A second shot at Olympic glory

Five athletes with Harvard ties are among the thousands set to compete on the slopes and ice of Italy this month at the 2026 Winter Olympics. They include a current Extension School student who made her Olympics debut at age 17 and an alumnus who is one of the most decorated student-athletes in the history of Harvard’s skiing program.

The alum, Rémi Drolet ’24, is chasing his second chance at Olympics victory, representing his home country of Canada once again.

“I’ve been in Europe for a few weeks now, mostly competing in the World Cup circuit,” Drolet said, describing his preparation for the Games. “We went for an altitude training in Switzerland. We’ve been bouncing around a lot in preparation for Italy.”

Drolet made his Olympics debut at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, fulfilling a dream sparked while watching the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics on television. Now, he is ready to apply those lessons learned at Beijing.

“Being a bit older, I think I am able to handle the pressure better now,” Drolet said. “Around the Games, there are periods that are busy and periods where you are twiddling your thumbs, and it can be hard to go back and forth between the two. It really helps to head into these games with that previous experience.”

At Harvard, Drolet left his mark both on the trail and in the classroom. He was a three-time All-American and the 2023 NCAA Men’s 20K Classic National Champion. A native of Rossland, British Columbia, Drolet earned Academic All-America honors twice and a 2024 NCAA Today’s Top 10 Award for his accomplishments.

“One of the things that Harvard taught me that I use in training is how to make the most out of every situation,” he said. “I felt like I always had quite a bit on my plate at Harvard, and balancing so many different things at once is helping me now sharpen my focus in training.

“One of the things that Harvard taught me that I use in training is how to make the most out of every situation.”

Rémi Drolet

“The Olympics is a cool time because so many more people are paying attention to your sport. A lot of people in my community are sending me well wishes and encouraging me. It is a very special feeling.”

‘Ready to leave it all out there and enjoy every second’

Tess Johnson, an undergraduate pursuing a psychology degree at Harvard Extension School, is also preparing for her second appearance at the Games. The native of Vail, Colorado — a mogul skier — made her Olympic debut for Team United States at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics at 17 years old.

“I started skiing when I was 2 years old and I always had a competitive spirit,” Johnson said. “When I was 9, I really wanted to compete in slope style with the huge jumps and rails, but I was just too young at the time. My mom signed me up for a mogul skiing program called Bumps and Jumps. I loved it right from the beginning and never looked back.”

Johnson first learned about the Extension School during her senior year of high school. Coming off her first Olympics, she wanted a challenging academic workload while taking the next step in her skiing career.

“Harvard Extension School seemed like such a great fit from the moment I learned about it and it has been so incredible,” Johnson said. “It allows me to pursue both my athletic and academic dreams from anywhere in the world. I will be taking a class at the Olympics; it is amazing.”

Johnson typically takes two classes a semester and hopes to graduate within the next two years. Studying psychology stood out because of previous personal experience.

“Sports psychology has been really instrumental to me both in my career and my life,” Johnson said. “I’ve always been drawn to it, for both personal gain and intellectual curiosity. Every class I take during my academic career, I know it’s the right path for me, and I want to pursue a Ph.D. when I graduate.”

For now, she is focused on the competition in Italy.

“I feel so much more prepared and confident heading to my second Olympic experience,” said Johnson. “I am skiing better than I ever had and I am ready to leave it all out there and enjoy every second.”

Also competing in the Games this month are alumnae Emerance Maschmeyer ’16, for Canada’s women’s ice hockey team, and Kristin Della Rovere ’23, for the Italian National Women’s Ice Hockey team. Daniel Cnossen, M.P.A. ’16, M.T.S. ’18, will compete for Team USA in the Paralympic Games in March.