As the crowd echoes fade, many memories from the 2026 Winter Olympics will linger. There were shocking upsets, impressive personal bests, and a medal race that saw Team USA post its most impressive gold medal count in decades. Coming in second to Norway, the United States earned 33 total medals, including 12 gold, 12 silver, and 9 bronze. This is also the most medals won by American athletes since 2010 in Vancouver, where Team USA won 37 in total. Many leading athletes came through with flying colors, and there were also breakout stars that are inspiring a new generation of fans.
With 12 gold medals — their highest total since 2010 — Team USA reestablished itself as a Winter power, fueled by clutch performances in hockey, the emergence of a new skating core, and veteran stars delivering when it mattered most.
America’s Complete Hockey Dominance
The U.S. Men’s Hockey Team
The Olympic Games finished with a bang for Team USA thanks to a thrilling OT win over Canada in men’s ice hockey. Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils scored the golden goal, lifting the Americans to a 2-to-1 victory over a tenacious Canadian squad. Both teams’ goalies put in tremendous work, with the Winnipeg Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck serving as a human brick wall for Team USA. And for those of you who like highlights, be sure to check out Matt Boldy’s ridiculous puck-juggling goal that put the Americans up one to nothing in the first period.
This was an incredibly vindicating resurgence for the American squad. The men had not even medaled since 2010 in Vancouver, when they played runner-up to Canada, who beat them in an overtime thriller in the gold medal game. This was a perfect reversal of that result and puts Team USA firmly back in the mix going forward.
The world also took in a heartfelt tribute to Johnny Gaudreau, a key member of the roster who passed away in a tragic car accident in 2024. His jersey was displayed prominently when the team gathered for the official post-game photos. Gaudreau’s young children, Noa and Johnny Jr., were embraced by the team to forever be a part of the special moment.
The U.S. Women’s Hockey Team
The women offered similar heroics, also prevailing over the Canadians in their gold medal match. The winning goal was scored by Megan Keller of the Boston Fleet in overtime. This marked another game for the ages in the storied rivalry between the U.S. and Canada, who now seem to trade gold and silver medals from one finals match to the next. For these Games, Canada entered as a slight favorite as the defending champions. The real question in many fans’ minds was whether America’s younger players could rise to the occasion in a defensive grinder of a match against a top-notch Canadian squad. The gold medal win finally handled the unfinished business of the previous silver medal “disappointment” suffered by Team USA in Beijing in 2022, where they lost to the Canadians 3-2.
The hockey sweep is an amazing accomplishment for Team USA as a whole, and represents the end of a 40+ year gold drought for the men’s team (their last victory was the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” against the Soviets).
Jordan Stolz and the Art of Skating Very, Very Fast
In speedskating, Jordan Stolz raced his way to two golds and one silver – an outstanding result. But for the elite of the elite, a performance like this can still fall a hair short of what is possible. The mass start event didn’t quite pan out for Stolz, and a win there would have put him in historical territory.
Like any pathological competitor, he is already talking about what he’ll be improving in the next four years. At 21, he certainly still can bring a better version of himself to the next games. Michael Phelps won six golds in Athens and returned four years later to win an astonishing 17 more. Probably no one else can ever reach such heights, but it’s a lofty model to aspire to for those who want to somehow find another rung to climb to when they’re already at the top of the ladder.
The program should continue to build around him and make 2030 in France an event to remember in speed skating for the Americans.
Mikaela Shiffrin Adds a Shiny Gold Medal to Her Trophy Case
While Lindsey Vonn continues to tally up surgeries in the wake of her unfortunate fall at the Games, her teammate Mikaela Shiffrin is holding down the fort for American ski racers.
She won women’s slalom gold with a dominant performance, earning her first Olympic medal since 2018. In doing so, she reminded everyone that she is the same woman who won the 2014 slalom title in Sochi. Colorado continues to offer not only some of the best skiing in the Rockies, but also the best ski talent that Team USA can rely on to go head-to-head with the best in the world.
Shiffrin says she is “50-50” on whether she will return at age 34 in 2030, so now is a great time for the next wave of talent to learn from her example and close the gap between them and the best European squads.
Alysa Liu Skates to an “Effortless” Gold and Instantly Becomes America’s Sweetheart
Alysa Liu gave the world a comeback story that sports psychologists will be considering for many years to come.
She finished sixth in Beijing in 2022, and seemingly retired from skating at the ripe old age of 16. She had been at it nearly her whole life, and was burned out. Surely, two U.S. titles was accomplishment enough for a teenager who had yet to experience much of what life had to offer outside of the rink. It was a fine time to hang up the skates.
Liu then enrolled at UCLA, studied psychology, and normalized her life in many ways. It wasn’t long, however, before the competitive spark was re-ignited. But in “Alysa 2.0,” she came back with a different approach. This time, she would have final say over everything: costumes, music, routines – it was her time to take control of her life.
As it turns out, staying true to yourself can lead you to amazing places.
Liu skated a beautiful routine in Milano-Cortina and wound up at the very top of the podium, winning a free skate gold (all while spreading a message of positivity and authenticity that fans around the world grabbed right onto). She became the first American woman to medal in figure skating at the Olympics since Sasha Cohen in 2006 and is the first to win gold since Sarah Hughes in 2002.
