The 2026 Winter Olympics brought together the world’s premier winter athletes for two weeks of dramatic competition, unforgettable performances, and emotional stories. Held from Feb. 6 to Feb. 22 across northern Italy in cities including Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, the Games featured nearly 2,900 athletes from more than 92 countries competing in 116 medal events between 16 different sport disciplines.
From skiing and figure skating to bobsled and ice hockey, the Milano-Cortina Games delivered both historic performances and disappointing outcomes. Some athletes watched their names be engraved into history, while others saw their Olympic dreams vanish.
The defining moment for Team USA came on the ice rink. Both the United States men’s and women’s national ice hockey teams took home gold medals, marking this year’s competition as one of the most dominant Olympic hockey showcases in recent history.
The men’s team battled through a tense gold-medal final against Canada, finally ending a 46-year drought for Olympic gold. Meanwhile, the women’s team delivered a dominant performance in their tournament, controlling almost every game and winning decisively in the gold-medal game.
One of the most memorable individual performances came from American figure skater Alysa Liu. The 20-year-old earned gold in the women’s singles competition, becoming the first American woman to win Olympic figure skating gold since Sarah Hughes at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Liu performed a near perfect free skate, finishing with a career-best score and securing the title. After her victory, Liu reflected on the moment in an interview with NBC, saying, “I’m so honoured to have this and be alongside the people who have won it in the past… They’re incredible; it’s crazy that I have the same thing they do now.”
If one athlete demonstrated dominance among the games, it was Norway’s Johannes Hosflot Klaebo. Klaebo completed a sweep of the men’s cross-country skiing games, capturing six gold medals. His performances helped Norway top the overall medal table and further cemented his reputation as one of the greatest cross-country skiers in Olympic history.
“I was always really motivated to do everything: to see how far I could go, how good I could be. I grew, I finally won a race, and I realised it could actually happen. I just need to work,” Klaebo said in an interview with NBC.
In freestyle skiing, Elieen Gu once again delivered a standout performance. Representing China, Gu captured gold in the halfpipe and added on additional podium finishes in other freestyle events. Her success helped her solidify herself as one of the most decorated Winter Olympic athletes ever.
Japan also delivered one of the most memorable moments on the ice. Pair skaters Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, delivered a stunning free skate to win gold. Finally, in bobsledding, Team USA’s Elana Meyers Taylor made history by becoming the oldest Olympic champion in an individual Winter event at the age of 41.
However, not every headline story ended with a gold medal or broken record. American skating star Ilia Malinin entered as a heavy favorite but fell twice in his free skate, falling outside of the top three. While he still earned a team gold, his individual result stood out as one of the biggest flops of the Games.
Another emotional story came from USA skiing legend Lindsey Vonn, who attempted an Olympic return at age 41 despite competing with a torn ACL. Vonn showed promise during training runs leading up to the Olympics, giving fans hope. However, just seconds into the race, her ski pole clipped a gate, causing her to crash, shattering her left tibia.
“The ride was worth the fall,” Vonn wrote on an instagram post afterward. “When I close my eyes at night I don’t have regrets and the love I have for skiing remains. I am still looking forward to the moment when I can stand on top of the mountain once more. And I will.”
American star Mikaela Shiffrin also demonstrated a powerful comeback. After a disappointing performance at the 2022 Winter Olympics and several difficult years that left her questioning if she would ever compete again, Shiffrin responded with a dominant performance in the slalom — her signature event — to win gold.
However, not every memorable moment comes from the competition.
At one point, a dog named Nazgul ran onto the course during a women’s cross-country skiing qualifier, chasing racers across the finish line.
Unfortunately, not all unusual headlines can be as happy. Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Laegreid stunned viewers from home, when during a live interview after winning bronze he confessed on air that he had cheated on his girlfriend months earlier — a moment that went viral online.
The 2026 Winter Olympic Games felt dramatic, historic, and electrifying, but that is what made the Winter Olympics entertaining. Whether it was Klaebo rewriting history, Liu ending a decade-long drought for American women’s figure skating, or Malinin, the headliner of the games, coming up short, the Milano-Cortina games reminded viewers why the Winter Olympics are so special.
