Back to Her Roots: Speed Skater Giorgia Birkeland’s Full-Circle Olympic Return

Giorgia Birkeland is headed to her second Olympic Games. But what stands out most isn’t just the result, it’s the mindset that got her there.

When we sat down with her, she didn’t talk about medals or rankings. She talked about discomfort, self-talk, and learning how to show up when it’s hard.

That’s the story worth telling. “Honestly, I find most of my confidence by doing things that are challenging. When you think it’s so hard and you don’t know if you can do it… and then you push through and you’re like, dang — I just did that.”

And the version of Giorgia going to Milan? It’s the one who steps on the line thinking: “I’m going to go out there and prove it.”

There was a time when the line felt very different for Giorgia. She could feel the lack of confidence creeping in before the race even started, and she knew how costly that was. “If you go into a race like that, it’s like you’ve already lost before it even started,” she told Back The Team. 

She used to stand there thinking, “am I ready? What if I mess up? What if I make a fool of myself?” But this season, something shifted. “I don’t have time for any of that anymore,” she said. Now, the line represents something else entirely: “It’s an opportunity to perform at my best. It’s a privilege to be here.” 

A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats

But Giorgia skates Team Pursuit and that changes everything.

For her, being on a team isn’t just about shared results. It’s about shared responsibility. “The blessing of being on a team is it brings out the best in everyone,” she said. “You don’t want to let them down, and they don’t want to let you down.”

That dynamic shows up every day in training. When talking about putting in the work alongside teammate Mia Manganello, Giorgia laughed: “It’s like a game of who can one-up each other in the best way. I’ll see Mia dying over there on bike blocks and I’m like, well, I gotta be dying just as much as her.”

It’s a mindset that’s bigger than herself. And a big reason this quad has felt different for Birkeland.

From Surprise Olympian to Medal Chaser

Beijing 2022 wasn’t even originally in Giorgia’s plans. “I had never even competed internationally on the World Cup circuit. I just… made the Games. It was super unexpected. Overwhelming. I felt like I might’ve taken someone’s spot — like I had something to prove just by being there.”

This time feels different.

“I knew going into this year my goal was to make it for Team Pursuit. I checked that box. Now we can focus on getting a medal.”

From surprise to intention. The mindset shift in a mere four years is simply remarkable. 

Milan Isn’t Just a Venue. It’s Home.

There’s another layer to Giorgia’s story. She was born in Italy.

“My mom is cold-cut-to-the-bone Italian,” she laughed. She and her sister lived there until she was two. And now, years later, she’ll skate onto Olympic ice on the soil where her story began.

“My Italian cousins have never even seen me skate and they’re all coming to support. That means the world. If I could choose anywhere in the world for the Winter Games, Italy would be it.”

Not just full circle. Full heart.

At Back The Team, we’re pulling back the curtain on how elite athletes think when it matters most so others can learn to do the same. Giorgia’s story is not just about going to Milan. It is proof that confidence is built and mindset is a skill worth training every day.

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