Unfortunately, the American men’s favorite to win gold, Ilia Malinin (the “Quad God”), had a disastrous go in the free skating event. He missed one of his signature quadruple axels, which clearly shook his confidence. This then led to a missed quad loop, and he fell directly onto the ice. The crowd and announcers were stunned. Needless to say, he was incredibly disappointed in himself. His score in this event put him in a disappointing eighth place in the standings. After winning the 2025 ISU Grand Prix just a few months before the Winter Games – with more points than anyone had ever scored – it was a bitter defeat for an incredibly talented skater.
He has since opened up about what went wrong, explaining what was going on in his head and the incredible pressure he was under. In an Instagram post, he said in part, “On the world’s biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside. Even your happiest memories can end up tainted by the noise. Vile online hatred attacks the mind, and fear lures it into the darkness…”
He has vowed to return to the Games in 2030 to show the world what he is really capable of.
Alex Ferreira Skis to a Halfpipe Gold
All the flipping and spinning can get you dizzy (even from the couch), but for freestyle skier Alex Ferreira, it’s just another day in the office. Ferreira shot out of the pipe time and time again, throwing 1080s, 1620s, and grabs galore. By the end of it all, he had won halfpipe gold to complete his set of Olympic medals (thanks to the silver and bronze already in his trophy case). First, he was a contender, then he was a medalist, and now he’s on top of the world. Young skiers will have to view “triple corks” as table stakes with competitors like Ferreira on the mountainside.
Japan Cleans Up In Snowboarding
For decades, the United States has defined Olympic snowboarding, a legacy that began when Shaun White burst onto the scene and helped cement American dominance in the sport. But in Milan-Cortina, that grip on gold finally loosened.
The 24-year streak of U.S. men’s halfpipe gold medals — dating back to snowboarding’s Olympic debut in 1998 — came to an end. The global field has caught up, and in some events, surpassed the Americans.
In women’s halfpipe, Chloe Kim battled through a torn labrum to claim silver, showcasing resilience that defined her Games. Gold went to South Korea’s Gaon Choi, who delivered a poised, technically sharp performance that signaled a shift in the competitive landscape.
On the men’s side, Jake Canter earned bronze in slopestyle, narrowly missing a higher podium spot in one of the deepest fields the sport has ever seen.
The takeaway is clear: snowboarding is no longer an American stronghold. The progression curve is steep worldwide, and by 2030, the riders who want gold will need flawless execution, massive amplitude, and tricks that push the sport yet again into new territory.
Norway Edges Out Team USA on the Medal Table
While Team USA delivered one of its strongest Winter Olympic performances in years, Norway narrowly topped the overall medal standings with 18 golds and 41 total medals.
The biggest difference-maker was cross-country skiing star Johannes Klæbo, who captured six gold medals in Milan-Cortina. His dominance across sprint and distance events created the separation Norway needed to stay just ahead of the Americans.
For Team USA, finishing second behind a historic performance like Klæbo’s puts their 33-medal haul into even sharper perspective. If not for one extraordinary outlier run, the United States may well have led the Games outright.
That sets up 2030 with an even clearer objective: close the gap — and reclaim the top spot.
Tales of Sliding Sports
Curling – U.S. Takes Mixed Doubles Silver
The U.S. mixed doubles team edged out Italy in a nail-biter that sent the Americans to the gold medal game. It was the first time in history that the U.S. had reached the podium in that event. In the final, they met Sweden and traded shots down to the very last ends. Sweden ultimately took the gold. A brother-sister sibling team delivered the knockout blow. The finish was legitimately thrilling. If you don’t believe that – see it for yourself.
Bobsled – A First Gold for Elana Taylor
The women’s monobob event offered a historic performance from Elana Meyers Taylor of the United States. She won her first Olympic gold at the venerable age of 41 and became one of the most decorated U.S. Winter Olympians in history (six medals in all). Germany still slid to gold medals in the two-man and four-man events, demonstrating their usual prowess at bobsled, with teams clocking near-record runs as they raced down the track.
Skeleton – Britain’s Matt Weston Sets Track Records
In skeleton, Matt Weston of Great Britain set new track records on every run as he rocketed to men’s skeleton gold. He is the first British man in history to snag a gold in skeleton. For a victory lap, he and partner Tabitha Stoecker took home the gold in the mixed team skeleton event (a new event for these Games). He thus became the first British athlete ever to win two golds at a single Winter Games.
Luge – Italy Delights the Home Crowd By Breaking Germany’s Stranglehold on the Sport
In men’s doubles, Italy’s Emanuel Rieder and Simon Kainzwaldner were in third place after their first luge run behind the Americans and Austrians. Their second heat thrilled the home crowd as they leapfrogged their competitors and scored a first-place time and the gold medal. It was the first Italian gold in luge since the 90s. Thanks to the women’s doubles luge team winning earlier that day, Italy completed the sweep and gave the local crowd a lot to cheer for.
A Look Ahead to the 2030 France Winter Games
- Jordan Stolz, hopefully, is just getting started and will be able to skate to a string of medals and stay competitive for a decent stretch.
- Alysa Liu’s gold and the team-event win show that American skaters can contend and win, not just put on a show.
- Hockey’s sweep could easily reshape expectations and recruitment for an entire generation of players. The US-Canadian rivalry will be as heated as it gets.
- Snowboarding is not an automatic medal. Team USA will need to reload, retool, and work to earn the top spots.
That’s it for this chapter of the Olympics. The next begins soon for Team USA, who will be playing as the home team at the Summer Games in Los Angeles in 2028.
