Park City Skier Rosie Brennan Qualifies for Third Olympics

Brennan, 37, has battled a mystery illness for a year but still earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic team.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 3:39pm

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Park City cross country skier Rosie Brennan, 37, has qualified for her third Olympic Games despite missing two World Cup events this season due to a lingering mystery illness. Brennan, a medal contender at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, is currently ranked 53rd in the world but is hoping her years of strong training and experience racing in Val di Fiemme, the host site for the cross country events at the upcoming Milan Olympics, will help her perform well.

Why it matters

Brennan's qualification for the Olympics despite her health challenges is a testament to her perseverance and commitment to the sport. As a Park City native, her success also highlights the impact of the 2002 Winter Olympics on the local community and its continued investment in cross country skiing.

The details

Brennan has battled a mystery illness for about a year that has impacted her performance, dropping her from a career-high ranking of 4th in 2023 to 53rd currently. Despite this, she was able to qualify for her third Olympics by racing the first three World Cups of the season and opting out of the grueling Tour de Ski around the holidays before returning for the last two World Cups.

  • Brennan qualified for the Olympics on January 21, 2026.
  • The cross country events at the Milan Olympics will take place in Val di Fiemme, where Brennan has raced most years since 2016.

The players

Rosie Brennan

A 37-year-old cross country skier from Park City, Utah who has qualified for her third Olympic Games despite battling a lingering mystery illness for about a year.

Jessie Diggins

Brennan's U.S. teammate and the current world number one cross country skier, who is 28 years old.

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What they’re saying

“I am proud of myself for having the courage to try when things were far from ideal. I wish more than anything that this wasn't the case and I could be competing with my full self, so it's also been immensely challenging to push on when I know my body isn't where it should be.”

— Rosie Brennan (parkrecord.com)

“Many think of the Olympics as this massive party and fun time, and quite frankly it's none of that. It's our job to have our best performances during that time period, and cross country has races the first day, last day and many in between, so our focus remains high throughout the whole time period.”

— Rosie Brennan (parkrecord.com)

What’s next

Brennan is using every day leading up to the Olympics to fine-tune her body, and she is not sure yet which specific races she will enter in Val di Fiemme. The coaches will make that decision closer to the start of the Games.

The takeaway

Rosie Brennan's qualification for her third Olympics despite significant health challenges is an inspiring story of perseverance and commitment. As a Park City native, her success also highlights the lasting impact of the 2002 Winter Olympics on the local community and its continued investment in cross country skiing.