Henri Rivers IV trained since toddlerhood for his Olympic start. His first run lasted only moments.
Competing for Jamaica in the slalom at the 2026 Winter Games, the 18-year-old Windham Mountain alum lost an edge early on the Stelvio course and skied out, registering a Did Not Finish as deteriorating weather knocked out more than half the field in the opening run. World Cup Athletes struggled to keep clean lines as ruts deepened amid heavy snow.
Built in Windham, Rivers’ path to the Olympic start gate began in the Catskills. He and his sisters, Helaina and Henniyah, grew up racing through Windham’s ski and ride program, spending winters balancing training blocks with schoolwork and long drives from Long Island. Their father, Henri Rivers III, coached at Windham for years after learning to ski in the Catskills. Their mother, Karen Rivers, born in Kingston, Jamaica, helped guide the trio’s development on and off the mountain.
The result may not have reflected the years of preparation, but Rivers said the moment, from carrying Jamaica’s flag in the Opening Ceremony to stepping into the Olympic start gate, affirmed that he belongs on the sport’s biggest stage.
In a conversation this week, the Rivers triplets reflected on the race, the shifting weather conditions, the politics of Olympic quotas, and the financial realities facing athletes from smaller nations.
You were a flag bearer at the Opening Ceremony. What was that moment like?
Henri Rivers: Well, right before we were going to walk, they had us waiting right in front of this camera so everyone could see. And I was just telling myself, “Do not drop this flag. Do not mess it up. Don’t do anything bad.” And I messed it up—but it was right as they panned to the bobsled team in Cortina, so I was safe.
What’s it like arriving at the Olympic Village for the first time?
Henri Rivers: When we first got to the village, it was me and my dad. We had to go to the accreditation center, get our accreditation cards, press them into a lanyard so you can wear them at all times, because you have to wear it at all times around the village.
You get checked by security whenever you go to a different hotel or to get your skis or anything. You can’t take it off.
What does a typical day look like for you there?
Henri Rivers: You wake up depending on your race schedule. For training, you have three time blocks: 8 to 10, 11 to 1, and 1 to 3. They really just punch out training and get it done for the day.
After training, you put your skis in your wax cabin. Big nations had a lot. Norway had six wax cabins, the U.S. had eight. Then you go back, eat lunch, recover, lift, hang out with other athletes. It’s like boarding school or college life, but closed off.
And people are constantly asking to trade pins. Almost every hour.
Walk me through your run. What happened?
Henri Rivers: I didn’t end at the second gate. I was a good chunk through the top, around 10 gates. There was a delay section that makes you traverse across the hill. It’s a quick change of pace.
Right after that delay, I went into soft snow and my skis just turned around. DNF. (Did Not Finish).
When I DNF’d, yeah, I was a little mad. It’s your first Olympic start and it ends before it really starts. But that’s the sport. Failure is a bruise, not a tattoo. You push it aside and focus on the next part of your journey.
What did it mean to have your family there?
Henri Rivers: It meant the world. Without them, I’d have been nervous. I probably wouldn’t have slept. They kept me grounded.
Helaina Rivers: We stayed about five minutes outside the area where the Olympians were staying. We were training right outside of Bormio every day. We couldn’t go into the hotel, but we tried to do dinners and see him as much as possible. Watching his race was our first time seeing the Olympics in person instead of on TV. That was really special.
Your father spoke powerfully about race and representation at the Games. How did that resonate with you?
Henniyah Rivers: Just having him there as an advocate and ambassador for inclusion in winter sports meant a lot. Having all those athletes of color there meant a lot.
Henri Rivers: One of the key things we want is more quota spots for smaller nations. Powerhouse countries get more because they have more athletes in the World Cup. Smaller nations like Jamaica, Haiti, Spain—they can only send one per gender.
It’s politics between federations and the IOC (International Olympic Committee). It’s not as inclusive for smaller nations. Being at the Olympics is always an honor. But we want more opportunity.
You’ve both spoken about the financial realities of Olympic sport. What’s the truth behind the scenes?
Henri Rivers: They make tens of billions every Olympics off athletes’ name, image, and likeness. But the IOC doesn’t pay athletes.
The U.S. paid athletes this year because of a $100 million donation. They paid $200,000 just for competing. Other countries like Norway and Sweden don’t pay their athletes anything for medals.
I didn’t get paid. I got money from the Olympic Solidarity Fund. My federation paid for some things. But I paid some money myself to get there. That shouldn’t happen.
Most Olympians aren’t getting paid like NFL or NBA athletes. If you paid full price for equipment, you’d be in debt within a year or two.
Henniyah Rivers: Our parents have paid for pretty much everything. Money doesn’t grow on trees. It’s really hard on families.
Does that financial pressure change how athletes approach the Games?
Henri Rivers: For sure. A lot of athletes make content hoping it goes viral so they can earn something. You’re fighting every day wondering if your video is going to take off.
There’s also the dynamic within Jamaica between the bobsled team and skiing. How do you see that?
Henri Rivers: The bobsled team has had time to grow. They won this year. That’s huge. We’re the newer generation of the ski team. It’s going to take time.
I’ve worked my whole life to make a name for myself in skiing. Sometimes you don’t see that shine yet. That made me a little upset. But we’ll get there.
What’s next?
Henri Rivers: We were going to go to World Juniors, but finances and federation politics made that difficult. Our parents have been paying for pretty much everything.
We’re heading to Colorado on Feb. 26 for the National Brotherhood of Snowsports Summit.
Noah Eckstein is the editor-in-chief of The Overlook. Send correspondence to noah@theoverlooknews.com.