Much ink has been spilled over the fanfare that surrounds the extravaganza that is the Summer Olympics when it comes around every four years. However, for many of us, it is the oft-overlooked little brother that is the Winter Olympics that is the real star of the show. From ice hockey to snowboarding to figure skating – every event is full of excitement and adventure. Ever since the first Winter Olympic games were held in Chamonix, France in 1924 it has captured the imagination of athletes from all around the world.
Now it’s almost time once again for the Winter Olympics to shine on an international stage. This time it will be jointly hosted by the cities of Milan and Cortina, Italy. The Games begin with the opening ceremonies on February 6th, 2026 and continuing until February 22nd. Nations from around the world with showcase their best athletes from across a variety of winter sports. In honor of this incredible event, we have compiled some of the best quotes from Winter Olympic athletes from across the years. Whether they competed in cross-country skiing, speed skating, or bobsleigh, they have reached the pinnacle of their sport and there is much we can all learn from them. So, before the Milan Winter Olympics 2026, here are 17 of the best Winter Olympic athlete quotes to help you lock in before the New Year!
1) “There is a popular fallacy that falling down is the mark of a poor skater. But the truth is that when one stops falling, he has probably stopped improving.” – Dick Button (United States)
Winter Olympic event: Men’s singles figure skating
Number of appearances: 2
2) “I train like I’ve never won and compete like I’ve never lost.” – Eileen Gu (China)
Winter Olympic Event: Freestyle skiing
Number of appearances: 1
3) “I think there is a very big chance I will finish last. But the placing is not important if I can teach young people in Nepal about the Olympic spirit. This spirit is in my heart.” – Dachhiri Sherpa
Winter Olympic event: Cross-country skiing
Number of appearences: 3
4) “To uncover your true potential you must first find your own limits and then have the courage to blow past them.” – Picabo Street (United States)
Winter Olympic event: Alpine skiing
- Number of appearances: 3
5) “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky (Canada)
Winter Olympic event: Men’s ice hockey
Number of appearances: 1
This quote is easily legendary hockey player Wayne Gretzky’s most well-known due to a notable quotation from the great Michael Scott (of The Office fame). Interestingly enough, despite being one of the greatest hockey players of all time, Wayne Gretzky only competed in a single Olympic Games as a player.
Why did Wayne Gretzky only compete in one Winter Olympics? Well that’s because the International Olympic Committee (IOC) actually banned professional athletes and only allowed “amateur” hockey players to compete in the games until 1998. Since Gretzky had been playing in in the NHL, he was considered a “professional” player and thereby barred from the games until the ban was lifted in 1998. By that time Gretzky was already 36 years old and, while still elite, was out of his peak era. Though he did not medal in his one and only Olympic games as a player, he did lead Canadian men’s team to gold when he served as the executive director of Team Canada in 2002.
6) “You take a crash, you get back up, and next time you succeed – and that’s a great feeling.” – Shaun White (United States)
Winter Olympic event: Men’s snowboard halfpipe
Number of appearances: 5
7) “To win, you have to risk loss.” – Jean-Claude Killy (France)
Winter Olympic event: Alpine skiing
Number of appearances: 2
8) “I have to stay optimistic and I won’t complain too much. I will pull myself together again because this is my character – that I never give up. I will show ever doubter that I can still come back to reach higher levels.” – Xu Mengtao (China)
Winter Olympic event: Women’s freestyle skiing
Number of appearances: 4
9) “It was my dream to get to those Olympic Games despite everyone saying it was impossible. No matter how many people say you can’t do something, use that as inspiration to prove them wrong.” – Michael Edwards (Great Britain)
Winter Olympic event: Ski jump
Number of appearances: 1
Michael “Eddie the Eagle” Edwards is one of the most unique stories in Winter Olympic history. At the time, Britain had no other Olympic ski jumpers so he set two records for the United Kingdom just by competing in his two events (Normal and Large Hill) despite placing last in both. His indomitable spirit and can-do attitude made him an instant hit with the public leading the media to give him the playful and somewhat ironic nickname “Eddie the Eagle”, rather than him having come up with it himself.
