Star Athletes Command Millions of Followers at Milan-Cortina 2026

"Did you just see that person walk by?"

This is a common refrain in the Olympic Village. While all are Olympians, some athletes generate buzz with their every move—the "stars among stars." These are the athlete-influencers.

According to social media data as of February 9, athlete-influencers are drawing attention from both fans and fellow competitors at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.

Dutch speed skater Jutta Leerdam tops the list with 5.07 million Instagram followers. The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics silver medalist competes in the 500m and 1,000m events. Standing 182cm tall with striking features and athletic appeal, she commands a massive fan base. Her profile rose significantly after going public with her relationship with combat sports YouTuber Jake Paul, who made headlines fighting Mike Tyson in 2024. Leerdam and Paul announced their engagement last year and arrived in Italy together on a private jet.

Women's ski and snowboard events feature three major influencers: freestyle skier Gu Ailing (China, also known as Eileen Gu), snowboard halfpipe rider Chloe Kim (USA), and alpine skier Lindsey Vonn (USA). They boast 2.13 million, 1.06 million, and 2.87 million followers respectively.

Born to an American father and Chinese mother, Gu represented the United States before naturalizing as Chinese. She won two gold medals and one silver at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Her popularity in China led to a sweep of local advertising deals, though criticism followed when she returned to living in the United States. Gu recently fired back at critics on social media, writing: "What have you done for your country?"

Korean American Chloe Kim is pursuing an unprecedented third consecutive Olympic gold in snowboard. She made headlines late last year by revealing her relationship with NFL star Myles Garrett. Vonn, former partner of golf legend Tiger Woods, graced the cover of Time magazine last fall under the headline "Her Comeback." After retiring in 2019, Vonn received a titanium artificial knee joint and returned in 2024, securing another Olympic berth at age 42. However, she suffered a left leg fracture in a crash during the women's downhill event on February 8 and was eliminated from competition.

Some stars go beyond popularity to engage fans on social issues including climate change. American cross-country skier Jessie Diggins, "Jump God" Ilia Malinin pursuing the quintuple jump (USA men's figure skating), and Jordan Stolz—dubbed the "Michael Phelps of speed skating" for his dominance in both short and long distances (USA men's speed skating)—all use social media to voice opinions on various social issues.

From South Korea, men's figure skater Cha Jun-hwan stands out. The former child actor was ranked first in Vogue Hong Kong's list of most handsome athletes at the Games, published on February 7. The magazine dubbed him the "Ice Prince," noting his substantial fanbase both domestically and internationally.