When Abbey Willcox took to the skies at Milano Cortina 2026 this week, her path to the Olympic final carried a strong local connection — and the backing of a wide support network. From the coaches and training partners at the Sleeman Sports Complex in Brisbane’s east, to her Broncos workmates at Red Hill, to supporters across Brisbane, her hometown on the NSW Central Coast and the rest of Australia, many are cheering her on as she chases Olympic success.
After a heavy snowstorm postponed Tuesday night’s qualifying rounds, the Women’s Aerials competition unfolded on Wednesday, February 18, under clear skies. The Australians made their mark.
Danielle Scott soared straight into the final in second place, while Willcox powered through qualification to secure ninth and a place in the 12-skier final. Sidney Stephens finished 15th on debut, and Airleigh Frigo placed 22nd.
Flying Into The Final
Willcox landed a Back Full-Double Full in Qualification 1, scoring 88.12 to sit eighth. With only the top six progressing automatically, she returned for Qualification 2, but her first score held, locking in ninth overall and progression to the final.
“It was good to finally get out there and compete at the Olympic Games and I was pretty happy with my first jump,” Willcox said.
“[The conditions] are pretty good, not too much wind, and the sun’s out so you can’t really get a better day.”
Reflecting on reaching the final stage, she added: “It felt so good to be out there [in an Olympic final] and land my jumps as well. It’s a dream come true. As soon as I made the Olympic Team, it was like a weight off my shoulders… I feel really happy and proud of myself.”
Back in Brisbane, her Broncos family has been cheering her on. Members of the NRLW squad, including captain Ali Brigginshaw, along with club figures Matt Gillett, Corey Oates and Sam Thaiday, sent her a video message of support ahead of competition. Thaiday told her they had ridden the club’s highs and lows together last season and were ready to ride the Olympic journey with her too.
The 12-skier final will see the top six advance to a Super Final to contest the medals, keeping Willcox in contention.
Tribute To Team Leader Laura Peel
Australia’s aerials campaign has also been shaped by the absence of team leader Laura Peel, who ruptured her ACL at a training camp on February 3 and withdrew on the eve of competition.
Peel, a four-time Olympian and one of Australia’s leading medal hopes heading into Milano Cortina, remained with the team in Livigno to support her teammates.
Willcox paid tribute by writing “Laura” on her glove with a love heart beneath before competition.
“She’s such a special person in our team and I’m just so sad that she’s not out here with us,” Willcox told Australian media after qualifying ninth.
“There’s not much I can do about her ACL, but just show some support… she’s such a great person. She’s a great teammate and a great human.”
Brisbane Base Behind The Breakthrough
Although born on the NSW Central Coast, Willcox’s Olympic preparation has been firmly Brisbane-based. She trains at the Geoff Henke Olympic Winter Training Centre at Sleeman Sports Complex, the southern hemisphere’s first year-round ski-jumping facility, practising into a large outdoor pool before transitioning to snow overseas.
Her daily routine reflects the balance she has struck between elite sport and full-time work.
“We practice our jumps into a large outdoor pool for two hours,” she said. “After that I go to the gym or do some trampoline practice for another two hours. Once training is finished, I jump in the car and drive to Red Hill to start work around 12:30pm.”
Her workday often runs until 6pm, sometimes followed by further training.
“Then I do it all again the next day,” she said.
That persistence follows years of setbacks, including a broken leg and missing selection for the 2022 Winter Olympics, before finally earning her Olympic call-up earlier this month.
“It was 10 years in the making, if not my whole life in the making,” she said.
Stephens And Frigo Complete Their Campaigns
Stephens, called up late following Peel’s injury, performed a Back-Lay-Full (75.11) and Back-Lay-Tuck (73.84) to finish 15th.
“I’m super stoked… I’m just really proud of the effort I did today,” Stephens said. “It’s a great experience… I think it was really cool to see I could handle that.”
Frigo attempted a Back Full-Full and a Back-Double Full-Full but was unable to cleanly land either jump, scoring 55.75 and 60.27 to place 22nd.
“I’m really proud to be here right now. It wasn’t quite the performance I wanted, but I’m here… and I gave it my all,” Frigo said.
At this stage of the competition, Scott and Willcox advance to the final, while Stephens and Frigo conclude their individual campaigns in qualification, highlighting Australia’s depth and resilience on the Olympic stage.
Published 19-Feb-2026
