Lisa Schulte Has A Wish List For The Olympics
Austria's Medal Hope In Luge
Cortina (FIL/01 Feb 2026) Of course, Lisa Schulte knows full well that the Olympic Games are not a wish list. Nevertheless, the 25-year-old Austrian has two things she would like to experience in Cortina d'Ampezzo. “My goal is to win a medal,” says the luger. And her second wish? “It would be cool if I could bump into Mikaela Shiffrin and we could have a quick chat,” Schulte reveals. Wish number one is understandable, but what about number two, meeting the two-time Olympic champion and eight-time world champion from the USA? “Mikaela is a big role model for me,” says the woman with the blonde curls. She immediately explains why: “Apart from her skiing skills, I find her mental strength very impressive, how she deals with expectations and pressure. ”Outwardly, she seems to be extremely self-assured. That is certainly the basis of her great success. And she comes across as very likeable and honest in public.“ Nevertheless, Schulte considers the chances of a meeting to be slim: ”She has her own program. Besides, she is a lot better known than I am." The Austrian fears that other Olympic starters besides her have the same wish.
Lisa Schulte has been working on her mental strength for some time. Last summer, the 1.76-meter-tall athlete discussed the race at the Olympic Games with her coach. Unlike the World Cup, the rankings are decided over four rounds instead of two. There is a night between the second and third rounds. “After the first day, you have to calm down and clear your head,” says the 2024 world champion, “and on the second day, it starts all over again.” That's easier said than done. That's why Schulte, who has won one World Cup race so far, adds: “Strange things always happen at the Olympics.” Her recipe for success: “Four consistent runs.” Her fondness for the newly designed track in Cortina may work in her favor: "The track isn't particularly fast, but it does have certain demands. I like tracks with a finer flow."
The 25-year-old's life has also been unusual. She was born in Germany, in Regensburg. When she was two, the Schulte family moved to North Rhine-Westphalia. Seven years later, her father took a job in Tyrol. Since then, the Stubai Valley has been her home. “In elementary school, a friend said that sledding was super cool and that I should definitely try it,” Schulte reports, “even though I didn't even know what sledding was at the time.” Her friend was right, Lisa Schulte was immediately hooked, because, as she readily admits today, “speed and adrenaline are my passion.” In the run-up to the 2016 Youth Olympic Games in Lillehammer, where her brother Bastian came fourth, the Schulte family took Austrian citizenship.
On the ice track in winter, on the road in summer. Lisa Schulte lives her passion for speed and adrenaline to the full. Her father lets her borrow his motorcycle. “When I have time, I like to go for a spin,” she says. Sometimes the family also goes on trips together. “Of course, we ride up and down mountain passes,” she says, “and we like to go to Italy for coffee.”
But there is also another, quieter side to Lisa Schulte. She loves to cook and bake, and she also lists pottery as one of her hobbies. She also enjoys traveling. But meeting up with friends is important to her, “unfortunately, I don't have enough time, especially in winter when we're on the road a lot.”
Lisa Schulte describes herself as honest, empathetic, and determined. At least two of these qualities will help her fulfill at least one of her two wishes for the Olympic Games.
