Parenthood brings perspective for moguls legend Mikaël Kingsbury
Mikaël Kingsbury has seemingly done it all as an Olympian. But at Milano Cortina 2026, he’ll get to make even more history—and do it in a brand-new role.
He’ll enter these Games as the first male freestyle skier to ever notch 100 World Cup wins. He’s set to be part of the first ever crop of Olympic skiers competing in dual moguls, which makes its debut this year.
But perhaps most importantly for the 33-year-old: this will be his first Olympics since becoming a father.
READ: Kingsbury wins silver in men’s moguls at Beijing 2022
Kingsbury has competed at the last three Olympic Winter Games, amassing two silvers and a gold in men’s moguls. Then, in August 2024, his son Henrik was born and everything changed.
“It’s the most beautiful thing that ever happened to me,” says Kingsbury. “I’ve had a lot of cool [sport-related] things happening … But this is way above anything else.”
For someone whose top priority had always been his sport, fatherhood has presented a significant shift for Kingsbury. Like any new parent, he’s endured his share of sleep-deprived nights.
But the challenge of being a dad hasn’t detracted from Kingsbury’s prowess on the hill. In a way, it’s rejuvenated him.
“I’m less hard on myself now that I became a dad, and it’s actually helped my skiing, I believe,” he says. “They travel a lot with me for World Cups.
“It was fun to be on the mountain skiing and being super focused when I ski, and as soon as I get back to the hotel, I get to be a dad. I think it was good for my brain.”
READ: Canadian Olympic freestyle skiing team announced for Milano Cortina 2026
His body is clearly still in top shape, too. At the 2025 FIS World Championships, Kingsbury took silver in men’s moguls and gold in men’s dual moguls.
Despite the fact that dual moguls is only making its Olympic debut in 2026, Kingsbury has had success in the event going back 15 years. In dual moguls, two athletes compete side-by-side while being judged on turns, air and speed.
“I get more excited about dual and I feel less nervous when it’s dual,” says Kingsbury. “There’s a bit more adrenaline in dual moguls because you have someone against you and you’re absolutely, sometimes, going all out.”
The introduction of dual moguls brings the prospect of an adrenaline-fuelled Olympic showdown between Kingsbury and friendly rival Ikuma Horishima of Japan.
The pair have pushed each other—and the sport—to new heights in the past decade. But they remain friends off the hill, even taking yearly trips together to Japan.
“What’s super special about Ikuma is he’s a bit younger than me, but we’ve been competing in World Cup [events] for a long time,” says Kingsbury. “He’s also a dad, so I mean, we can relate a lot. He’s an amazing skier.
“It’s pretty funny because most of the time we end up in finals together, and we have to battle. And [our partners] are like, ‘Ouf! Let’s hope they stay healthy.’ Because they know we’re going to push over 100% when we face each other.”
Without a doubt, Kingsbury will bring that same mindset to Milano Cortina 2026. But for any athlete who’s had such a long and dominant career, there are always questions.
Will this be Kingsbury’s last Olympic Games? Could he become the first-ever Olympic gold medallist in men’s dual moguls? What does the future look like for Team Canada in freestyle skiing?
Whatever those answers may be, it seems Kingsbury will head into these Games in a state of peace.
“It’s a great moment in my career, to be where I’m at,” he says.
“I’m always excited to see [Henrik] in the morning and see him smile and play with him on ground. I mean, my goal is that he’s healthy and he’s doing awesome. So for me, I mean, anything can happen; like, I’ve achieved, all I want.”
