Aaron Kostner “fired up” for the Olympics

At 25 years old, Aaron Kostner was Italy’s top male Nordic Combined athlete last season and no stranger to the international stage.

Since his World Cup debut in 2017 and Olympic appearance in PyeongChang 2018, he has steadily climbed the ranks – highlighted by his career-best 11th place finish in Seefeld in 2023. With the 2026 Olympic Winter Games on home soil approaching fast, we spoke with Aaron about his journey, his goals for the upcoming season, and the evolution of the sport he proudly represents.

Looking back at your World Cup debut in Ramsau in 2017, how would you describe your growth as an athlete since then — and what moments have been most defining in your career so far?

My first year on the World Cup circuit was tough – it took time to adjust to the rhythm and demands at that level, which are very different from lower-tier competitions. But already in my second season, I managed to score my first World Cup points. A key moment was finishing 4th at the Junior World Ski Championships in Lahti in 2019, a result I’m really proud of considering the level of the field – with Johannes Lamparter, Julian Schmid, and Andreas Skoglund on the podium, and me, Aleksander Skoglund, and Jens Luraas Oftebro rounding out the top six.

Just a few weeks later, I confirmed my good form with an unexpected 13th place in the individual Gundersen on the big hill at the 2019 World Championships in Seefeld. The following season also started well with several top-20 and top-30 finishes in Ruka and Lillehammer. At that point, it felt like it was just a matter of time before I would break into the top 10.

Then the unexpected happened: I tore my ACL in my left knee, ending my season and beginning a long rehab process — 10 months without ski jumping. Since then, it’s been a challenge to get back to my best level on the hill, especially with frequent changes in our ski jumping coaches. That made it hard to build consistency in training. Fortunately, the work on the hill is going well again now, and I hope we can continue with the current coaching staff for many years.

On the cross-country side, my progress has continued well despite the injury. If I had to name two defining moments in my career so far, I’d say the 2019 World Championships in Seefeld and the injury at the start of the 2019/20 season.

Having already competed in the 2018 Olympics, how does the chance to represent Italy again – this time on home soil – influence your motivation and preparation for the 2025/26 season?

I’m already fired up, but I also know the road to the Olympics is long. I need to stay calm and focused on the work ahead. I made mistakes in my preparation for the Beijing 2022 Games, and I want to treat those experiences as lessons. My goal this time is to get through the summer preparation in the best way possible and start the season strong.

Last season, you were Italy’s top male Nordic Combined athlete. How do you see your role within the national team, especially as the country prepares to host the 2026 Olympic Winter Games?

We’re a small team that has trained together for many years, and the atmosphere is really good. I think we all play the same role: we need to push hard in every session and push each other to raise the overall level. That’s what we need to do as we move toward the home Olympics – keep each other sharp and motivated.

What parts of your performance do you feel need the most improvement right now to secure Olympic qualification?

I need to improve my flexibility and continue working hard on my ski jumping – that’s definitely a priority. At the same time, I’ll keep building endurance to make sure I’m 100% ready for the winter season.

With the growing visibility of women’s Nordic Combined and its push for Olympic inclusion, how do you view the evolution of the sport – and what does it mean for the next generation of athletes in Italy?

I really hope Nordic Combined will return to having four start spots per nation at the Olympics and that it continues to be recognized as the beautiful, historic sport it is. The inclusion of women in the Olympic program is a step that needs to happen soon. I think FIS has done a good job in recent years by introducing new formats that have made the sport more exciting and viewer-friendly — and they should definitely continue down that path.

If this progress continues, I believe young athletes will have a bright future in Nordic Combined. My personal hope is that many young Italian kids will be inspired by what they see at the upcoming Olympics and choose to follow this sport.