Samsung Counts Down to Milano Cortina 2026 by Unveiling a New Team Samsung Galaxy Roster
A new team of trailblazing global athletes on the road to the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will embody the brand’s belief that "Open always wins"
▲ Team Samsung Galaxy brings together 70 athletes from 17 countries for Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
SEOUL, Korea – Jan. 8, 2026 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner, today unveiled a new roster of Team Samsung Galaxy athletes for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. The new team brings together 68 athletes across 17 countries, representing both Olympic and Paralympic sports. Each member of Team Samsung Galaxy was selected for their personal journey — one that embodies openness both on and off the field of play.
Bringing "Open always wins" to the Road to Milano Cortina 2026
The athletes will share their journeys on the road to the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and help deliver Samsung’s central message for Milano Cortina 2026, "Open always wins". First introduced at Paris 2024, the theme returns to the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games as a reflection of Samsung’s belief that, with an open mind, anything is possible. Team Samsung Galaxy will deliver this message to fans around the world by sharing personal stories that reflect how openness guides their lives and careers.
▲ Guided by Samsung’s “Open always wins” message, Team Samsung Galaxy athletes will inspire fans around the world
by sharing their journeys that embodies openness spirit.
“Athletes and fans are at the heart of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and Samsung is proud to help bring them closer together and make moments more connected—from how athletes share their journeys to how fans experience the Olympic and Paralympic Games," said Sophia Kim, VP and Head of Experience Marketing Group, Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics. "Together with Team Samsung Galaxy, we will open up new perspectives and infinite possibilities throughout the Games, that is our message 'Open always wins' to the fans and communities."
Athletes Who Bring Openness to Life
With a strong presence across nine key disciplines—including snowboarding, speed skating, skiing, bobsleigh and cross-country skiing—sports that embody creativity, expression and performance under pressure, the Team Samsung Galaxy roster represents the diversity of winter sports.
▲ Alysa Liu, Figure Skating
For Milano Cortina 2026, Team Samsung Galaxy includes Olympic freestyle skiing champion Alex Hall (USA), freestyle skier siblings Miro and Flora Tabanelli (ITA), innovative performer of world-first snowboarding tricks Ian Matteoli (ITA), multiple-time short track speed skating World Champion and Olympic medalist Minjeong Choi (KOR), Freestyle skiing World Champion Zoe Atkin (GB), and two-time snowboarding Olympic gold medalist Anna Gasser (AUT). In alpine skiing, Arthur Bauchet (FRA) holds multiple Paralympic and World Championship titles, while Adam Žampa (SVK) brings depth of experience on the international stage. Team Samsung Galaxy for Milano Cortina 2026 also boasts figure skating elites including World Champion Alysa Liu (USA) and two-time World Champion Ilia Malinin (USA).
Across sprots and borders, each Team Samsung Galaxy athlete brings the spirit of openness to life in their own personal way. Shaped by their creativity, resilience and a willingness to explore what’s possible, their journeys extend beyond competition to inspire fans around the world—demonstrating how an open mindset can influence not only performance, but everyday life, on and off the road to Milano Cortina 2026.
For Ian Matteoli, openness is expressed through bold creativity. One of Italy’s brightest young snowboarders, he made history as the first rider to land a frontside 2160 in competition—a moment that showcased both technical mastery and an open, fearless approach to progression. Raised in a snowboarding family, his journey has been shaped by a determined comeback from serious injury fighting his way back to top form. As part of a generation that views the sport as both performance and lifestyle, Ian bridges snowboarding and skateboarding, carrying an open mindset as he represents his country at Milano Cortina 2026.
“Snowboarding has always been part of my life as more than just a sport. It’s a way of expressing who I am,” said Ian. “After my injury, I changed how I approached snowboarding and life, pushing myself to come back stronger, more creative and more connected to why I love this sport. Representing Italy on home soil is incredibly special, and having the support of Samsung motivates me to keep pushing creatively.”
