US athlete Annika Malacinski has spoken out after training for five years in Nordic combined — a Winter Olympic sport that still does not allow women to compete. While many fans know the Olympics well, Nordic combined remains one of its most debated events. First introduced in 1892 and included in the inaugural Winter Games in 1924, Nordic combined merges ski jumping with cross-country skiing. Athletes begin with a jump from a hill, followed by a 10km cross-country race later the same day.
Results from the jump determine starting times for the race, with the first to cross the finish line winning. Despite multiple Olympic events for men, there is still no women’s Nordic combined competition. At the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Nordic combined will remain the only sport without female participation. In 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) declined to add a women’s event, citing limited audience interest and insufficient global participation.
