Concordia students to compete at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games

At least four Concordia students will represent their countries at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, taking place in February. Competing in figure skating, freestyle skiing and women’s hockey, the athletes — who span all four faculties — are pursuing their studies while preparing for international competition.

Zachary Lagha is a third-year Contemporary Dance student in Concordia’s Faculty of Fine Arts. He will represent Canada in ice dance alongside his competition partner, Marjorie Lajoie. Lagha previously competed at the Beijing 2022 Winter Games and continues his academic studies while remaining active on the international circuit.

“Balancing my studies at Concordia with elite training has taught me to approach both my artistic and athletic practices with intention and adaptability,” he says.

In women’s hockey, Emma Nonnenmacher, a first-year psychology student in Concordia’s Faculty of Arts and Science, has been selected to compete with Team France. She joined the Concordia Stingers ahead of the 2025 season after previously studying and competing in Canada at the Cégep level.

“The support I received from Concordia this year helped me to earn a spot on the team while maintaining a balance between my studies and high-level sport,” she says. “That structure has been essential to my development as a student athlete and as a person.”

Also selected to play hockey with Team France is Alice Philbert, a fourth-year student in therapeutic recreation, also in Arts and Science. A goaltender, Philbert competed with Concordia from 2017 to 2023, during which time she won a Canadian university championship. She later continued her athletic career in Europe before earning eligibility to compete internationally with France.

"Concordia was part of building who I am and what I believe in,” she says. “Today, that path leads me to the Olympics."

In freestyle skiing, Marion Thénault will represent Canada in acrobatic skiing. She is a student in aerospace engineering at the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science. Thénault returns to the Olympic stage after winning a bronze medal in mixed team aerials at the Beijing 2022 Games.

“I chose Concordia because it was the only university where I felt there was a genuine openness to my goal of pursuing a bachelor’s degree while competing as an Olympic athlete,” she says. “This support has allowed me to develop a great deal of independence in my learning, while knowing that help is available when I need it.”

Learn more about academic programs and student life at Concordia.