Chasing Gold in Milan-Cortina

Cue Free Bird!

It was a USA Hockey sweep for the gold medal across all divisions—women’s, men’s, and sledge. All gold medal games were won over Canada, with both the women’s and men’s finals being won 2-1 in overtime. On the men’s side, USA forward Matt Boldy opened up the scoring with a goal six minutes into the game; however, Canada defenseman Cale Makar equalized with 1:44 left in the second period. But it was USA forward Jack Hughes’s golden goal in overtime that sealed the victory and sent the American bench into celebration. This dramatic finish not only finished off the tournament, but marked this team into history as they won the USA’s first men’s Olympic gold in 46 years. 

On the women’s side, the story was just as noteworthy. In all the games before the final, the USA team was dominant and had scored at least five goals against every team that they went against, while only getting scored against once. However, in the final, they trailed Canada 0-1 for most of the game, with Canada forward Kristin O’Neill scoring a shorthanded goal at the beginning of the second period. But it was USA captain, forward Hilary Knight, who scored the tying goal to send the US to overtime, where they would then win with a game-winning goal from USA defenseman Megan Keller. Knight’s goal was the 15th of her Olympic career, becoming the all-time leading Olympic goal scorer in US women’s history. 

In the Paralympics, the struggle was a little less dramatic but no less impressive. The US Paralympic Sled Hockey team won its fifth gold medal straight with a 6-2 victory over Canada. USA defenseman Jack Wallace fueled the win, recording three goals and an assist. The Americans controlled the pace of the game from start to finish, and with this victory, they capped off a historic tournament for USA Hockey, completing the first ever triple gold sweep in Olympic history.

Rising Stars

Seasoned greats often dominate the headlines during the Olympics, but in each tournament, there are always new stars that catch the attention of the world. Among these athletes is USA Hockey defenseman Laila Edwards, the first Black woman to play for the US women’s Olympic Hockey team and only the second Black woman to win a gold medal in ice hockey. Edwards, a 22-year-old senior for Wisconsin, is a two-time national champion and has already helped Team USA win two world championship medals. Edwards also assisted Knight’s game-winning goal against Canada in the final, and ended the tournament with two goals and six assists, the third highest number of points on the team. 

Along with Edwards was her childhood best friend, Caroline Harvey. Harvey, also a defenseman for the US, was named MVP, Best Defender, and an All-Star of the tournament, all while being one of the youngest on the team. She made her Olympic debut four years ago at 19 years old, but this time she led the tournament. She ended up with two goals and seven assists, the most ever at the Olympics by an American defender. At only 23 years old, Harvey is arguably one of the best offensive defenders in the game, and will most likely be the No. 1 overall pick in the next Professional Women’s Hockey League draft. 

Over in women’s snowboarding, 17-year-old Gaon Choi won gold for South Korea, and she triumphed over her mentor, the US’s Chloe Kim. However, Choi’s tournament didn’t start smoothly, as she took a fall in her first run. In just her second jump, she got caught on the edge of the pipe and fell as her body scraped against the floor. “I honestly thought my knee was broken,” Choi said. But it was Kim, who had just come back from a shoulder injury, who encouraged her to continue. It was with this support that Choi became the first South Korean woman to win an Olympic medal in snowboarding, and the youngest snowboarding winner at the Olympics. 

The Favorites Curse

In an environment like the Olympics, there’s no margin for error. These athletes compress years of training for this one moment, and that pressure takes a toll, especially when you’re expected to win. USA men’s figure skater Ilia Malinin, the “Quad God,” makes quadruple axels look effortless. Many expected him to be up on the podium, winning gold. Instead, Malinin only completed two rotations of his four-rotation loop jump, fell on a four-rotation lutz jump, and another one of his planned four-rotation jumps turned into a single rotation. He fell twice during his free program, dropping off the podium, and placed eighth overall in the men’s event, with Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov taking gold instead. From the US’s Nathan Chen in 2018 to Russia’s Evgenia Medvedeva, Olympic favorites have repeatedly had to face the reality that a flawless season doesn’t always translate to gold. 

Controversy Comes at Curling

Curling this year was a bit more tense, as heated exchanges passed from one team to the other. In Canada’s game against Sweden, the Swedish team accused the Canadians of cheating. In curling, players have to release the stone before reaching the “hog line,” or else the stone is disqualified. According to the Swedish curler Oskar Eriksson, Canadian curler Marc Kennedy had been double-touching the stone and poking the stone itself even beyond the line. “Curling should be a gentleman's sport,” Eriksson said, as the sport prides itself on its sportsmanship, but the events that followed suggested otherwise. Later, Canada’s women’s captain, Rachel Homan, and Great Britain’s men’s team were also accused of the same offense. Homan and British men’s curler Bobby Lammie had their stones disqualified due to the allegations; however, Kennedy only received a verbal warning from World Curling, the international federation for curling, for using offensive language. Kennedy then went on to win gold, despite the controversy.

The Most Decorated Freeskier In History

Few athletes have six Olympic medals at 22 years old, but only China’s Eileen Gu can claim that she’s the most decorated freeskier in Olympic history. Gu previously won two gold medals and a silver medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. She then won two more silver medals and another gold medal in Milan, making her the most successful athlete in her sport across both genders. Her dominance across multiple events, such as halfpipe and big air, highlights her versatility and ability to perform under pressure consistently. At just 22, Gu has cemented her legacy in her sport, and with so many years of her career ahead, we can only wonder what she’ll achieve next.

Ultimately, the 2026 Winter Olympics delivered everything the Games are meant to. From record-breaking performances and unforgettable wins to drama on the ice, the Olympics are always a good reminder of why we watch and cheer on these athletes.