MILAN — The 2026 Winter Olympics, hosted across a geographically sprawling Lombardy and Northeast Italy, concluded on February 22nd, leaving behind a legacy of record-breaking performances, unexpected upsets, and lingering controversies. From the debut of ski mountaineering to the first Games under the presidency of Kirsty Coventry, these Olympics were marked by both athletic achievement and off-the-field drama.
The United States team delivered its most successful Winter Olympics performance to date, securing a record 12 gold medals. Bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor, at 41, claimed gold in the monobob event, winning by a mere four-hundredths of a second. Speedskater Jordan Stolz added two golds in the 500m and 1000m, while Alex Ferreira triumphed in the freeski halfpipe. Team USA’s success extended to the ice, with both the men’s and women’s hockey teams reaching the top of the podium.
The U.S. Men’s hockey victory marked their first Olympic tournament win since 1980, achieved in a thrilling overtime final against Canada, secured by a goal from Jack Hughes. The women’s team, led by captain Hilary Knight in her fifth and final Olympics, overcame a 1-0 deficit in the final two minutes to defeat Canada in overtime, with Megan Keller scoring the winning goal. Knight’s victory was particularly poignant, coming just days after she proposed to fellow Olympian Brittany Bowe.
While the U.S. Figure skating team initially appeared poised for a sweep after winning the team event, individual results proved more unpredictable. Ilia Malinin, favored to win men’s singles, struggled with multiple falls and finished eighth. Madison Chock and Evan Bates secured silver in pairs, but their performance was shadowed by controversy surrounding the scoring by French skaters Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron. The most talked-about moment in figure skating, however, came from Alysa Liu, who, after a prior retirement from the sport, delivered a stunning performance to win gold in the women’s singles final, declaring her triumph with an expletive-laced celebration as she left the ice.
Norway dominated the overall medal count, achieving an unprecedented 41 medals, including 16 golds. Cross-country skier Johannes Høsflot Klæbo was the standout performer, winning six gold medals – a record for a Winter Olympics. The 2026 Winter Olympics saw Klæbo become only the fifth athlete in Olympic history to win six or more gold medals, joining Mark Spitz, Kristin Otto, Michael Phelps, and Vitaly Scherbo.
The Games were not without their share of misfortune. American skiing icon Lindsey Vonn, making a comeback after retirement, suffered a torn knee ligament in a crash just days before the women’s downhill race. Despite qualifying with a fast time, she crashed again during her run, potentially ending her competitive career after five surgeries, according to reports from her father.
Despite Vonn’s setback, the U.S. Skiing team celebrated victories. Breezy Johnson won gold in the women’s downhill, joining Vonn as the only American women to achieve this feat. Mikaela Shiffrin, after a medal drought since 2018, secured gold in slalom. Paula Moltzan and Jackie Wiles earned bronze in the team combined event, a particularly meaningful achievement given their survival of a plane crash less than a year prior. Johnson also received a marriage proposal from her boyfriend at the base of the giant slalom competition.
Controversy also extended beyond the competition itself. Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified for wearing a helmet adorned with images of Ukrainian athletes killed during the Russian invasion, deemed non-compliant with International Olympic Committee “athlete expression guidelines.” Heraskevych maintained that his protest was more key than any medal.
The Games also drew the attention of political figures. Following a statement by freeski athlete Hunter Hess that his representation of the U.S. Did not necessarily reflect his personal views on American politics, former President Donald Trump publicly labeled Hess a “loser.” Hess responded by standing by his original statement and displaying an “L” sign during a run, acknowledging Trump’s criticism.
Italy enjoyed its most successful Winter Olympics ever, winning 30 medals, including 10 golds. Speedskater Francesca Lollobrigida won gold in the 3,000 meters on her 35th birthday, adding another gold later in the Games. Federica Brignone claimed gold in giant slalom after recovering from a severe leg injury, and Arianna Fontana secured her 14th career Olympic medal.
Off the ice, Norwegian cross-country skier Sturla Holm Lægreid publicly admitted to cheating on his girlfriend in a post-race interview, hoping to win her back. The admission sparked widespread discussion, though it did not reportedly reconcile the pair. A heated exchange between Canada and Sweden during a curling match erupted after the Swedes accused Canada’s Marc Kennedy of an illegal double touch, resulting in Kennedy’s vocal rebuke of the Swedish team.
The Milan Cortina Games also showcased technological innovation, with drones capturing unprecedented aerial footage of athletes competing at speeds up to 75 mph. For the first time, an athlete representing South America, Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, won a Winter Olympics medal, competing for Brazil in giant slalom after previously representing Norway.
