Sverdlovsk skater among 13 Russians at Italy Olympics

Only 13 Russian athletes will compete at the 2026 Olympic Games in Italy. Among the few lucky ones is a woman from Sverdlovsk Oblast — 23-year-old Alyona Krylov from Novouralsk.

The Games will be held from 6 to 22 February 2026 in the cities of Milan and Cortina d«Ampezzo. Medals will be awarded in 16 sports, and Russians will compete in seven of them: figure skating, short track speed skating, cross-country skiing, speed skating, ski mountaineering, luge, and alpine skiing.

Alyona is a speed skater; at the Olympics, she will compete for medals in the short track discipline at distances of 500 and 1000 meters. The races will take place on 10 February. The Sverdlovsk athlete, like other Russian athletes, will compete without a flag or anthem.

Alyona qualified for the Olympics after participating in three World Cup stages, where she placed in the top twenty.

Alyona began speed skating at an Olympic reserve sports school under the guidance of coach Alexander Kuzovnikov. In 2018, at the age of 15, she won her first victory at the Russian junior all-around championships for girls, in the same year she received the title of Master of Sport of Russia, and since 2024 — International Class Master of Sport.

Her collection of awards includes titles as Russian champion in 2024 and 2025 in the all-around, Russian champion in 2025 in the 500 and 1000 meter distances, winner of the Russian Cup, and winner and medalist of the All-Russian Spartakiad of the Strongest.

Earlier we reported that Russia will have a new Olympic mascot. See what it looks like.

We also wrote about what problems threaten to derail the Olympics. All news on the topic is collected in a special section.