By Giselda Vagnoni MILAN, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Longer competitive careers in winter sports are giving women more opportunities to become mothers without having to hang up their skates, Italian double Olympic champion Francesca Lollobrigida told Reuters on Sunday.

Women have never competed in Nordic combined at the Olympics. The IOC is touting the 2026 Games as “the most gender-balanced Olympic Winter Games in history,” with women making up 47 percent of athletes. Twelve of the 16 disciplines include full gender parity. But one discipline lacks a women’s event altogether: Nordic combined.

It is a uniquely female athlete’s quandary, the presumption that parenthood means the end of competition. This month, six American women will cart their baby gear along with their Team USA kits to Milan Cortina,

By Rory Carroll MILAN, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Japan's Kaori Sakamoto faces a trio of rising Americans and a little-known but potentially dangerous Russian teenager when the women's Olympic singles figure skating event starts on Tuesday.

A look at some of the top American athletes that are expected to compete for gold medals at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympic Games.

It's a day marked by a comeback and controversy at the Milan Cortina Olympics. Federica Brignone won a gold medal in the women's super-G to complete one of skiing's all-time great recoveries after badly breaking her leg a year ago.

Unlike in the Summer Olympics where Americans often dominate the podium, Team USA has lagged behind a bit in recent Winter Games. In 2022, Team USA finished fifth in the medal count with 25 total medals -- although their nine gold medals was good for third.

Dangerous weather conditions during Thursday's Olympic women's halfpipe final result in several concerning crashes.

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Eileen Gu isn't trying to sound zen about all this. It just sort of comes out that way. There is something inherently dangerous about flinging yourself down the side of a mountain or soaring over snow and ice,