The 25th Winter Olympic Games, co-hosted by the cities Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy, kicked off in February. In the first ever instance of two cities officially hosting the Olympics, events were divided by location: indoor ice events, such as figure skating and hockey, took place in Milan, while outdoor and sliding events, including snowboarding, skiing, luge and bobsled, were held in Cortina.
This was also the first time that there were two Olympic cauldrons lit at the opening of the Games and extinguished at the closing. The opening ceremony itself was spread out over four different cities to accommodate the different event locations. However, this led to a somewhat disappointing watch, as there were sometimes only one or two athletes representing their country at each city venue, leading to a loss of the grand parade of athletes that is so characteristic of the Games.
Aside from the disjointed design, the events did not disappoint. This year saw the introduction of ski mountaineering as an event alongside old favorites such as figure skating, curling, freestyle skiing, snowboarding, and many more. Team USA had a dominant performance across events this year, as they took home 33 medals, second only to Norway. Team USA won their most golds (three) in freestyle skiing, with many others coming from figure skating, ice hockey, and speed skating.
The US women had a particularly strong performance in Italy, securing 8 out of the 12 USA gold medals this winter. This marks the 6th Olympic Games in which US women earned more medals than the men.
One standout female athlete this year was Oakland’s own figure skater, Alysa Liu. After skating competitively throughout her youth and making it to the Beijing Winter Olympics, Liu decided to retire at 16 years old. She felt she wasn’t enjoying her sport anymore, and that she had no say in her performances or training. However, after about two years away from skating, Liu announced that she would come out of retirement in March 2024. This year was her return to the Olympic stage, and while it would seem natural to feel the nerves of the big event, Liu was able to showcase her signature carefree skating style in Milan and bring home two gold medals: Women’s Free Skate and the Team Event. This was the first time a US woman won an individual medal in figure skating since 2006. Along with her golden performances, Liu’s halo hair, smiley piercing, and alternative style made her a viral icon online.
Other members of the US Women’s Ice Hockey team also shone on the ice. Women’s ice hockey debuted at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Japan as the US Women’s team secured the inaugural gold medal. From 1998 to the present, the US women’s hockey team has been no stranger to winning gold, but this year’s gold medal win was particularly special. Hilary Knight, the team captain for over three years, announced that this \would be her last Olympic Games. She was able to go out with a bang by scoring the game-tying goal, securing the team the gold in overtime. After Milano Cortina, Knight walks away as the first US ice hockey player, male or female, to win five Olympic medals.
Another exciting USA medalist this year was Jordan Stolz, who brought home two golds and a silver for Team USA in speed skating. Alongside a gold medal, Stolz also secured an Olympic record in the Men’s 1000 meter speed skating competition. With his three medals, Stolz became the most decorated US athlete to come out of the Milano Cortina Games.
This year’s Winter Olympics displayed the grit, teamwork, and sportsmanship of all American athletes. Whether on the ice, slopes, or rink, it is clear that Team USA brought their all to these Games and made the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games one to remember.
