Athletes from around the world are in the Italian Alps for the opening of the 2026 Winter Olympics on Friday – including 13 sportspeople from eight African countries. Though the continent isn't associated with winter sports,

Nigeria is once again making its mark on the global stage, participating for the fourth consecutive time in the Winter Olympic Games, specifically the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games.This remarkable streak began in 2018,

Fourteen athletes from eight African nations are set to compete at the Winter Olympics, marking a significant increase from Beijing 2022.

Samuel Ikpefan will be Nigeria’s only athlete at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, where he is set to compete in cross-country skiing, extending the country’s modest but growing presence at the Winter Games,

The Winter Olympics promise plenty of high adrenaline, fierce competition, historic firsts and emotional moments over 2 1/2 weeks. Here are some of the names and narratives to keep an eye on.