The 2026 Winter Olympics officially kicked off in Italy, gathering more than 3,500 athletes from 93 countries and territories, competing in 195 sets of medals in 16 sports.
In Southeast Asia alone, there are 4 participating countries: the sports delegations of Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore with a total of 7 athletes. Vietnam does not participate in this arena.
Thailand is the Southeast Asian country with the largest force with 3 athletes. Accordingly, Karen Chanloung continues to be a familiar face of Thai cross-country skiing, possessing many years of international competition experience.
Accompanying her was her older brother Mark Chanloung, who also competed in cross-country skiing and marked his 3rd appearance at the Winter Olympics, becoming one of the most experienced athletes in the region.
The remaining representative of Thailand is Fabian Wiest - a 17-year-old athlete competing in downhill skiing, considered a remarkable young talent in the squad.
The Philippine sports delegation arrived in Milan - Cortina with 2 athletes. Tallulah Proulx (17 years old) went down in history as the first and youngest female athlete of the Philippines to participate in a Winter Olympics. The other is Francis Ceccarelli (22 years old) - a Filipino-born athlete, who grew up and trained in Italy - competing in the Slalom and Giant Slalom events.
Malaysia has 1 representative participating in the Winter Olympics, Aruwin Salehhuddin in downhill skiing. She is also the first Malaysian female athlete to participate in two consecutive Winter Olympics, after her debut in Beijing 2022.
Singapore also participated with 1 athlete, Faiz Basha. He competed in two events Slalom and Giant Slalom, and also became the first Singaporean athlete qualified to participate in snow events at the Winter Olympics.
