Jessie Diggins Finishes Top Ten In Skiathlon, Two Other Locals Follow
Feb 7, 2026, 6:14 AM | Updated: Feb 8, 2026, 6:48 am
MILAN, Italy — Three athletes with local ties competed in the Cross-Country Women’s Skiathlon at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, with one finishing inside the top ten on Saturday.
Jessie Diggins, Novie McCabe, and Rosie Brennan all have ties to the state of Utah and made up 75 percent of the U.S. team.
Three Locals Show Skill And Stamina In 10km + 10 km Skiathlon
Diggins, a Westminster University graduate, came into the race as one of the favorite but early traffic and a slower first half of the race had her facing early adversity.
However, the hope for a podium placement was still there as she typically thrives in the race’s second-half format.
The Skiathlon is split into two halves. The first three laps are done with Classic skis and poles, while the second is done with freestyle skis after a pit stop at the halfway point.
.@jessdiggs is digging deep. 🔥
Every second counts in the women’s skiathlon.#WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/wC1hgl8Pxb
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) February 7, 2026
Facing over a 90-second deficit, Diggins was able to make up some time but the gap was too much to overcome.
Up there with Diggins at around the second lap was Brennan, a Park City native. However, her time near the front of the pack was short-lived after the transition to the freestyle skis.
Eventually, overtaking Brennan and contending for the top 25 was McCabe, a University of Utah graduate.
The race’s winner was Frida Karlsson of Sweden with a final time of 53:45.2. Diggins came in eighth with a time of 56:06.3, McCabe at 26th with a time of 58:06.1, and Brennan at 37th with a time of 1:00:06.0.
Follow the Milan Cortina Winter Games on KSL
Find KSL Sports coverage of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics here.
Chandler Holt is a co-host of the Jazz Notes podcast, a Locals In The NFL Insider, and Digital Sports Producer for sports.ksl.com. Follow Chandler on X for Utah Jazz and Locals In The NFL updates.
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