The 15-Year-Old Who Dove Headfirst into the Olympics

Fifteen-year-old freestyle skier Abby Winterberger has become the youngest member of Team USA at the Winter Olympics, a journey fueled by a signature fearlessness she displayed as a young child by diving headfirst down a towering, off-limits water slide without a raft.
That defining moment, where she blew past terrified adults, foreshadowed the determination that propelled her to qualify for the Olympics in her first season on the professional circuit, where she is now competing against the very athletes she grew up idolizing.
A former competitive gymnast, Winterberger combines aerial comfort with a fierce competitive spirit, earning her spot by posting impressive results in World Cup events and maintaining composure in tough conditions, all while balancing remote schooling and constant travel to chase snow year-round.
With her coach stating he sees “no ceiling” for her potential and her father describing her approach as “full send, every time,” Winterberger is not just making history as the youngest American at the Games but also signaling a bright future for U.S. freestyle skiing.