Lindsey Vonn, Eileen Gu, Mikaela Shiffrin, and Others Recognized at ESPY Awards and TIME 100 Gala

Although some pro skiers aren’t strangers to having moments in greater pop culture, there’s a lot to be said for skiers catching the eyes of those outside the sport. However, hot off the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympic Games, a few skiers remain top-of-mind to the public. Of course, walking the Met Gala red carpet is one thing, but to be celebrated amongst the athletes in mainstream sports, especially in the United States, is a milestone.

The Excellence in Sports Performance Year Awards, better known as the ESPYs, is sports network ESPN’s way of honoring the greatest achievements in athletics from the past year. Sports heroes are given awards in categories such as Best Athlete, Best Comeback Athlete, Best NFL, MLB, and NHL Players and names in mainstream sports like Tiger Woods, Stephen Curry, and Lionel Messi are celebrated for their talents.

At the 2026 ESPY Awards, which took place on July 15th, Mikaela Shiffrin, Lindsey Vonn, and Eileen Gu all appeared on the red carpet. Gu helped to present the award for Best Championship Performance to New York Knicks player Jalen Brunson. U.S. soccer player Folarin Balogun presented the award alongside her.

Shiffrin attended alongside her finacé, fellow alpine racer Aleksander Aamodt Kilde. With the season that made her the most decorated alpine skier in history newly in the rearview, Shiffrin was nominated for Best Athlete – Women’s Sports, amongst a field that also included hockey player Hilary Knight, golfer Kelly Norda, and WNBA player A’ja Wilson.

If one red carpet in a weekend wasn’t enough, the TIME 100 Sports Gala took place the following evening to honor the year’s most influential people in sports. Alongside her ESPY nomination, Shiffrin was named in the Icon category of the TIME 100 list, marking the second time after appearing on the list in 2023.

Eileen Gu was also included in the Icon section of the TIME 100 list this year, following her standout performances at the Milan-Cortina Olympics, not to mention the grace with which she handled much of the media attention directed at her during the Games.

Paralympian Oksana Masters rounded it out for skiers in the Icons category of TIME’s list. Masters is the most decorated Paralympic athlete of all time, with 24 Paralympic medals across cross-country skiing, biathlon, cycling, and rowing. Three of her medals were won at the Milan Cortina Games.

Other athletes named in the Icons section included Hilary Knight, Lionel Messi, Ilia Malinin, Lebron James, and Tadej Pogacar.

In addition to Shiffrin, Gu, and Masters, Lindsey Vonn was named to the Innovators section of the list. Vonn’s competitive comeback following her partial knee replacement, her determination to compete in the Olympics despite her torn ACL, and the grit she’s shown throughout her recovery from the crash that ended her Games. Vonn was named alongside athletes like Alex Honnold, Alysa Liu, and others.

Additionally, cross-country skier Jessie Diggins was named to the Leaders section of the list. Diggins retired at the end of the World Cup season as the most decorated cross-country skier in US history with another Olympic medal and her fourth Crystal Globe. Diggins is also celebrated by TIME 100 for her advocacy with young athletes on eating disorders and her climate work with Protect Our Winters.

No male skiers were nominated for ESPYs or included on the TIME 100 List.

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