The teenage triplets who represent Jamaica in ski racing will be heading to the Milan Cortina Olympics — one to race and two to cheer him on from the stands.
The bid of Helaina and Henniyah Rivers to earn a spot with their brother, Henri IV, came to a close over the weekend as they fell just short. But Team Rivers will still all be heading to Bormio, Italy, next month to watch Henri IV compete in the slalom.
The triplets were on a quest this winter to represent their mother’s country of Jamaica at the Olympics and fulfill a family dream that started when their father found a pair of skis and boots in an attic as a kid. They want to be a catalyst to inspire other Black ski racers in what is a predominantly white sport.
Sure, the sisters were disappointed. Since November, they've each competed more than 20 times at races all over in an effort to earn a spot. But it's turned into nothing but support and happiness for their brother.
“I just told them how proud I was of everything that they’ve done up to this point,” their father, Henri, said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. “It doesn’t matter if you qualify or not, you attempted to and you did your best. You left it out on the slope and that’s it. You do your best every time and wherever the results are, that’s what they are.”
The 18-year-olds born minutes apart in Brooklyn have been all over the globe competing in lower-tier races in an effort to qualify for the technical events, slalom and giant slalom. Their last chance was over the weekend at the Proctor Ski Area in New Hampshire, in a slalom race. Henniyah was 55th while Helaina made it to the second run but didn't finish. They simply ran out of time to lower their ranking enough to earn a place in Cortina, the site of the women's races that will feature Mikaela Shiffrin and 41-year-old Lindsey Vonn.
“They look at it like, ‘Oh, I didn’t make it,’" their father said. “It has nothing to do with that. They persevered. We’ve just been on the road for the last eight weeks and they just stuck it out and they did what they had to do. They came up a little short. That’s OK.”
In two weeks, the family leaves for Italy. They will watch Henri IV walk in the opening ceremony, in his new Team Jamaica gear, and later root for him when he competes Feb. 16 in the slalom.
“No way we wouldn't be there for that,” the father said.
Following the Olympics, the triplets will set their sights on the world Alpine junior ski championships that take place in Norway from March 5-15.
Then, it's training with an eye toward the 2030 Winter Games in the French Alps.
“They can see what’s going to happen,” said their father, who is the president of the National Brotherhood of Snowsports (NBS), an organization that assists athletes of color in winter sports. “So 2030, they’re going to all represent. They’ll all make it.
"They’ve got several more opportunities ahead of them."
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Please purchase a Premium Subscription to continue reading.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.
We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.
A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
Only subscribers can view and post comments on articles.
Already a subscriber? Login Here
What the Constitution Means to Me Read moreWhat The Constitution Means To Me
You're invited to our Sale Like a Celebrity event, hosted by Expedia Cruises. Join us at Rou… Read moreCelebrity Cruises Special Event
Join us for community fun! Free antique and collectible appraisals by Clars Auction. Over 30… Read moreMillbrae Senior Showcase
Kick off 2026 with movement, confidence, and FUN! Join us for our Last Chance to Dance Studi… Read moreLast Chance to Dance Open House- Free Dance Demos, Food, Face Painting & More!
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Error! There was an error processing your request.
Sorry, an error occurred.
Already Subscribed!
Cancel anytime
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.
No promotional rates found.
Secure & Encrypted
Thank you.
Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
| Rate: | |
| Begins: | |
| Transaction ID: |
A receipt was sent to your email.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.