Just days before the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics are set to begin, U.S. skeleton racer Katie Uhlaender is still fighting for a spot. The American is at the center of a controversy after the Canadian skeleton team made a decision at a recent race that ultimately cost her a sixth Olympic appearance.

Former Tulane track and field athlete Jared Firestone will make history next week when he competes in the skeleton for Israel at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter

While at a glance Bobsled, Luge and Skeleton may appear similar, the three sliding events have distinct differences. (AP photo)

Skeleton is an exhilarating Winter Olympic sport in which athletes race head-first down an ice track at speeds reaching over 80 miles per hour (130km/h). While the event can look basic at first glance,

Skeleton made its Olympic debut at the 1928 Winter Games in Switzerland and became a permanent event in 2002 during the Games in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The United States is the most successful skeleton nation in Winter Olympic history but with most of those medals now gathering dust, the arrival of the new mixed relay at Cortina is a timely opportunity to get back on the podium.

As the Winter Olympics return, exhilarating speed-centric sports such as alpine skiing, luge and bobsleigh take the spotlight. But which is fastest? (AP photo)