Paris-bound Olympians look forward to a post-COVID Games with fans in the stands

NEW YORK (AP) — The biggest races, routines and games for many of this generation's Olympic athletes were contested in front of mostly empty stands, largely devoid of coaches to help them out or friends and family to cheer them on. That was three years ago at the COVID-19 Summer...

French bid to host 2030 Winter Olympics talks with Italy, Netherlands to stage speed skating

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The favored French candidacy to host the 2030 Winter Olympics is in talks with the Netherlands and Italy to stage speed skating races. The cross-border option was detailed on Monday by International Olympic Committee officials ahead of a visit next week...

As many cities sour on hosting the Olympics, Salt Lake City's enthusiasm endures

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The International Olympic Committee was effusive Wednesday in its support for a decadeslong effort to bring back the Winter Games to Utah's capital city in 2034. Unlike so many other past hosts that have decided bringing back the Games isn’t worth the time,...

What do you get when you cross rodeo with skiing? The wild and wacky skijoring

LEADVILLE, Colo. (AP) — Nick Burri clicks into his ski bindings, squats to stretch his knees and scans the snowy race course. Moments later, he's zipping past a series of gates at high speed and hurtling off jumps. But it's not gravity pulling him toward the finish line: It's the brute force of a...

Brazil gains Winter Olympics medal prospect after skier Lucas Braathen switches from Norway

SALZBURG, Austria (AP) — Brazil has a top Winter Olympics medal prospect in Alpine skiing after the World Cup slalom champion last season, Lucas Braathen, announced on Thursday he will start to compete for his mother’s home nation. Braathen, whose father is Norwegian, split from...

War-scarred Sarajevo celebrates 40th anniversary of 1984 Winter Olympics and looks to the future

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — War-scarred Sarajevo is looking back to happier times from February 1984 as it celebrates the 40th anniversary of staging a successful Winter Olympics. “Our Olympic spirit is alive," said Izet Radjo, president of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Olympic...

NHL announces plans to send its players to the Winter Olympics in 2026 and 2030 for first time since 2014 Sochi Games

IOC pushes back again on Italy's $90M plan to rebuild bobsled track for 2026 Winter Olympics

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The International Olympic Committee is still not impressed with Italy’s determination to spend about $90 million rebuilding a historic bobsled track for the 2026 Winter Games. The IOC’s latest statement Wednesday on the public rift came one day...

Eileen Gu chooses 'All of the Above' when faced with choices involving skiing, Stanford and style

ASPEN, Colo. (AP) — Whether the choices are serious or of a more trivial nature, Eileen Gu refuses to be hemmed in. Two years after exploding onto the world stage at the Beijing Winter Games, the 20-year-old Olympic champion, straight-A student and fashion model remains as...

Shiffrin already in love with 2026 Olympic skiing venue in Cortina

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Two years after a disappointing Winter Olympics in Beijing, Mikaela Shiffrin couldn’t be happier about where she’ll be competing in two years at the Milan-Cortina Games. Women’s skiing in 2026 is slated for Cortina, and the resort known as the...