The 2026 Winter Olympics

As the snowy season continues to chill, the anticipation for the quadrennial Winter Olympics rises. The 2026 Winter Olympics was hosted in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, being known as the one-and-only Milano Cortina Games. The Olympics lasted from February 6th to 22nd, exhibiting international, multi-snow and ice sports, featuring inspiring, elite athletes. The 2026 games featured 16 total disciplines under 8 main sport categories. The Milano Cortina 2026 delivered one of the most memorable games in recent history, showcasing influential stories, accomplishments, and milestones. 

Figure skating has been a prominent winter olympic sport for decades, and this year the sport continued this legacy. The women's ‘Blade Angel’s’ are the trifecta of cool, passionate, and captivating. Alysa Liu has gained a large following since sharing her journey as a figure skater. After winning the U.S. Women's National Championship title at just thirteen, she retired her skates at age 16, wanting to put herself before her skating. After only deciding to return to the ice in 2024, she has been unstoppable ever since. She came back to skating on her own terms, simply wanting to showcase her art. Not only going viral on social media for iconic halo hair,  She has made it known she does not care for the olympic medals, despite winning two gold medals at the games. Amber Glen, a 26 year old skater has continued to impress the media with her grateful skater but also her incredible LGBTQ+ advocacy. She is the first openly queer woman for USA women's singles figure skating. And to complete the women's figure skating trio, Isabeau Levito has made a name for herself as the ‘ice princess’ with her grace and elegance on the ice. Elliana Kelberg-Gross (‘28) noted, “Honestly I watched much less of the Olympics than I would have liked, but what I did watch was mesmerizing. I was rooting for Isabeau Levito and Adelia Petrosian (women’s singles). Men's figure skating has left viewers in shambles, Ilia Malinin (otherwise known as Quad-God) had been expected to be the Champion. Being the first person to ever land a Quadruple axel at a competition, he held some of  the highest expectations of the 2026 Winter Olympics. After taking a few falls during his program he placed 8th individually but the team was still able to take home the gold together. 

The USA and Canada hockey rivalry has proven itself to be one of the most intense match ups in this year's Winter Olympics. The Women's team excelled throughout the tournament with a 6-1-0-0 record and took home the gold after an intense game against Canada. Maddie Quinn (‘28)  commented, ““As a fan watching Olympic hockey, especially the women’s, is really inspiring to see all those athletes fulfill their dreams on the biggest stage”. This is the third time the team has taken home gold in the history of the Olympics. The Men's team also had an incredible victory after their intense match against Canada in the finals. The team had yet to win since the 1960 'Miracle on Ice’. After going into overtime, Jack Hughes was able to score the final goal leading to America’s victory. The team had an emotional ending, bringing out the children of Johnny Gaudreau onto the ice for the final photo of the winning team. Gaudreau was a NHL star player who tragically passed away in a car accident in 2024.

The US ended with second place in the medal count, out of the 33 total, 12 were gold. The 2026 games were historic, a testament to the power that sports yield to unite people from all over the world. Being able to root for your favorite athlete, or keeping up with the rivalries that all sports bring, showcase the unity the Olympics bring to the world.