MILAN, Italy — Sarah Schleper will line up for Mexico at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics alongside her 18-year-old son, Lasse Gaxiola, creating a first-of-its-kind moment for the country and the Games. They are set to become the first mother and son to compete at the same Winter Olympics, and Schleper is also poised to set age and longevity marks in women’s alpine skiing, Feb. 10, 2026.
It’s a headline-grabbing pairing, but the logistics are anything but simple. The Olympic alpine venues are spread across northern Italy, meaning Schleper and Gaxiola are expected to race hours apart — Schleper in Cortina d’Ampezzo and Gaxiola in Bormio — with little chance to watch each other in person when their events begin. A report by Reuters noted the geographic split will test the family’s ability to share the moment in real time.
Sarah Schleper makes Olympic history with Lasse Gaxiola
For Mexico, the significance is twofold: a rare, high-profile alpine skiing storyline and a national milestone anchored by a veteran and a newcomer. Coverage from The Associated Press described the pair’s entry as historic not only for Mexico but for Olympic record books, citing research that no other mother-son duo has competed at the same Winter Games.
International Olympic Committee storytelling has also leaned into the “firsts” theme, spotlighting how Sarah Schleper’s career arc — and her son’s arrival — converged at Milano-Cortina. The IOC’s Games-time site recapped the milestone and the family angle in a dedicated Milano-Cortina feature.
Where and when they race
Both will compete in alpine skiing, but not on the same slopes. NBC Olympics outlined the venue split and what it means day-to-day for athletes trying to balance focus, travel, and family support during the biggest meet of their lives. Here’s that overview from NBC Olympics.
For fans trying to track them across the schedule, the IOC’s athlete pages will provide event listings, start lists, and results as the competition unfolds. Gaxiola’s official Olympics profile can be found via the Milano-Cortina results portal.
Sarah Schleper’s long road to Mexico’s start gate
Sarah Schleper’s name has been familiar in alpine circles for decades. She raced in four Olympics for the United States, then later re-emerged under the Mexican flag after gaining Mexican citizenship through her husband. That nationality switch — and her return from retirement — has been part of the public record for years.
In 2011, Schleper’s first retirement became a memorable ski-world scene: she made a final World Cup run and famously scooped up her small son mid-course before finishing. One early account that captured the moment and its symbolism is this 2011 Deseret News report, published when she stepped away after a long run on the U.S. team.
By 2014, she was back — this time with Mexico in mind. NBC Sports reported on her decision to come out of retirement and compete as a citizen of Mexico in a May 2014 item, framing it as a late-career pivot that could extend her international timeline.
From Pyeongchang to Beijing, and now Milano-Cortina
Schleper’s Mexico chapter became more visible during the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, where Spanish-language coverage emphasized how personally she connected with representing Mexico. AS chronicled that cultural tie-in — including her desire to bring attention to winter sports in a summer-sports country — in a February 2018 feature.
Four years later, on the eve of Beijing 2022, ESPN revisited her unusual path and quoted her on what it meant to compete for Mexico after a prominent U.S. career. That look-back, published during her sixth Olympics, is here at ESPN.
What Mexico’s moment means beyond the medals
For Schleper, Milano-Cortina is widely being treated as a capstone — not just another start. The story resonates because Sarah Schleper’s longevity is unusual in a sport where Olympic windows are often short, while Gaxiola’s debut represents the next rung of a ladder that Mexico is still building in alpine skiing.
The family milestone also lands at a Games designed around multiple mountain clusters, a setup that can make even well-funded teams feel stretched. For a smaller winter-sports delegation, the optics of Sarah Schleper and Lasse Gaxiola being in two places at once is a reminder that “making it to the start” can be the victory that comes first.
As the races begin, Mexico will have a rare alpine storyline with global reach — and a simple headline that carries: Sarah Schleper and her son are both Olympians, at the same Olympics, for the same country.
