Maine Native Emily Fischnaller Misses Olympic Luge Medal

Fischnaller finishes 12th in women's singles luge, just off the podium.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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Emily Fischnaller, a Maine native competing for Team USA, had the best Olympic performance of her career in the women's singles luge event at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. Fischnaller finished in 12th place, just missing out on a medal, after a strong competition that saw her in medal contention through the first three runs.

Why it matters

Fischnaller's performance represents continued progress for the American luge program, which has struggled to win medals in women's singles in recent Olympics. Her story also highlights the perseverance of an athlete who has overcome a severe injury from a previous Olympic crash to compete at the highest level.

The details

Fischnaller, who was born in Portland, Maine and now lives in Italy, had the second-fastest time in the third run to jump into fifth place. However, she struggled in her fourth and final run, hitting the side of the track multiple times. Her total time of 3:33.035 was not enough to reach the podium, as Germany's Julia Taubitz won gold, Latvia's Elina Bota took silver, and Fischnaller's teammate Ashley Farquharson claimed the bronze medal.

  • Fischnaller competed in the women's singles luge event at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy on February 10, 2026.
  • In 2018, Fischnaller suffered a severe crash at the Pyeongchang Olympics, breaking her neck and back.

The players

Emily Fischnaller

A Maine native competing for Team USA in the women's singles luge event at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Ashley Farquharson

Fischnaller's teammate on the U.S. luge team, who won the bronze medal in the women's singles event.

Julia Taubitz

The German luger who won the gold medal in the women's singles event.

Elina Bota

The Latvian luger who won the silver medal in the women's singles event.

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What they’re saying

“I broke my neck and back at the Olympics doing extreme sledding. Like, that's not relatable to the average person. But I'm also a person who went through a traumatic experience who put herself back together to face a fear, and that's really relatable.”

— Emily Fischnaller (The Athletic)

The takeaway

Fischnaller's performance at the 2026 Winter Olympics showcases the progress of the American luge program and the perseverance of an athlete who has overcome a severe injury to compete at the highest level. Her story resonates with fans as an example of the determination and resilience required to reach the Olympic stage.