As the 2026 Winter Olympics heat up in Milan-Cortina, all eyes are on Gus Kenworthy, the four-time Olympian whose journey has never been short of dramatic turns, bold statements, and heartfelt moments. Now 34, Kenworthy is back on the slopes, representing Team GB in the men’s freestyle skiing halfpipe, and he’s making waves both on and off the snow.
Friday, February 20, marks a pivotal day for Team GB, with Kenworthy slated to compete in both the qualification and final rounds of the men’s halfpipe. The event, originally scheduled for the day prior, was postponed due to weather, adding a dose of suspense and anticipation to an already high-stakes competition. Kenworthy, who famously clinched a silver medal in slopestyle for Team USA at the Sochi 2014 Games, is now donning British colors in honor of his English-born mother. After retiring post-Beijing 2022, he surprised fans by announcing his return to the sport in May 2025, just in time to qualify for his fourth Olympic appearance.
“After taking a step away, I realized I miss skiing, and I really want to compete again. I didn't know if I would be able to come back after three-and-a-half years, but I knew I wouldn't be able to after seven and a half,” Kenworthy told ESPN. “So, it's this Olympics or nothing. I'm never going to have this opportunity again.”
Kenworthy’s decision to return wasn’t taken lightly. Funding his own Olympic push, he weighed the financial sacrifices against the once-in-a-lifetime chance to compete again. “When I was on the sideline when I was first thinking about it, it was like, ‘Do I wanna spend all of this money and burn through my savings to have one more Olympic push?’ I was almost tortured by the decision. But then I thought that money comes and goes, but this opportunity isn’t going to come again.”
His comeback story is compelling, but Kenworthy’s impact extends far beyond the slopes. Since coming out publicly in October 2015 on the cover of ESPN Magazine, he’s been a trailblazer for LGBTQ+ athletes in extreme sports. “Well, thank you. I mean, I really appreciate that,” he told PAPER Magazine when a fan shared how much his coming out meant to them. “I do hear these stories all of the time and it means the world to me. Obviously, it’s personal and I wanted to do it for myself as I was feeling so tortured and tormented. But I know that someone else was feeling these things out there too. If it helped one other person, then like it'll have been worth it to do it publicly in that way.”
Yet, being a pioneer comes with its own set of challenges. Kenworthy has faced criticism from all sides, including within the LGBTQ+ community. “I have to remind myself of the sweet things you said, because also our community can kind of be vicious,” he admitted. “Sometimes it just feels like you can't win. When it comes to the gay community at least, I feel like we're the first to lift each other up and celebrate each other, but also the first to cut each other down. I feel recently I've had some of that cutting-down, and it's hard not to let it get to you.”
Despite the scrutiny, Kenworthy continues to use his platform to speak out on issues that matter. He made headlines for his outspoken activism, including a now-infamous social media post protesting injustice, for which he received both praise and threats. “Maybe that’s the price you pay for speaking up and using your platform,” he reflected on Instagram. “I think it’s important to say what we feel and stand up for what we believe in. And stand up to injustice.”
But Kenworthy is not just about making statements; he’s also about making connections. During the Olympics, he’s been spotted engaging with fans in unique ways, such as hosting shopping trips through the official Milan-Cortina merch store—an Airbnb experience that allowed fans to meet their hero in a casual, unforgettable setting. “It’s giving Elmer Fudd,” he joked to a fan trying on a trapper hat, displaying the playful candor that’s endeared him to so many.
As if his Olympic schedule weren’t packed enough, Kenworthy has already lined up his next act—literally. After the Games, he’ll join the producing team of the Off-West End show Sugar Daddy, running from March 5 to April 4 at London’s Underbelly Boulevard in Soho. The production, created and performed by Sam Morrison and directed by Amrou Al-Kadhi, delves into themes of grief, queer identity, and resilience, inspired by Morrison’s own experiences of love and loss during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kenworthy’s involvement is more than professional; it’s deeply personal.
“It’s really funny, it’s really heartfelt, it’s moving – it’s his story about loss and resilience,” Kenworthy told TNT Sports. He shared his own story of loss: “When I was 14 I was in an accident with two of my best friends and my best friend was killed. I felt like it really resonated with me, and I have felt loss too, so I was deeply, deeply moved by it.”
Kenworthy’s stage debut marks a new chapter, but it’s clear that his passion for storytelling and advocacy is as strong as his competitive drive. The show’s creative team includes luminaries such as Alan Cumming, Billy Porter, and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK’s Sally TM, ensuring that Sugar Daddy will be both a cultural event and a celebration of queer resilience.
Back in Milan, the Olympic action is in full swing. Kenworthy is joined in the halfpipe by 18-year-old Liam Richards, a rising star who competed at the Youth Winter Olympic Games Gangwon 2024. Elsewhere, Team GB is making its presence felt in curling, speed skating, and bobsleigh, with medal hopes riding high across the board. The men’s curling team faces either a bronze or gold medal match, while Ellia Smeding takes to the speed skating rink and Adele Nicoll and Ashleigh Nelson pilot their bobsleigh in the opening heats.
Kenworthy’s Olympic journey, marked by triumph, adversity, and reinvention, continues to inspire. Whether he lands on the podium or not, his story is already one for the ages—a testament to courage, authenticity, and the relentless pursuit of dreams. As the men’s halfpipe competition unfolds, fans around the world watch, hoping for that “dream run” Kenworthy has been chasing since his return. And with his next adventure already on the horizon, it’s clear that for Gus Kenworthy, the finish line is just another starting gate.