As the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan captivate the world, Maddie Mastro has burst onto the international scene as Team USA’s newest snowboarding sensation. Specializing in the halfpipe, Mastro soared through her qualifying run on Feb. 11 in Livigno, clinching third place with a score of 86.00, just behind Japan’s Sara Shimizu and fellow American Chloe Kim.
Mastro punched her ticket to the Games with a season packed with standout performances, landing on multiple podiums and securing a strong sixth place at the World Championships.
All About Maddie Mastro
Born on Feb. 22, 2000, in Wrightwood, California, Mastro first strapped into a snowboard at just six years old, thanks to her parents, Chris and Eileen, who handed her a pink board at Mountain High Resort in Wrightwood. By 17, she was already making waves as a pro, earning third place at the Burton US Open and second at the Copper Grand Prix during the 2017-18 season, which propelled her to her Olympic debut in 2018, where she placed 12th overall.
Mastro would go on to compete at the 2022 Beijing Olympics as well, where she finished 13th in the qualifiers, missing the final. Following this, she would kick on and recreate her earlier form, recording her first World Cup win in Secret Garden in 2024, as well as her first Halfpipe Crystal Globe in the 2024-25 season.
Beyond the slopes, Mastro has built a huge following on TikTok, where her snowboarding clips, Olympic training updates, and glimpses into her life as an athlete have attracted 647.2K fans. Her candid, behind-the-scenes videos from the 2022 Olympics went viral, making her the most-followed athlete of those Games.
Mastro On Her Earlier Olympic Performances
After her impressive qualifying run, Mastro looked back on her earlier Olympic experiences, admitting that as a young competitor, she struggled with disappointment over her results.
“I think it’s hard – when you’re that person, and you’re not in the finals [2022 Games], it doesn’t really matter what anyone’s saying around you. So it’s harder to convey. I obviously know how they feel and I’ll express that to them and let them know they’re not alone in that space. But it’s definitely not a fun space to be in.”
“That feeling of wanting to transport out of my body and float into another world, far, far away from where I was,” Mastro said, as per USA Today. “I’m going to cry thinking about it. And then to be here, and be so content and happy in myself and my performance, and not wanting to float away from my body, was really, really nice.”
The stage is set for the women’s snowboard halfpipe final at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, taking place on Feb. 12 from 19:30 to 21:05 CET at the Livigno Snow Park.
