There were many times this season that Afton native Jessie Diggins felt like her foot was ripping apart. She was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis a couple of months ago, and also suffered a partially torn ligament to boot.

Though she was forced to miss a couple of races as a result, Diggins has long been known for her ability to push through pain, and she displayed that grit on the way to winning the World Cup overall title in cross country skiing for the third time in her career.

As she reflected on this season, Diggins noted how this was the first time in her career that she has gotten to hoist the Crystal Globe while feeling healthy. Not necessarily from a physical health standpoint, but from a mental health standpoint.

“It was such a joy to be able to prove to myself that I could win the overall Crystal Globe in a place of being really happy,” Diggins said. “There was so much more joy in the process and less stress overall.”

After famously teaming up with her childhood idol Kikkan Randall and winning a gold medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Diggins has established her dominance on the international circuit.

That doesn’t mean there haven’t been struggles for Diggins along the way.

She won the World Cup overall title for the first time during the peak of the pandemic, saying, “There was a massive asterisk because it was incredibly stressful and it didn’t feel all that fun at times.”

She won the World Cup overall title for the second time last season on the heels of a relapse into an eating disorder, saying, “I was fiercely dedicated to my mental health and recovery, and that took a lot of my time and energy.”

That’s why Diggins is so grateful for the way this season played out.

Never mind that she had to battle through injuries. She managed to approach each race with a positive mindset, winning six races in total and remaining atop of the standings from start to finish.

The fact that she felt joy at pretty much every turn this season is important to Diggins as she contemplates her future with the sport.

“I’ve been very fortunate to have achieved a lot of the big hopes and dreams,” she said. “I’m still here doing this because I genuinely do love it.”

That keeps her coming back for more, and as of right now, Diggins has every intention on participating in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. She already is excited about the process of getting ready for it.

How will that impact her schedule next season as she attempts to defend her World Cup overall title?

“I’m not going to be laying down a concrete plan,” Diggins said. “I want to be able to be flexible and adapt to what I need in that moment.”

That goes for both her physical health and her mental health.

Women’s cross country skiing World Cup overall winner Jessie Diggins of USA after the women’s cross country skiing classic style 50 km mass start at the FIS Nordic World Cup Lahti Ski Games in Lahti, Finland, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Emmi Korhonen/Lehtikuva via AP)

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