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Edition #43   •  Feb 15, 2026

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning!

Welcome to The Group Chat, where sports and culture meet and mingle. As the 2026 Milano Cortina Games roll on, it's important to note that the Winter Olympics infamously lack diversity — of the nearly 3,000 athletes competing at Milano Cortina, the vast majority are white. But athletes of color are breaking barriers left and right at these Games and beyond. Tim Reynolds of AP reports that this is likely Team USA's most racially diverse showing yet, while Team Canada is making strides too. These gains are particularly significant for Black athletes, so today, in honor of Black History Month, we're giving flowers to a few Black Olympians who broke the ice ceiling at the Winter Games.

Black History at the Winter Olympics

Source: TODAY. ❄️ Icons of the '80s and '90s While the 1988 Jamaican men's bobsled team cruised to history (and cultural touchstone status thanks to Cool Runnings), three women were showing the world Black excellence. American Paraskier Bonnie St. John became the first Black athlete to medal at the 1984 Winter Paralympics, and American figure skater Debi Thomas earned the first Winter Olympic medal for a Black athlete at Calgary 1988. French figure skater Surya Bonaly became a sensation in the '90s, daring to execute her famous backflip at Nagano 1998 despite knowing it would result in a points deduction (the move was deemed too dangerous for competition at the time). If only she'd been born in the Quad God era. Bonaly endured galling racism throughout her career but remained defiant, from her backflip to her refusal to wear tights with her costumes when she couldn't find ones made for Black skin. A true trailblazer.

	Learn the Lore
Why do Black Winter Olympians seem to concentrate in bobsledding, skeleton, and luge? From Team Canada's Cynthia Appiah and Dawn Richardson Wilson to Team USA's Bryan Sosoo to Team Ghana's Akwasi Frimpong, it is one of the more popular competitions for Black athletes at the Winter Games. Yes, Cool Runnings is partially to thank — representation is important, even and especially in lighthearted comedies — but it's not the only connection. A significant number of sliding sport competitors are former elite athletes in other sports — Meyers Taylor was a Division I softball player, for example — but it's especially common for former track & field stars to make the switch. The athletic skills needed for the sliding sports can also be found in runners, and the established pipeline means more exposure to a niche sport for track stars who might never have tried it out otherwise. The need for speed persists, no matter the surface.

TOGETHER WITH FanDuel 🏈💰 The Big Game was truly for the girls Source: FanDuel Forget touchdowns — The GIST was the real winner of Sunday's bonanza, throwing watch parties that celebrate female football fandom across the country with a little help from FanDuel. 🌬️ In Chicago, the party was positively rocking at Whiskey Girl Tavern 🏛️ And in D.C., there was no better place to cheer than as you are Cross-country parties for gals who love the gridiron wouldn't be possible without support — that's why we're so grateful FanDuel made it happen. FYI — one sports season may be over, but there's always another wager to place on FanDuel. Place your bet today.

🥇 Striking gold in the '00s and '10s The 2002 Salt Lake City Games were massive for barrier-breaking. That's when American bobsledder Vonetta Flowers became the first-ever Black athlete to win Winter Olympics gold — despite being "scared out of [her] mind" to try the sport for the first time just two years prior. Jarome Iginla joined her ranks when the Canadian men's hockey team won gold days later. As for solo acts, American speed skater Shani Davis became the first Black athlete to win gold in an individual event at Torino 2006, a feat that wouldn't be matched by a woman until fellow Team USA speed skater Erin Jackson did it at Beijing 2022.

When to tune in to cheer on Black athletes
	1.	⛸️ Speed skating: 🇺🇸 Erin Jackson Jackson seeks repeat gold in her signature race, the 500m, today at 11:03 a.m. ET. LFG.
	2.	⛸️ Short-track speed skating: 🇨🇦 William Dandjinou Dandjinou has quickly become one of the sport's most electric athletes. He's competing in five different races these Games — catch him next in the 500m heats tomorrow at 4:17 p.m. ET.
	3.	🏒 Women's hockey: 🇨🇦 Sarah Nurse, Sophie Jacques; 🇺🇸 Laila Edwards The gold medal game is Thursday at 1:10 p.m. ET, and the odds that you'll see all three of these trailblazers there are very high.
	4.	🛷 Bobsled: 🇺🇸 Kaysha Love and Azaria Hill Love and Hill were teammates for UNLV track & field and now compete together in the two-woman bobsled competition. Watch them slay sleigh the slope when action starts Friday at 12 p.m. ET.

Source: MyNBC5 🏆 History-making athletes at Milano Cortina 2026 The most decorated Black athlete in Winter Games history? That's Elana Meyers Taylor, American bobsledder and five-time medalist. She was also chosen to be the first Black flag-bearer for Team USA's Parade of Nations walk at Beijing 2022, a huge honor, although she didn't get to do it because she came down with COVID-19 and sadly missed the Opening Ceremony. This year, the aforementioned Erin Jackson became the first Black woman to officially bear the flag for Team USA. Now both she and Meyers Taylor are ready to extend their legacies in Italy. Also gearing up for a run at gold are some groundbreaking women's hockey players: Team Canada's Sarah Nurse is the first woman to win Olympic gold in the sport, and her teammate Sophie Jaques hopes to become the second…but not if friend of The GIST Laila Edwards has anything to say about it as she makes history for Team USA. And the trend extends far beyond North America — winter sports participation is expanding in African and Caribbean countries, meaning athletes like Haitian cross country skier Stevenson Savart have a chance to chase Olympic dreams more than ever before. There's always more work to do, but so much progress to celebrate.

The GIST's List: Book Rec of the Week
	Revolve by Bal Khabra In the audiobook, read by Liam Cortright and Erin Mallon, a scarred figure skater and a disgraced hockey player go for gold, a surprise pairing that nobody saw coming. Keep the thrill of fiery competition alive, even after Madison Chock and Evan Bates, finish dancing across the ice in Milan.* *P.S. This is a sponsored post.

	At The GIST HQ What (Else) We're Loving: Black Creators Edition
📖 Reading: All About Love by Bell Hooks, because we need it now more than ever. 💧 Hydrating: Our hair with this luxurious mask, a winter must-have. ☕ Savoring: Our morning routine with this sustainably roasted coffee. 🪞 Contouring: Our cheekbones with this creamy bronzing stick.

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