▲ Mike Schultz, Para Snowboard
For Mike Schultz, openness is expressed through reinvention and resilience. After a life-changing accident, he rebuilt his athletic journey by staying open to new ways of thinking, training, and creating—transforming challenges into opportunity by engineering his own prosthetic to return to elite competition. Through an open mindset grounded in creativity and adaptability, Mike continues to evolve his approach to performance and recovery, winning three Paralympic medals and multiple World Championship titles. His story shows how openness can turn adversity into purposeful progress.
"If it wasn't for creativity, I wouldn’t be where I am today. After my accident, I had to completely reimagine how I trained and recovered. Staying open to new ideas and using technology to better understand my body helped me rebuild with confidence,” said Mike. “It’s surreal to be part of Team Samsung Galaxy, given how tools like digital health platform have supported my progress, allowing me to train smarter and keep moving forward as an athlete.”
▲ Alex Hall, Freestyle Skiing
Alex Hall diversified his career path by establishing a ski film brand that documents urban and backcountry skiing. Raised in Zurich before moving to Park City, he grew up across two continents and brings a global perspective to freestyle skiing that blends technical precision with artistic expression. Off the slopes, his pioneering mindset carries over into filmmaking, where he draws inspiration for his new tricks while avoiding mental fatigue. His ability to blend sports, art, and storytelling makes him one of the most creative voices in freestyle skiing today.
"I’m proud to be part of Team Samsung Galaxy and represent a brand that brings athletes and communities together on a global scale,” said Alex. “To me, there are no limits in sports. Everyone can express themselves in their own way, and Samsung empowers us to do this on and off the snow with its technology.”
▲ Minjeong Choi, Short Track Speed Skating
Minjeong Choi expresses openness by inspiring young short track speed skaters through her own experiences. As a double Olympic champion in Women’s 1,500m and multiple world record holder in speed skating, her story of sustained excellence under pressure—and a constant willingness to evolve—opens up new perspectives for future generations. Admired for her leadership, her passion to continuously adjust, learn and lead reflects how openness fuels longevity and performance as an elite athlete.
I'm happy to rejoin Team Samsung Galaxy after the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022,” said Minjeong. “Team Samsung Galaxy has always inspired people to open up more possibilities through sport. At the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, I will continue creating a positive impact with Team Samsung Galaxy.”
Continuing the Journey to Milano Cortina 2026
With Team Samsung Galaxy, Samsung reaffirms its long-standing commitment to the Olympic and Paralympic Movement. As the world looks ahead to Milano Cortina 2026, Samsung will spotlight authentic athlete stories that go beyond results alone—reinforcing openness as a value that connects athletes, fans and communities around the world through technology. Additional information on "Open always wins" and Samsung’s support for the Olympic Winter Games will be released as the Road to Milano Cortina 2026 continues.
Team Samsung Galaxy for Milano Cortina 2026:
1. Zoe Atkin (United Kingdom), Freestyle Skiing
2. Amedeo Bagnis (Italy), Skeleton
3. Corrado Barbera (Italy), Alpine Skiing
4. Elia Barp (Italy), Cross-country Skiing
5. Marta Bassino (Italy), Alpine Skiing
6. Arthur Bauchet (France), Para Alpine Skiing
7. Giacomo Bertagnolli (Italy), Para Alpine Skiing
8. Federica Brignone (Italy), Alpine Skiing
9. Gaon Choi (South Korea), Snowboard
10. Minjeong Choi (South Korea), Short Track Speed Skating
11. Giorgia Collomb (Italy), Alpine Skiing
12. Stefania Constantini (Italy), Curling
13. Elena Curtoni (Italy), Alpine Skiing
14. Renè de Silvestro (Italy), Para Alpine Skiing
15. Lara Della Mea (Italy), Alpine Skiing
16. Simone Deromedis (Italy), Freestyle Skiing
17. Leonardo Donaggio (Italy), Freestyle Skiing
18. Roland Fischnaller (Italy), Snowboard
19. Arianna Fontana (Italy), Short Track Speed Skating
