Jessie Diggins, trailblazing star of cross-country skiing, to retire at end of season | Jessie Diggins

Jessie Diggins, the most decorated American cross-country skier of all time, revealed she will retire at the end of the season, ending a 15-year career that redefined what American athletes could accomplish in a sport long dominated by European nations.

Diggins will compete on the entire World Cup schedule and compete in his fourth Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina before finishing his local snow career at the World Cup Final in Lake Placid. She announces her departure as the world’s number one skier, owner of three World Cup titles and three distance globes, and four-time Olympic medalist – including the famous 2018 team sprint gold medal she won with Kikkan Randall, which marked the first Olympic title in U.S. cross-country skiing history.

“It’s time to open the next chapter of my life and it’s going to be filled with so many things,” she said Thursday during a Zoom call from Finland, where she is preparing for the season opener. “I’ve worked very, very hard for a very long time and I love what I do and I love this team…but it’s time to start the next chapter of my life.”

The 34-year-old from the small suburb of Afton in St Paul (population 2,951) said she was looking forward to spending more time at home after years of being on the road seven months a year. “I don’t mind hard work, although it can be very hard on the body,” she said. “But actually, it’s the journey… it makes it quite difficult to have anything close to a normal life. The time has come for me to be really excited about having a normal life.”

She also revealed an ultra-endurance goal: to run a 100-mile race. “It’s ironic to say, yes, I’m going to cross-country ski so I can run a hundred miles on trails,” she said with a laugh. “But it really lights up my soul.”

Since debuting on the World Cup circuit as a teenager, Diggins has amassed 79 podiums and 29 victories. She also won three overall crystal globes, the biggest prize in cross-country skiing, something no woman outside Europe had won even once before Diggins in 2021. Her glitter-streaked cheeks and ever-upbeat attitude have helped make her one of the most visible figures in winter sports, while her ability to dive deep into what she calls the “cave of pain” has made her one of its fiercest competitors. She credits her Minnesota upbringing with instilling that fighting spirit. “Minnesota raises people in a very tough way – tough but with kindness,” she said. “It was like, ‘No, it’s really cold outside, no problem, just put on an extra jacket.'”

But Diggins’ legacy extends far beyond the medals. Her openness about her long recovery from an eating disorder and her efforts to improve mental health support for athletes have made her one of the most influential advocates in the U.S. Olympic movement. “One of the pieces of legacy I leave behind is how US Ski & Snowboard deals with mental health and how they support people,” she said. “When someone says, ‘Hey, I have an eating disorder,’ there’s so much help available, because I’ve been so open and shared everything along the way.”

Diggins said Thursday that the decision to retire was made gradually rather than in one dramatic moment. “It wasn’t a great time,” she said. “Over time, all these other things in my life that are important to me started to overvalue just ski racing. »

The ability to spend more time with her husband, Wade, played a major role. “When you’re 20 and you’re not dating anyone, going to the World Cup is great,” she said. “But as time goes on, you’re like, oh my God, it’s getting harder and harder, and all these other things started to overvalue ski racing.”

She admitted she was hesitant to make it public earlier this fall, especially after an FIS official prematurely disclosed her plans. “I didn’t want to share it until I was ready to get everyone involved with me,” she said. “Now I am.”

With the news of her retirement now public, Diggins said she would approach Milan-Cortina differently than her previous Olympics. “Telling people, yes, these are my last Games, it frees me and I enjoy it,” she said. “Even if it doesn’t go perfectly, my career is all this work. I just want to be there and enjoy every day and every race.”

She expects around 60 friends and family members to attend, a stark contrast to the isolation of the Beijing Games, compromised by Covid. “I want to be able to share it with them,” she said.

Her goal for the season, she says, is simple: savor it. “I can thank you every time I leave a race location. This is the last time you take my skis after a race and take my bib. It’s really special.”

She still plans to race a full schedule, including the Tour de Ski, the seven-stage, nine-day race series modeled on the Tour de France that straddles the new year. “My body seems to really like running,” she said. “So basically, I’m doing as much as I can because it’s my last time. And why not?”

Before signing, Diggins thought about what she hopes young athletes take away from her career. “Do what you love and share it with as many people as possible,” she said. “And it’s okay to be super vulnerable. The number of people who then become a part of your story and your life, it’s amazing.”