Quebec's Olympic Contenders: Seven Athletes to Watch at Milano Cortina 2026
The 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina will feature a formidable contingent of Quebec athletes, each with strong medal potential. These seven competitors share a common bond beyond their provincial roots: they excel on ice and snow, and they are all focused on podium finishes.
Marie-Philip Poulin: Hockey Captain Facing Ultimate Challenge
At 34 years old from Beauceville, Marie-Philip Poulin serves as the veteran captain of Team Canada's women's ice hockey team. She faces one of her most significant challenges as Canada prepares to defend its Olympic legacy. The Canadian team has secured gold in five of the seven Olympic Games featuring women's hockey, with Poulin playing a crucial role in many victories. However, recent competitions against arch-rival Team USA have seen American dominance, setting the stage for an intense showdown in Italy.
William Dandjinou: Speedskating's Rising Star
Twenty-four-year-old William Dandjinou from Sherbrooke represents Canada in short-track speedskating. Over the past two seasons, the Canadian team—affectionately nicknamed the Ice Maples—has captured multiple gold medals at ISU Short Track World Tour events. They have earned consecutive Crystal Globes as overall sport leaders. Dandjinou himself has won the Crystal Globe as top male skater for two straight years, becoming the first Canadian to achieve this distinction.
Mikaël Kingsbury: Moguls Skiing Dominance Continues
Mikaël Kingsbury, 33, from Deux-Montagnes, has established himself as the most dominant force in moguls skiing history. He continues Quebec's remarkable tradition in the sport that began in the 1990s with Jean-Luc Brassard and continued through athletes like Alexandre Bilodeau and Montreal's Dufour-Lapointe sisters—Maxime, Justine, and Chloé.
Valérie Maltais: Veteran Speedskater Hitting Her Peak
Thirty-five-year-old Valérie Maltais from La Baie enters her fifth Olympic Games appearing to reach her competitive peak at the perfect moment. One of only three athletes worldwide to win Olympic medals in both short-track and long-track speedskating, Maltais recently recorded the fastest 3,000 meters of her career. She earned a silver medal at the World Cup season opener in Salt Lake City, Utah, demonstrating her readiness for Olympic competition.
Éliot Grondin: Snowboard Cross Prodigy
Éliot Grondin, 24, from Ste-Marie, has developed one of the world's quickest starts in snowboard cross—an advantage cultivated through years as the youngest competitor. As the smallest athlete among larger opponents, Grondin recognized early that getting ahead quickly was essential for victory. He has refined his starting technique through hundreds of competitions, combining this with rigorous daily training. This dedication resulted in seven wins out of thirteen World Cup races during the 2023-2024 season.
Laurence St-Germain: Alpine Skiing's Surprise Champion
Thirty-one-year-old Laurence St-Germain from St-Ferréol-les-Neiges stunned the skiing world in 2023 by winning gold at the FIS Alpine Ski World Championships. This marked the first Canadian victory in the event in 63 years and only the second overall for Canada. St-Germain achieved this remarkable feat by defeating American skiing legend Mikaela Shiffrin.
Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps: Pairs Figure Skating Comeback Story
Forty-two-year-old Deanna Stellato-Dudek from Park Ridge, Illinois, and 34-year-old Maxime Deschamps from Pointe-Claire form a pairs figure skating team with an extraordinary narrative. Stellato-Dudek's comeback represents one of modern figure skating's most incredible stories. Originally a 17-year-old phenom aiming for the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, injuries forced her retirement for 16 years. Now, 24 years later, she finally has the opportunity to fulfill her Olympic dream alongside her partner.
These seven Quebec athletes represent diverse disciplines but share a common determination to excel on the world's biggest winter sports stage. Their journeys to Milano Cortina 2026 showcase the depth of athletic talent emerging from Quebec and their potential to bring home Olympic medals for Canada.
