Team Spain ski mountaineer Ana Alonso Rodriguez finished her 2026 Winter Olympics journey with two bronze medals mere months after being hit by a car.
On Saturday, February 21, Rodriguez, 31, and her teammate Oriol Cardona Coll clinched a bronze medal in the Milan and Cortina, Italy, ski mountaineering mixed relay event, finishing behind France’s gold medal winners Emily Harrop and Thibault Anselmet and silver medalists, Marianne Fatton and Jon Kistler, of Switzerland. Rodriguez had previously won bronze in the women’s sprint event earlier in the week.
Two podium placements for Rodriguez was a particularly astounding result since she survived being struck by a car last October. Rodriguez said her “risky” decision to compete in the Olympics so soon after her injuries payed off, despite her decision to avoid having surgery for her torn ACL and separated shoulder.
“I made a very risky decision, which was not to have surgery on my knee or shoulder, and many people thought I was crazy, but in the end it wasn’t so crazy, and I won as many medals as I thought I could,” she told Reuters on Saturday.
Rodriguez added, “I feel very proud that I didn’t give up and gave it my all until the end and believed in myself so much because it was very difficult. I think I’ve managed to find a strength that even I didn’t know I had.”
In October 2025, Rodriguez posted a look at the aftermath of a devastating accident that occurred during training.
In a series of slides via Instagram, Rodriguez showcased the moments after the crash as she lay in the street below an SUV with a cracked windshield. A selfie shot later in the gym showcased the athlete with her left arm in a sling and her left knee protected by a heavy brace as she used a crutch to stand upright.
“A few days ago, while I was training on my road bike, a car hit me. At the last moment, when I saw there was no way out, I was able to tense my body and brace for the impact… and I’m convinced that’s what prevented something much worse,” she wrote.
At the time, Rodriguez admitted her future in ski mountaineering was uncertain because of a litany of injuries, including ACL and MCL ligament tears, a broken ankle, a separated shoulder and bone edema in her knee.
“All things considered, I’m here (which is what matters most), in one piece and more determined than ever to move forward,” she wrote. “I know the road ahead won’t be easy. There will be gray days—days of pain, doubt, and exhaustion… but I also know those are the days that make you truly appreciate it when the sun shines again.”
Rodriguez went on, “It’s not the first time I’ve had to get back up. Even though this time the hill is steeper and I have to climb it faster—you already know I’ve never liked the easy paths. I’m putting my fighter suit back on and going for it, surrounded by the best professional and human team I could possibly have.”
Rodriguez admitted that the roadside collision was an unexpected twist on her quest for glory in Milan and Cortina.
“Just 7 months ago, I fulfilled a dream [to qualify for the Olympics] that was born when I was 7 years old,” she wrote. “I don’t believe life brought me there just to leave me here. This isn’t an ending—it’s just a new challenge to climb with determination, faith, and a lot of passion.”
She concluded, “From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who has been and continues to be there. Feeling so much trust, love, and support is my engine, my drive, and my strength to achieve this. There aren’t enough words to express all my gratitude. I am fortunate—now more than ever 🥹🙏🏻This is for you—for those who never doubted for a moment; and for those who are no longer here, but whom I feel with me in every step.”
Rodriguez’s dedication paid off when she hit the slopes in Milan and Cortina. Earlier in the week, the ski mountaineer told the Associated Press that it was “so emotional” to have triumphed in the face of such adversity.
“I couldn’t believe it [that I won a bronze medal] … Trying to believe that I achieved this medal, it was a beautiful moment for me,” she added.
Rodriguez stressed that her only goal coming into Milan and Cortina was simply to compete since even that possibility seemed remote only a few months ago.
“I wanted to focus on myself and be proud of my performance, no matter the result,” she said. “So I only wanted to cross the finish line being happy with my performance.”
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