Olympic Glory Meets Everyday Careers: 5 Athletes Who Excel Beyond Sports
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy showcased not just athletic excellence but also remarkable stories of dual careers. While fans watched breathtaking performances on snowy slopes and curling ice, many competitors were simultaneously managing professional lives involving farms, real estate, laboratories, fashion runways, and dental clinics. These athletes demonstrate that pursuing Olympic dreams doesn't require abandoning other professional aspirations.
1. Ryan Cochran-Siegle: From Super-G Silver to Maple Syrup Farming
Ryan Cochran-Siegle secured his second consecutive Olympic silver medal in Super-G at the 2026 Winter Games, having previously earned the same honor at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Beyond his high-speed skiing career, he actively participates in his family's Vermont-based maple syrup business, Slopeside Syrup. The athlete humorously refers to himself as a "professional maple syrup chugger," highlighting how he balances elite competition with agricultural entrepreneurship.
Skiing has been integral to Cochran-Siegle's life since age two, guided by his mother Barbara Cochran, herself an Olympic champion. This family legacy in sports complements his commitment to maintaining the maple syrup operation that represents his roots and future beyond competitive skiing.
2. Korey Dropkin: Curling Silver Medalist and Licensed Realtor
Korey Dropkin made Olympic history alongside partner Cory Thiesse by winning the first-ever American mixed doubles silver medal in curling at the 2026 Games. When not on the ice, Dropkin operates as a fully licensed real estate agent in Minnesota and Wisconsin, working with Superior Shores Real Estate Group. He credits supportive colleagues who accommodate his athletic schedule, stating they've assisted with property showings and client management during his training and competition periods.
This dual career path demonstrates how professional real estate work can successfully coexist with elite athletic training, requiring careful time management and supportive workplace environments.
3. Cory Thiesse: Olympic Medalist and Laboratory Technician
Cory Thiesse, who earned the historic mixed doubles curling silver medal with Korey Dropkin, applies her University of Minnesota exercise science education as a lab technician at her mother's mercury testing company in Duluth, Minnesota. The position offers crucial scheduling flexibility that enables Thiesse to maintain intensive training regimens while contributing to important environmental testing work.
Her career illustrates how specialized technical roles in scientific fields can provide the adaptable work arrangements that elite athletes require, allowing them to pursue both professional and Olympic aspirations simultaneously.
4. Lucas Pinheiro Braathen: Giant Slalom Champion and Runway Model
Norwegian-Brazilian skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen captured gold in the Giant Slalom event at the 2026 Winter Olympics while maintaining a parallel career in fashion. As a runway model and brand ambassador for Moncler Grenoble, Braathen incorporates his bold personal style into both athletic and fashion spheres. His opening ceremony appearance featured a distinctive cape with Brazilian flag motifs, visually connecting his dual identities as elite athlete and fashion personality.
This combination of world-class skiing and high-fashion modeling represents a unique intersection of sports and creative industries rarely seen at the Olympic level.
5. Tara Peterson: Competitive Curler and Practicing Dentist
Tara Peterson represented Team USA in team curling at the 2026 Winter Olympics, where her squad finished fourth. Outside the rink, she practices dentistry at Gentle Dentistry in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, following in her parents' medical career footsteps. Peterson's achievement highlights how demanding healthcare professions can be maintained alongside elite athletic competition, requiring exceptional discipline and time management skills.
Her story particularly illustrates how medical careers, often considered incompatible with professional sports due to their rigorous demands, can indeed coexist with Olympic-level athletic pursuits through careful planning and dedication.
The Broader Significance of Dual-Career Olympians
These five athletes collectively demonstrate that Olympic glory and conventional professional careers are not mutually exclusive. They train intensively, represent their nations at the highest competitive levels, then return to diverse workplaces including agricultural operations, real estate offices, scientific laboratories, fashion venues, and medical clinics. Their medals symbolize athletic achievement, but their everyday professional lives enrich their personal narratives and provide financial stability beyond competitive sports.
This trend reflects evolving attitudes toward athlete development and career sustainability, showing that maintaining professional identities outside sports can enhance rather than detract from Olympic performance. As these competitors illustrate, the discipline required for professional success often translates effectively to athletic excellence, creating well-rounded individuals who excel in multiple domains of life.
