We are often told that excellence can only be achieved when one is completely devoted to just a single pursuit. However, these participants in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy are a testament to having sky-high aspirations while also having family lives.
So far, most places are saying that there are nine mothers competing in the Olympics. Technically, there are ten; two of them just happen to be on the same team for the same sport. These mothers are competing in the Olympic or Paralympic Games.
Kendall Coyne Schofield currently leads the United States National Hockey Team. She is also the captain of Minnesota Frost. She won a gold medal in the 2018 Winter Olympics and a silver medal in two other Games. Her numerous achievements in various series have made her one of America’s most celebrated ice hockey players. She gave birth to her son, Drew, in 2023. She has been married to former NFL player Michael Schofield since 2018. The 2026 Winter Games are the first ones since the birth of her child.
It’s an absolute privilege representing Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
These will be my fourth Olympic Games, and my first as a mom.
It’s been more than 12 years since I learned I would compete in my first Olympics in 2014, and the feeling today is just as powerful. pic.twitter.com/16PQSY99O1
— Kendall Coyne Schofield (@KendallCoyne) January 2, 2026
This is also going to be the first Olympics since childbirth for Kelly Curtis. This is the second Olympics for the skeleton player overall.
Paralympic snowboarder Brenna Huckaby is also competing this year. She has two children. Huckaby revealed that she wanted to win so that she could show her daughter that people can always get up and fight.
Elana Meyers Taylor is one of the most celebrated names in bobsledding history. She has two children who have traveled the world with her, seeing their mother compete in various sporting events. Another legendary bobsledding name, Kaillie Humphries, is also competing in these games. Both these women were allegedly told that having children would tank their careers. It is safe to say that was an inaccurate prediction.
Olympic-medalist bobsledders Elana Meyers Taylor and Kaillie Humphries were told that their “sport career [would be] done” after having children.
But now, they’re changing that narrative, proving that you can be both a mom and an elite athlete. pic.twitter.com/VlD74cS5G6
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) January 29, 2026
Bobsledding also has Georgia native Jasmine Jones. She wants to inculcate the values of discipline and determination in her daughter, Jade.
Tara and Tabitha Peterson are curlers. They are sisters, each having one medal. This is the team that is usually considered one instead of two. They have been teammates since 2009 and have careers in dentistry and pharmacology.
Laura Dwyer is competing in the Paralympics as a wheelchair curler. She has two sons, one of whom is a U.S. Marine, while the other is a college football player. Oyuna Uranchimeg is also competing in the same sport. The latter made her debut in 2022. She started curling at the age of 43 and wanted to show her children the values of setting and achieving goals.
