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The Olympic Games often mark a natural shift in generations. After the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing, legends like Ireen Wüst, Irene Schouten, Sven Kramer (NED), Sverre Lunde Pedersen (NOR) and Nils van de Poel (SWE) hung up their skates and left the floor open for others to shine. 

Some veterans who chose to continue their skating journey for another four-year cycle will bring their own careers to a close in Milan. The Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 will be the last speed skating dance for, among others, Francesca Lollobrigida (ITA), Ted-Jan Bloemen (CAN), Mia Manganello, Brittany Bowe (USA), Jorrit Bergsma (NED) and Martina Sáblíková (CZE).

Lollobrigida comes full circle

Francesca Lollobrigida, pictured above, will celebrate her 35th birthday on Saturday 7 February by skating the 3000m on the first day of competition in long-track Speed Skating in Milan; four years ago, she won a silver medal in the distance. 

Coming from inline skating, Lollobrigida began her career on the ice in long track as a Mass Start specialist. She won the Mass Start World Cup in 2014, 2018 and 2022, took the European Mass Start title in 2018 and won a bronze medal in the event at the Beijing Games.

Francesca Lollobrigida (ITA) shows off the 3000m silver and Mass Start bronze medals won at Beijing 2022 © Getty Images

Over the years, Lollobrigida has learned how to negotiate the classical distances and started winning medals in the 3000m and 5000m as well as the Mass Start. After the Olympic Games in Beijing 2022, she gave birth to her son Tomasso, before getting back on the ice stronger than ever. In 2025, Lollobrigida took her career first World title, winning the 5000m at the World Championships in Hamar.

Her Speed Skating journey will come full circle in Milan. "I first started watching the Olympic Games in Torino 2006 and now, we're skating in Italy again,” she explained.

Bloemen and Bergsma share it with the kids

At the age of 39, Ted-Jan Bloemen (CAN) will be the second-oldest athlete in long-track Speed Skating at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Jorrit Bergsma (NED), who turned 40 last Sunday, is the oldest. 

Both long-distance specialists have won Olympic gold in the 10,000m, Bergsma in 2014 and Bloemen in 2018. In Milan, Bergsma will compete in the 5000m, 10,000m and Mass Start, while Bloemen takes on the 5000m and 10,000m.

Jorrit Bergsma (NED, left) and Ted-Jan Bloemen (CAN, right) are the two oldest long-track skaters at these Games © ISU

Both Bergsma and Bloemen are proud fathers and they want to share the Olympic experience with their children. Bloemen said: "My kids are going to be [in Milan]. They're three and six year olds. I don't know how much memory you make when you're three years old, but I hope they can remember it. I'm really looking forward to performing on the biggest stage and to have them right there with me.”

Bowe and Manganello ready to move on

Brittany Bowe and Mia Manganello (USA) have also announced that they are hanging up their blades at the end of this season. A multiple World Champion and still the current World Record holder in the 1000m, Bowe hopes to add Olympic silverware to the two bronze medals she's already got. Bowe took bronze in the 1000m at the 2022 Games in Beijing and, together with Manganello and Heather Bergsma-Richardson, finished third in the 2018 Team Pursuit.

Brittany Bowe, left, and Mia Manganello, center, celebrate World Cup Team Pursuit bronze with USA teammate Greta Myers © ISU

Manganello saved the best for last. The 36-year-old Mass Start specialist won her career first World Cup Trophy in this, her final season. Excited after collecting the Trophy, she admitted that she was tempted to reconsider retirement: "As of now, the plan is to be done, but we'll see.

"I'm 36 and I’d really like to move on with my life. It's difficult as a woman. I know there's a couple of amazing talents in our women's field that have been able to leave, have a family and come back. I don't know if I have that in me to do."

Sáblíková celebrates six Olympics

Martina Sáblíková (CZE) is the most experienced of all participants in long track speed skating in Milan. While Lollobrigida started watching the Olympic Games in 2006, the Czech endurance specialist was already competing on the ice in Torino and will attend her sixth Olympic Games in 2026.

Martina Sáblíková is participating in her sixth Winter Games, having made her Olympic debut at Torino 2006 © ISU

Four years after her Olympic debut in 2006, Sáblíková celebrated her most successful Olympics with gold medals in the 3000m and 5000m and a bronze in the 1500m. She added a gold (5000m) and a silver (3000m) in 2014, a silver (5000m) in 2018, and a bronze (5000m) in 2022.