Park City’s Paige Jones, Josie Johnson ski jump in the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics

Josie Johnson at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Ski Jumping Competition. Photo: TownLift // Michele Roepke

Belshaw, who trains in Steamboat Springs but considers Park City her second home, according to her coach, sat in 16th place after the first round with 118.5 points on the HS 107 hill. She scored 106.9 points in the final round for a total of 225.4 points. Jones improved from her first-round position to move up one spot in the final standings, finishing with 222.6 total points. Johnson also progressed from 28th place after the first round (out of 30 finalists) to finish 27th with 216.4 total points.

“This has been super exciting. I’m really happy for my whole team to have qualified for the second round, which is so fun because we all get to do this together,” Johnson told TownLift in the finish area.

Johnson learned she made the Olympic team while in Japan and had to keep it secret for several days per USOPC policy, sharing the news only with her parents, Stacey and Scott, via group text back in Park City. “I got to see my mom and dad yesterday here in Italy, which was wonderful since I hadn’t seen them since Christmas.”

Athletes from Norway, Slovenia, and Japan won gold, silver, and bronze, respectively.

This marked the first Olympic Games for all three American jumpers. Clear, mildly cold night conditions allowed for excellent spectating by their extended families and friends. While Belshaw’s parents, Cathy and Allen, attended in Italy, development athletes from the Park City Ski & Snowboard Team were staying at their Colorado home—part of a culture of reciprocal home-hosting throughout the states. Jones’ parents, Kara and Gordon, have hosted Belshaw in Park City countless times.

“Ski jumping in the Olympics has always been a goal of mine, so it’s awesome to actually be here,” Johnson said. “I’m still in admiration of my fellow Park City athletes, and when people tell me that on some level I’m an inspiration to them, it’s kind of hard to believe.”

The trio has inspired not only snow-savvy locals but also fans from across the country. In the finish area, a group of cheering, flag-draped women in their early twenties from North Carolina and Florida sought autographs and selfies with the athletes, declaring themselves simply fans of the sport.

Johnson received 56 hand-colored cards from students at Jeremy Ranch Elementary School, where she attended. She also received a card from Olympian Abby Ringquist’s young son, complete with a drawing of a ski jumper flying through the air, like his mom once did. Olympian Lindsey Van told TownLift at a Park City competition she was officiating that she knew Johnson had what it takes to become an Olympian.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Park City Connections

Jessica Jerome, from Park City, became the first female Olympian to serve as an Assistant Technical Delegate at the Milan Cortina Olympics. Dr. Carrie Jaworski from Park City Hospital served on the USOPC medical staff at the venue.

Former PCSS ski jumper Tyler Phillips’ parents have supported the families they’ve spent time with and volunteered with over the years.

Anders Johnson, a Parkite and three-time Olympic ski jumper himself, now serves as the U.S. Ski Team’s sport director for ski jumping and Nordic combined. Fellow three-time Olympic ski jumper Alan Alborn told TownLift at a recent competition at Utah Olympic Park how impressive it is that these women performed consistently throughout the season to secure three Olympic spots—up from just one precarious spot four years ago.

“We get to compete on the big hill later in the week,” Johnson said. “I’m looking forward to that because I love jumping the bigger hills.”

Anders Johnson also noted that Americans should tune in to watch Nordic combined at the Milan-Cortina Olympics, as the IOC is evaluating global viewership to decide whether to add women to the sport at future Olympics or potentially eliminate it altogether.