Jessie Diggins, from Wakefield, Mass., and a Vermont trainee, is no stranger to Olympic success. Arriving as a three-time medalist, she added another to her collection, a bronze in the 10K freestyle, during her current competition in Val di Fiemme.
Her historic 2018 team sprint win alongside Kikkan Randall marked the first-ever Olympic medal for an American woman in cross-country skiing. Diggins continued her podium streak in Beijing 2022, securing a bronze in the individual sprint and a silver in the 30K freestyle – a remarkable achievement considering she battled food poisoning and vomiting the night before.
Beyond her athletic triumphs, Diggins has openly shared her personal struggle with an eating disorder. After experiencing bulimia as a teenager and undergoing treatment, she learned to reconcile the demands of fueling her elite athletic body with her mental health challenges. Although she experienced a relapse some years back, she is currently in a healthier place.
“I genuinely believed my life would be cut short due to my eating disorder,” she revealed. “I was in an incredibly difficult period, and it’s thanks to the help I received, the love I was given, and the love I eventually found for myself, that I am here competing in my fourth Olympics.”
Indeed, these Olympics represent Diggins pouring her entire being into the competition – her mental fortitude, physical strength, and abundant joy, which she generously shares with the US cross-country team as she aims for a memorable farewell.
Last fall, Diggins declared her intention to retire from the sport following the current season. She currently holds the top position in the FIS World Cup standings, has claimed the last two world titles, and is widely expected to secure another this year.
Her consistent success helps temper expectations regarding her performances in Italy. As a strong favorite in her events, it’s somewhat unexpected that she’s only earned one medal across five competitions so far. However, a fall during her inaugural race, the skiathlon on February 7th, resulted in bruised ribs and significant discomfort.
Despite the challenge, she remained her characteristic cheerful self after crossing the finish line.
“I am genuinely the happiest bronze medalist on the planet,” she stated, adding, “I’m incredibly thankful to everyone who helped me reach this point.”
This sense of gratitude aligns with her secondary objective for these Games: to “be the one who steadies the boat, not the one who rocks it.”
Diggins embraces her role as the “team mom.” At 34, she leads a US team where over half the members are Olympic rookies, having served as their leader and mentor even before they officially joined the squad.
“Her influence is immense, reaching far beyond the Olympic or even World Cup circuit,” commented Ben Ogden of Vermont, a two-time silver medalist at these Games. “She serves as a tremendous inspiration, even to children simply enjoying themselves during recess at local Vermont schools.”
From her knitting habit in the Olympic Village to her frequent social media shout-outs to teammates like Julia Kern from Waltham, Mass., Diggins truly binds the American team together, a team that, on the men’s side, is experiencing its most successful Olympics to date.
True to her word when announcing her retirement, she has dedicated every phase of this final journey to expressing gratitude to those who supported her ascent. This includes her coaches, ski technicians, friends, family, and her husband, Wade Poplawski.
All of them are present, helping her achieve her ultimate objective: to “enjoy this experience with my family and friends.”
Diggins is prepared to step away from professional skiing, eager for a more conventional life. Her plans include cultivating a garden, getting a dog, and celebrating Thanksgiving with family rather than on tour. (However, her athletic pursuits won’t cease: she intends to run an ultramarathon.) For the time being, she and her husband plan to reside in the Boston area, given his work commitments in the city when he’s not accompanying her on tour.
However, these plans are for a later date, in March, following her final World Cup race, set to take place in Lake Placid, N.Y.
“I genuinely wish to fully immerse myself in the experience of having so many beloved individuals here with me,” Diggins expressed earlier this month.
This Sunday, during the 50K, her culminating Olympic race, she will have the opportunity to do exactly that.
Katie McInerney can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Instagram at @katiemac.sports.