Jessie Diggins, the most decorated American skier of all time, said she will retire from the sport at the end of the season, capping a 15-year career that has redefined what American athletes can achieve in a sport long dominated by European countries.
Diggins will compete on the full World Cup calendar and compete in his fourth Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina before retiring on home snow at the World Cup finals in Lake Placid. She announces his retirement as the No. 1 skier in the world, winner of three overall World Cup titles and three distance globes, and a four-time Olympic medalist, including famous 2018 team sprint gold she won with Kikkan Randall, the first Olympic title in US cross-country skiing history.
“It’s time to open the next chapter of my life, and it’s going to be filled with a lot of things,” she said Thursday during a Zoom call from Finland, where she is preparing for the season opener. “I've worked very, very hard for a very long time and I love what I do and I love this team… but it's time to open the next chapter of my life.”
The 34-year-old from the tiny St. Paul suburb of Afton (population: 2,951) said she was looking forward to spending more time at home after years of living on the road seven months a year. “I don't mind hard work, although it can be very hard on your body,” she said. “But really, this journey… makes it very difficult to lead anything resembling a normal life. It's time for me to get really excited about living a normal life.”
She also revealed her ultra-endurance goal: running 100 miles. “It’s ironic: yeah, I’m going to finish ski racing so I can run a hundred miles on the trail,” she said with a laugh. “But it really lights up my soul.”
Since making his World Cup debut as a teenager, Diggins has scored 79 podiums and 29 wins. She also won three overall crystal globes, the biggest prize in cross-country skiing, something no woman from outside Europe had ever won before Diggins in 2021. cheeks with signature glitter and her relentlessly optimistic demeanor has helped her become one of winter sports' most prominent personalities, while her ability to dive deep into what she calls the “cave of pain” has made her one of her fiercest competitors. She credits her Minnesota upbringing for instilling that fighting spirit. “Minnesota raises people to be very tough—tough, but with kindness,” she said. “It was like, 'No, it's really cold outside, no problem, just wear an extra jacket.'
But Diggins' legacy goes far beyond medals. Her openness about her long recovery from an eating disorderand her passion for improving mental health support for athletes have made her one of the most influential advocates for the U.S. Olympic movement. “One of the legacies I leave behind is how American Ski and Snowboarders deal with mental health and how they support people,” she said. “When someone says, 'Hey, I'm struggling with an eating disorder,' it means there's so much help available to me because I've been so open and shared everything along the way.”
Diggins said Thursday that the decision to resign came about gradually and not in one dramatic moment. “It wasn’t an aha moment,” she said. “Over time, all these other things in my life that are important to me started to become overvalued just by skiing.”
The opportunity to spend more time with her husband Wade played a big role. “When you're 20 and not dating anyone, being in the World Cup is great,” she said. “But over time you think, oh my god, this is getting harder and harder, and all these other things started to overestimate just ski racing.”
She admitted she was hesitant to go public with her plans earlier this fall, especially after an FIS representative prematurely revealed her plans. “I didn't want to share it until I was ready to bring everyone into it with me,” she said. “Now I am.”
Now that news of her retirement has become public, Diggins said she will approach Milan-Cortina differently than she did her previous Olympics. “Telling people, yes, this is my last Games, it gives me the opportunity to enjoy it,” she said. “Even if things don't go perfectly, my career is all work. I just want to be present and enjoy every day and every race.”
She expects about 60 friends and family to attend the event, a stark contrast to the isolation of the Covid-compromised Beijing Games. “I want to be able to share this with them,” she said.
She says her goal for the season is simple: enjoy it. “I can say thank you every time I leave the race site. This is the last time you're going to pick up my skis after the race and take my number. It's really special.”
She still plans to compete in a full schedule, including the Tour de Ski, a seven-stage, nine-day series of races modeled after the Tour de France that spans the New Year. “My body seems to really enjoy racing,” she said. “Basically, I'm doing as much as I can because it's my last time. Why not?”
Before retiring, Diggins reflected on what she hoped young athletes would gain from her career. “Do what you love and share it with as many people as possible,” she said. “And it's okay to be super vulnerable. The number of people who then become part of your story and part of your life is incredible.”
