Cross-country star Jessie Diggins announces she will retire after this season

U.S. cross‑country skiing icon Jessie Diggins has announced that the 2025–26 season will be her last. In an emotional message on Instagram, the 34‑year‑old wrote that saying goodbye to the sport and the team she loves will be difficult, but that it “feels right in my heart,” and she is excited to begin a new chapter after one final campaign.

Diggins reflected on what skiing has given her: joy, challenges, courage, and community, and said she wants to bring fans along for her last year. She emphasized she will give everything until her final race.

Her résumé places her among the greats of the sport. Diggins won Olympic gold in the team sprint at PyeongChang 2018, as well as silver in the 30 km freestyle and bronze in the freestyle sprint at Beijing 2022. She is a two‑time world champion (2013 team sprint, 2023 10 km freestyle) and has earned five additional World Championship medals. She also captured the overall World Cup crystal globe three times (2021, 2024, and 2025).

The new World Cup season starts on November 28, with the major highlight of the winter being the Milan–Cortina d’Ampezzo 2026 Winter Olympics in February. Diggins indicated she will compete through the end of the season before retiring.