Edwards was poor and inexperienced, wearing thick glasses that often fogged up and oversized secondhand equipment; but, his overwhelming positivity and underdog quickly won the hearts of all who came to know him. Even though he was incredibly outmatched, his unshakable determination quickly made him one of the most beloved figures in Olympic history.
Will we see another “Eddie the Eagle” at the Milan Winter Olympics 2026? Probably not, unfortunately. Due to Eddie’s surprising and enduring popularity, the IOC created stricter qualification rules for Winter Olympic athletes. Even Michael Edwards himself could no longer meet the minimum standard to qualify after the update resulting in the 1998 Winter Olympics being his only appearance. Still, we have had somewhat similar stories in recent years ranging from the inspirational 2016 Nigerian bobsled team to the somewhat more confusing and often derided Australian break-dancer Ray Gun who scored zero points for her performance at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Still, given some of the issues Italy seems to be having with the hockey rink before the Winter Olympics 2026, maybe some other zany character will slip through the cracks next year! If all else fails you can dress up like Eddie yourself and start your iconic “Eddie the Eagle” costume with some pink ski goggles like the ones below!
10) “Whatever you’re fighting for, you go with full passion and love.” – Michelle Kwan (United States)
Winter Olympic event: Women’s singles figure skating
Number of appearances: 2
11) “If you dream and allow yourself to dream, you can do anything.” – Clara Hughes (Canada)
Winter Olympic event: Speed skating
Number of appearances: 3
12) “Never try to imitate anyone else. Follow your own path, find something new, something that is yours, and stick with it.” – Ricco Groß (Germany)
Winter Olympic event: Biathlon
Number of appearances: 5
13) “If I have given my all and still do not win, I haven’t lost. Others might remember winning or losing; I remember the journey.” – Apolo Anton Ohno (United States)
Winter Olympic event: Speed skating
Number of appearances: 3
Who is the most decorated Winter Olympic Athlete? That would be Apolo Anton Ohno. Apolo Ohno competed in his first Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2002 at the age of 19. How many Olympic medals does Apolo Anton Ohno have? Ohno has a total of 8 medals (2 gold, 2 silver, 4 bronze) while competing for the United States across a number of different speed skating events making him the most decorated Winter Olympic Athlete of all time. Though, if you believe the quote from this great Winter Olympic athlete, he’d still be a winner even if he hadn’t won a single medal.
14) “Much later I came to understand what Jamaican bobsleigh meant to the people at this time and continues to mean; it’s the finest part of the Olympic movement.” – Chris Stokes (Jamaica)
Winter Olympic event: Bobsleigh
Number of appearances: 4
15) “Every day, someone realizes a dream. I believe dreams help light our darkness and give us the the push we need to move across the rink of life.” – Kristi Yamaguchi (United States)
Winter Olympic event: Women’s singles figure skating
Number of appearances: 1
16) “I was convinced Sochi would be my last Games and yet here I am. Years ago, I would have never imagined I’d go as far as I have and still be in the condition I am in today. It’s an incentive, as even though the years are passing, I feel better and better.” – Adrianna Fontana (Italy)
Winter Olympic event: Speed Skating
Number of appearances: 5
17) “If one little girl who looks like me picks up a winter sport because she sees me, that’s all anybody could ever ask for.” – Elana Meyers (United States)
Winter Olympic event: Bobsleigh
Number of appearances: 4
The Winter Olympics and its athletes have been inspiring people from around the world since it began over 100 years ago and these quotes from Winter Olympic athletes are sure to serve as a source of motivation for many young athletes. As we prepare for another Winter Olympic games, it is helpful to reflect on the hard-work, dedication, and support that it took to get these athletes to their destination. It is something that is truly breathtakingly inspiring. Hopefully, the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics 2026 with serve as a source of even more wonderful moments and words of wisdom like these ones.
Hosting a Winter Olympics party? This international flags banner below is the perfect decoration for your Olympic party! The banner features authentic flags from 224 different countries so it’s sure to be a hit no matter which nation your guests are rooting for!
What are your favorite quotes from Winter Olympic athletes?
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