As part of an ongoing look at Italian American athletes expected to compete at the Milano–Cortina Winter Olympics, attention today turns to two rising figures on Team USA: speedskater Clayton DeClemente and luger Zachary DiGregorio. Both bring elite performance, international experience and deep Italian roots to the world’s biggest winter sports stage.
Clayton DeClemente has emerged as one of the most promising athletes in U.S. speedskating. Known for his explosive starts and disciplined race strategy, he has steadily climbed the national and international rankings over the past few seasons.
Competing across multiple long-track events, DeClemente trains year-round with the goal of shaving fractions of a second that can decide podium finishes. At the Olympic level, margins are often measured in tenths or hundredths, and his consistency has made him a serious contender.
DeClemente’s Italian American background spans several regions of Italy. On his mother’s side, family history includes Sicily as well as Tuscan towns such as San Lucchese and Poggibonsi. His father’s lineage is fully Italian, with connections to Villafranca Sicula, Calitri, Palermo and Marconia. This blend of northern and southern roots reflects a heritage that stretches across centuries and multiple migrations.
Zachary DiGregorio, 24, is already a proven force in international luge. The Massachusetts native has built an impressive résumé in doubles competition, including gold at the 2022–23 U23 World Championships in Oberhof and a World Cup victory during the 2023–24 season in Lake Placid. He has also earned six World Cup team relay medals and multiple national titles, beginning in his junior years and continuing through the senior ranks.
DiGregorio’s Italian American story begins in Genoa in the late 1800s, followed by a move to Turin before his family immigrated to the United States in the early 20th century. They eventually settled in Boston’s North End, a historic center of Italian American life.
Away from competition, DiGregorio is equally driven. As a cofounder of the nonprofit Champions 4 Changes, he uses sport to support education, inclusion and community development. Together, DeClemente and DiGregorio embody a new generation of Italian American athletes aiming for Olympic success in Italy itself.