20. Loris Framarin (Italy), Snowboard
21. Giovanni Franzoni (Italy), Alpine Skiing
22. Ralfs Freibergs (Latvia), Ice Hockey
23. Jole Galli (Italy), Freestyle Skiing
24. Anna Gasser (Austria), Snowboard
25. David Ghiotto (Italy), Speed Skating
26. Tommaso Giacomel (Italy), Biathlon
27. Renārs Grantiņš (Latvia), Bobsleigh
28. Daniel Grassl (Italy), Figure Skating
29. Alex Hall (United States), Freestyle Skiing
30. Jakub Hroneš (Czech Republic), Snowboard
31. Daeheon Hwang (South Korea), Short Track Speed Skating
32. Alex Insam (Italy), Ski Jumping
33. Gilli Kim (South Korea), Short Track Speed Skating
34. Marcus Kleveland (Norway), Snowboard
35. Tess Ledeux (France), Freestyle Skiing
36. Alysa Liu (United States), Figure Skating
37. Nicola Liviero (Italy), Snowboard
38. Zrinka Ljutić (Croatia), Alpine Skiing
39. Jacopo Luchini (Italy), Para Snowboard
40. Ilia Malinin (United States), Figure Skating
41. Valentina Margaglio (Italy), Skeleton
42. Ian Matteoli (Italy), Snowboard
43. Txema Mazet-Brown (United Kingdom), Snowboard
44. Annika Morgan (Germany), Snowboard
45. Dominik Paris (Italy), Alpine Skiing
46. Anna Pezzetta (Italy), Figure Skating
47. Federico Pellegrino (Italy), Cross-country Skiing
48. Emanuel Perathoner (Italy), Snowboard
49. Manon Petit-Lenoir (France), Snowboard
50. Laura Pirovano (Italy), Alpine Skiing
51. Sára Pónya (Hungary), Cross-Country Skiing
52. Jongun Rim (South Korea), Short Track Speed Skating
53. Matteo Rizzo (Italy), Figure Skating
54. Marta Rossetti (Italy), Alpine Skiing
55. Suzanne Schulting (Netherlands), Speed Skating
56. Mike Schultz (United States), Para Snowboard
57. Arianna Sighel (Italy), Short Track Speed Skating
58. Petro Sighel (Italy), Short Track Speed Skating
59. Bart Swings (Belgium), Speed Skating
60. Flora Tabanelli (Italy), Freestyle Skiing
61. Miro Tabanelli (Italy), Freestyle Skiing
62. Deniss Vasiļjevs (Latvia), Figure Skating
63. Lisa Vittozzi (Italy), Biathlon
64. Leon Vockensperger (Germany), Snowboard
65. Walter Wallberg (Sweden), Freestyle Skiing
66. Dorothea Wierer (Italy), Biathlon
67. Michał Woźniak (Poland), Figure Skating
68. Adam Žampa (Slovakia), Alpine Skiing
About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, digital signage, smartphones, wearables, tablets, home appliances and network systems, as well as memory, system LSI and foundry. Samsung is also advancing medical imaging technologies, HVAC solutions and robotics, while creating innovative automotive and audio products through Harman. With its SmartThings ecosystem, open collaboration with partners, and integration of AI across its portfolio, Samsung delivers a seamless and intelligent connected experience. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com.
About Samsung’s Involvement in the Olympic Games
Samsung has been a Worldwide Olympic Partner since the Olympic Winter Games Nagano 1998. For nearly 30 years, athletes and fans have trusted Samsung’s transformative mobile technology to share the Olympic spirit globally and continue to shape the digital future of the Olympic Games for Milano Cortina 2026 and beyond. The company’s commitment to the Olympic Movement soon faces its fourth decade of partnership and extends through Los Angeles 2028. Samsung’s purposeful innovations in the wireless communications and computing equipment category, including equipment that features artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality and 5G will change the way the world experiences the Olympic Games.
About Samsung’s Involvement in the Paralympic Games
Samsung is a Worldwide Partner of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) in the wireless communications and computing equipment category. Starting from Paralympic Winter Games Torino 2006, the company has proudly supported the Paralympic Movement and enabled athletes and fans around the world to share the excitement and inspiration of the Games through Samsung’s transformative mobile technology. Samsung’s commitment to the Paralympic Games will extend through to Los Angeles 2028 and be celebrated through innovative mobile and computing experiences powered by purposeful innovations in the wireless communications and computing equipment category, including equipment that features artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality and 5G.