Pursuing an Olympic dream demands immense sacrifice at the best of times. Attempting it at the age of 35, after a career-threatening spinal injury, seems almost impossible. Yet, American skeleton athlete Kendall Lorraine Wesenberg is defying those odds, scripting a comeback story that aims for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina.
From Setback to the Starting Block: A 600-Day Recovery
Kendall Wesenberg, who represented the United States at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games, faced a monumental hurdle after a serious back problem. Her recovery spanned nearly 600 difficult days, a period during which many wrote off her elite sporting future. Instead of retiring, Wesenberg embarked on a gruelling rehabilitation journey, determined to return to the icy tracks of skeleton racing.
She recently opened up about the challenges of her comeback. "Each time I've reached a milestone in this recovery, the next goal that follows has been an even more difficult one," Wesenberg shared. Her first major triumph was reclaiming a spot on the World Cup team in November 2024, a feat she knew would usher in even tougher tests.
Promising Start Meets World Cup Reality
Wesenberg's return to competition began strongly. At the Fall Selection Races held at the Utah Olympic Park, she secured an impressive second-place finish overall in women's skeleton. The very next day, on November 1, 2024, she clinched first place with the fastest two-run combined time of 1:39.49. This performance earned her a coveted berth on the 2025-26 World Cup circuit.
However, the elite World Cup season presented a harsh reality check. Races in Cortina d'Ampezzo and Lillehammer saw her finish 23rd and 27th individually, respectively. Reflecting on this phase, Wesenberg admitted, "Some errors on my part, some unlucky draws, and my push not being back in the way I hoped... have led to missing more cuts in half of a season than in the rest of my career combined." Despite these setbacks, her resolve didn't waver. USA Bobsled & Skeleton officially named her to the World Cup roster on November 1, 2025, keeping her Olympic dream alive.
The Final Push: All Eyes on Olympic Qualification
With the clock ticking towards Olympic selection, Wesenberg's focus is now razor-sharp. She is looking ahead to competing on familiar tracks in Winterberg, St. Moritz, and Altenberg, which she considers her strongest circuits this season. "My three best tracks on circuit this year are up next, and I plan on giving it everything I have in the final World Cup races of the season," she stated.
The ultimate decision rests with Team USA, which is set to announce its final skeleton team for the Milan-Cortina Olympics on January 17, 2026. Whether or not she secures that ticket, Kendall Wesenberg's journey from a major spinal injury back to the world stage stands as a powerful testament to resilience and unwavering determination in the face of adversity.
