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Mexico’s Sarah Schleper and Son Lasse Gaxiola Become First Mother–Son Duo at a Winter Olympics

As the oldest female Alpine skier, the 46-year-old seven-time Olympian races in Cortina, with her 18-year-old son debuting separately in Bormio.

Overview

  • Olympic historian Bill Mallon’s research, cited by multiple outlets, confirms they are the first mother and son to compete at the same Winter Games.
  • Schleper is entered in super-G and giant slalom in Cortina d’Ampezzo, while Gaxiola races giant slalom and slalom in Bormio about three to four hours away.
  • Their split venues mean limited in-person support, with Gaxiola coached on site by his father, Federico Gaxiola, as Schleper focuses on her own events.
  • Competing at her seventh Olympics and third for Mexico after a 2015 return from retirement, Schleper is also the first Alpine skier to appear at seven Winter Games for women.
  • The pair’s journey follows a long family arc, including Schleper’s 2011 farewell World Cup run carrying a toddler Lasse, recent joint training before the Games, and her role as a Mexican flag bearer at the opening ceremony.