Regina Martinez took up cross-country skiing while studying medicine in the U.S. as an antidote to harsh winters but the sport has led her to the Milano Cortina Olympics where she will be the first Mexican woman to compete in the discipline.

Second placed Jessie Diggins of United States celebrates on the podium after the women's 20km mass start classic skiing race, at the FIS Cross-Country World Cup at the Nordic Center Goms, in Geschinen, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP) Win or lose, Jessie Diggins plans to celebrate her last Olympics.