“I love the sport of ski racing, and I wanted so badly to realize my dream of becoming an Olympic champion.” That was the dream of then 22-year-old Breezy Johnson before the 2022 Olympics. Despite qualifying for the Games, she couldn’t compete. But that dream came true four years later. In 2026, Johnson made it a reality, standing on top of the podium and representing Team USA… just hours after Donald Trump’s controversial comments about the team.

The American skier entered the Cortina downhill course with confidence on February 8, and the skier completed the course in 1 minute 36.10 seconds. Johnson was the sixth skier to race, so she had to wait as 30 other competitors had their turns. Her heart must have been racing as Emma Aicher of Germany came second, only 0.04 seconds behind her.

Sofia Goggia of Italy got bronze, and in the blink of an eye, Team USA had women’s downhill Olympic gold in 16 years. And yet it was not all about the race. After winning, Breezy Johnson stood, emotional as the American flag rose and the national anthem played. Tears filled her eyes.

“It’s definitely heavier than I expected,” she said. “I think that’s maybe why it broke,” she added, a reference to her emotions overflowing. “I haven’t really been anywhere else. I assume somebody will fix it.”

These words clearly show her emotions, and who wouldn’t be moved after coming full circle on such a challenging journey?

Breezy Johnson had qualified for the 2022 Beijing Olympics but was forced to skip the Olympics after tearing her knee ligament during training. She was then in good shape, but the injury continued to hold her back from competing to her best. It was a huge blow!

Months later, Breezy came back to the World Cup circuit in 2023 after rehab. By 2025, she was able to recover, and she won the world championships in the downhill race. This showed that the 2026 Olympics could be her time, and it turned out to be true. When Johnson crossed the finish line in Cortina, winning Olympic gold, it was the ultimate comeback, and that too by representing Team USA!

While Breezy Johnson experienced a moment of pure pride, one 27-year-old Team USA freestyle skier, who was also set to represent his country, found himself at the center of controversy just before his Olympic debut.

Before Breezy Johnson’s Olympic triumph, Hunter Hess faced backlash over mixed emotions!

Hunter Hess was gearing up for his first-ever Olympic appearance in 2026 as part of Team USA. But before even hitting the slopes, he stirred the pot during a press conference when he admitted that representing the United States brought up “mixed emotions.”

“There’s a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of,” Hess said. “It’s a little hard. There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of, and I think a lot of people aren’t.”

Hess went on to explain that for him, it was more about representing the people who matter most to him, his friends, his family, and the ones who came before him: “I think if it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I’m representing it. Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.”

Hess’s words were tied to the political climate back home, particularly the heated debates over immigration enforcement. It was a sentiment many could relate to, but not everyone agreed with his approach.

The backlash came quickly, especially from President Donald Trump, who did not hold back. Trump blasted Hess on social media, saying, “U.S. Olympic Skier, Hunter Hess, a real Loser, says he doesn’t represent his Country in the current Winter Olympics. If that’s the case, he shouldn’t have tried out for the Team, and it’s too bad he’s on it. Very hard to root for someone like this. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

While Breezy Johnson reveled in the pride of representing Team USA, Hunter Hess found himself in controversy, questioning what it truly meant to wear the red, white, and blue!