories of watching nearly every event at the Olympics, winter and summer alike, completely captivated. I especially looked up to female athletes like Mikaela Shiffrin and Mirai Nagasu, whose superhuman-esque grit and resilience served as a reminder of why I competed and trained to the degree I did in the first place. Even after an injury prompted my retirement from tennis, the spirit of the Games and the athletes who embody it continue to motivate me in all aspects of my life.

This year brought a multitude of victories from strong women who are now undoubtedly idols for young girls watching from home like I once was. For one, Madison Chock, an American ice dancer from Southern California, helped Team USA earn gold in the team event and a silver medal alongside her partner of fifteen years and husband of two, Evan Bates. Together, the pair glided across the ice with a certain gracefulness that was palpable through the screen. Even though the couple fell short of the gold medal they so strongly desired, they were able to play off of one another’s artistry and technical talent to create a level of trust throughout each performance that was nothing short of admirable. Beyond skating, Chock even designed costumes for herself and Bates, as well as for her competitors from Australia, Spain and Georgia, which she claims enhances her creativity on and off the ice. 

On the slopes, freestyle skier Eileen Gu once again proved why she remains one of the most talked about athletes in the world. Though American-born, Gu chose to represent her family’s native China at the Olympics this time around in an effort to showcase the art of

the sport to a generation of Chinese children who may not receive the same exposure as American children do. Her résumé off the mountain is just as impressive; she balances competing at the highest level with being a full-time Stanford student studying international relations and a successful model for luxury brands and fashion magazines. Already the most decorated female free skier in history, Gu has become somewhat of an internet phenomenon in recent weeks, often being joked about as being “almost unfairly perfect.”

Snowboarder Chloe Kim similarly continues to make greatness look easy. The American halfpipe star competed in her third Olympics having long dominated her sport with a sort of calm confidence that she’s now known for. Kim often gains attention from fellow members of Gen Z, currently being commended for her playlist of rappers Young Thug and Baby Keem that played as she launched into her pipe routine that earned her a silver medal. Her quiet impact is one I’ve followed since she won gold in 2018 at the very age I am currently.

Above all else, the fact that the Olympic Games are composed of hundreds of athletes all in pursuit of greatness is something that helps me channel my passion for perseverance in life, even though I no longer compete. Watching these women dominate, among hundreds of others that I could similarly praise, inspires me just as much now as it did when I was a young athlete watching eagerly from home.

Photo Courtesy of: factionskis.com

Source: Archives.gov

Edited By : Mikaila Rivas '26, Catherine Polatidis '26, Kavya '26, Ms. Brilliant

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