Mexico’s Sarah Schleper and her son Lasse Gaxiola are set to write a unique chapter in Winter Olympic history as they prepare to compete at the Milano Cortina 2026 Games, becoming the first mother and son to feature at the same Winter Olympics.
Eighteen-year-old Gaxiola will make his Olympic debut in the giant slalom in Bormio, while his mother, 46-year-old Schleper, will compete a day later in Cortina, where she will also become the oldest female Alpine skier ever to race at the Olympics and the first to appear at seven Winter Games.
Despite sharing the Olympic spotlight, the two will not be able to support each other in person during their races due to competing at different venues.
“It’s difficult because we’re in two different places,” Schleper said. “But it’s also good because he can experience the Olympics as an individual instead of me telling him what he has to do. I’m always trying to give him too much advice. You can never stop being a mum and just be a teammate.”
Schleper, originally from Colorado, first competed at the Olympics for the United States before switching allegiance to Mexico after marrying her Mexican husband Federico. She returned from retirement in 2015 and has since continued her remarkable longevity in the sport. Her best Olympic result came in 2006 when she finished tenth in the slalom.
Now she will share the Olympic stage with her son, who is the same age she was when she made her own debut at the Nagano Games in 1998.
“I’m just so proud of him,” Schleper said. “This experience is going to help him grow up and understand how important this event is.”
Gaxiola, meanwhile, admits that not having his mother alongside him during competition is both a challenge and a benefit.
“In some ways I’m happy that we’re apart because having her around does put a little extra pressure on me,” he said. “Sometimes I wish she was here so we could experience everything together, but it also helps calm me down.”
The young skier credits his mother for shaping his career and teaching him everything he knows about the sport.
“It feels great to give something back to her because she’s been there throughout my whole skiing journey,” he said.
Schleper revealed she became emotional when she saw her son during the Olympic opening ceremony, a moment that reminded her of her own first appearance on the world stage nearly three decades ago.
“My first Olympics were a blur of emotion,” she said. “Seeing him there brought everything back. It feels like this whole journey has been destiny.”
Their shared presence at the Games not only highlights a remarkable family story but also underlines the enduring passion and longevity that continue to define Olympic sport.
