A defining moment of Jessie Diggins’ career lasted only a few seconds. A final sprint, an outstretched ski and an ecstatic sports call: “Here comes Diggins!”
That iconic race finish at the 2018 Winter Olympics wasn’t just a turning point for the Afton native’s path to become America’s most decorated cross-country skier. That moment redefined what was possible for competitive cross-country skiing in the U.S.
“But there is so much more to winning than being the first one to cross the finish line,” Diggins said.
More than 2,000 fans gathered Sunday at Allianz Field in St. Paul to celebrate Diggins’ nearly two-decade career, following her retirement earlier this spring. The event — billed as “Here Comes Diggins” — was her first major public appearance in Minnesota since her final competition in which she captured her fourth World Cup championship.
The energy inside Allianz Field felt more like a festival than a farewell. That’s especially because many attendees wore Diggins’ signature glitter face paint and sparkly hair, a tradition she used to remind herself and others to have fun during grueling races.
In her speech to the crowd, Diggins reflected on a career that stretched from varsity high school races as a seventh grader to the nation’s, then the world’s, biggest competitions.
Starting in middle school, Diggins rose quickly through the ranks of a sport that, at the beginning of her career, was barely visible in the U.S. — especially compared to European ski powerhouse nations like Norway, Sweden and Finland.
By her retirement, Diggins had stood on 90 World Cup podiums, won multiple Tour de Ski competitions and earned four Olympic medals.
It was her viral gold medal win in 2018 that roused Americans who had not previously paid attention to the sport.
Diggins wowed her fans with nonstop excellence season after season. She stood out to fans through the grit and joy she brought to each race, glitter streaking her cheeks and hair.
That same year Diggins went viral, she opened up publicly about her struggles with eating disorders. Eating disorders are common in elite sports, but have long been stigmatized.
Diggins partners with Minnesota’s The Emily Program to share her challenges and to stress the importance of reaching out for help. She knows all too well about that need after she experienced a relapse in her 30s.
In a state where skiing is woven into winter culture, she became a symbol of what Minnesota athletes could achieve on a global stage. Attendees at Sunday’s celebration, including Meghan Gage-Finn, said she made the niche sport feel personal.
“We’ve looked up to Jessie Diggins for a long time. I know the kids have admired her, and we’ve watched her career,” Gage-Finn said. “We love skiing. It’s a sport we can all do as a family. So we just feel really honored we can come out and be part of the celebration today.”
Gage-Finn’s daughter, Larkin Finn, said that as a young skier, she looks up to Diggins.
“She seems like someone who doesn’t really care about her results and just having fun, which I think is cool,” Larkin said.
Alongside Diggins’ remarks at Allianz Field, there was a highly popular glitter station and a long line to get the chance to meet Diggins and congratulate her on her career.
“I’m retiring, not going to the moon,” Diggins said to the crowd. “I want to stay involved in skiing and in the community. And thank you for making this so special for me, to celebrate racing with joy and racing with heart and racing with grit.”
Diggins said that she doesn’t know exactly what’s in store for her retirement, but she’s already signaled interest in continuing her work in mental health advocacy and eating disorder awareness.
“Please keep wearing glitter at your races and big moments,” Diggins said. “I’m going to keep wearing glitter, too.”
