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The German athletes are still the best on sleds. The Dutch are still the fastest on skates. The Norwegians are unbeatable on skis. Japan and the US are dominant in snowboarding events and in figure skating and found themselves competing for many of those medals. And Canada still do pretty well in curling and hockey.
German athletes won 15 of their 26 medals in Italy in luge, bobsleigh, and skeleton. The country's dominance in Olympic sledding is driven by a combination of cutting-edge, F1-style technology, extensive, specialized training infrastructure, and a deep, systematic talent pipeline. They utilize advanced engineering for aerodynamics, maintain numerous tracks, and recruit athletes young, supporting them through military or police programs. The dominance began in the 1970s with East Germany's focus on sports science and has continued, with German sleds consistently reaching the podium in nearly every Winter Olympics since the sport's inception. Interestingly, German athletes have won more Winter Olympics medals than any other country, see the second (historical aggregate) table above.
What else have we learned? Well, the Dutch are definitely still the fastest on the ice. The Netherlands achieved its best-ever gold medal haul at the Winter Olympics. Their performance at Milano Cortina saw them finish tied third in the number of gold medals won (see first table above). Remarkably, all of their medals in 2026 were won in speed skating and short track speed skating. They didn't get onto the podium in any other events.
The Norwegians are still unbeatable on skis. They dominated the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics as a country, winning a record-breaking 41 total medals, topping the medal table for the fourth consecutive time. Key performances included 11 medals in biathlon, 10 in cross-country skiing, 5 in ski jumping, 3 in Nordic combined, and 2 in both alpine and freestyle skiing. 90% of their medals came in events which required skis.
Their best athlete was undoubtedly cross-country skiing superstar Johannes Høsflot Klæbo. He achieved an unprecedented historic sweep, winning 6 gold medals in a single Games. This performance broke the long-standing record of 5 gold medals at a single Winter Olympics, previously held by American speed skater Eric Heiden since 1980. Klæbo won every event he entered during the 2026 Games. With his performance in Italy, Klæbo reached 11 career Olympic gold medals, making him the most decorated Winter Olympian in history in terms of gold medals.
In the commentary of the Games there was much made of Klæbo and Norway's continued dominance in skiing events at the Winter Olympics. The consensus is their edge is driven by a deeply embedded "culture of joy" in sports, a unique developmental model, and scientific precision in training. With a relatively small population of approximately 5.6 million (1.6% of the US), Norway’s ability to consistently top the Winter Olympics medal table stems from making physical activity accessible, fun, and sustainable from a young age.
The Norwegian's even have a name for it. This joy in sports philosophy is known as "Idrettsglede". Fun is the emphasis and there is no formal scoring for any child competing in any sport. Norwegian children are literally not allowed to be ranked, timed, or have scores kept in sports until the age of 12 or 13. This minimizes early pressure, reduces burnout, and encourages long-term participation. Another word we heard a lot is "Friluftsliv". This refers to the culture of open-air living, where skiing is a way of life, not just a sport. Young athletes are encouraged to try multiple sports rather than specializing too early, developing broad, transferable motor skills. As a result of these philosophies, 93% of Norwegian youth participate in organized sports. So Norway may be a small country by population, but they are drawing from a deep talent pool when it comes to the Olympics. Their system works and the medal results speak volumes.
Japan and the US are on the other end of the scale when it comes to pressuring kids to compete and specialize at an early age. But they are dominant in many events, particularly snowboarding and figure skating. As well as, in the case of the US in 2026, ice hockey. Canada may have been the favorites for hockey gold, but the US snatched that away from them in both the men's and women's hockey events. Oh man that must have broken a lot of hearts up north.
For American fans the Olympics generally was a rollercoaster of emotions, with incredible performances mixed in with surprising disappointments. One of the most talked-about stories of these Games has to be the stunning performance in women's snowboarding. Chloe Kim, already a legend, continued to push the boundaries of the sport, landing tricks that left commentators and fans alike in awe. Her battle for gold was fierce, but her consistency and style ultimately prevailed, adding another silver medal to her impressive collection. But it wasn't just Kim; a new generation of American riders also made their mark, hinting at a bright future for the sport.
On the slopes, Mikaela Shiffrin once again demonstrated her incredible versatility and skill. While the pressure on her is always immense, she navigated the challenging courses with her characteristic precision, securing a slalom gold medal in a highly competitive field. Her ability to adapt to different disciplines and maintain such a high level of performance is truly remarkable.
Figure skating delivered its usual dose of drama and beauty. The American ice dance pair of Madison Chock and Evan Bates grabbed silver for themselves the ice dance event. And, after years of consistent training and dazzling routines, this married duo finally clinched team gold too, rewarding their perfect blend of technical brilliance and artistic expression.
Of course, no Olympics is without its moments of heartbreak and near misses. There were races where an American athlete was leading only to be overtaken in the final moments, and events where a slight error cost a medal. A few such moments that come to mind happened to Jordan Stoltz, Lindsay Vonn, and Ilia Malinin.
American speed-skater Jordan Stolz is a 21-year-old two-time Olympian from Kewaskum, Wisconsin. Stolz came to these Games predicted to win four medals, he only managed to win three, something anyone else would have been overjoyed with. Stolz won gold medals in the 500 meters and 1000 meters, setting Olympic records in both events, and he won silver in the 1500 meters. The mass start race where he did not medal was a tactical one where the field were content to let two of the skaters break away and then fight it out for bronze. Jordan's lack of an American teammate in the finals cost him the medal.
Lindsey Vonn is a legendary 41-year-old American alpine skier and three-time Olympic medalist who competed at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. During the women's downhill event on February 8, 2026, Vonn suffered a severe, complex tibia fracture and subsequent compartment syndrome following a crash, necessitating emergency surgery to save her leg. The crash happened only 13 seconds into her run, when Vonn clipped a gate, lost control, and crashed, requiring her to be airlifted from the slope. This was heartbreaking to watch.
There was much made of her carrying a recently ruptured ACL into the event, and there were real questions over whether she was physically ok to compete. But she reassured everyone via social media that her fall was owing to a simple mistake on her part, a misjudgment of five inches, that cost here a chance at winning more Olympic medals. We can just be happy she will walk away from it. Vonn previously retired in 2019 and was widely considered one of the greatest of all time. In her career she won 82 World Cup wins, 20 World Cup Crystal Globe titles, and 43 downhill victories, while being the first American woman to win Olympic downhill gold. She can be proud of all she has achieved. And from the hospital bed she showed that Team USA wasn't just winning on the ice and snow in Milano Cortina—in a sense, they were dominating the digital landscape too. From raw, emotional reflections to viral celebrations, there were many moments that captured the American public's attention.
Social media also allowed an insight into Ilia Malinin’s invisible battles. After a shocking 8th-place finish in the men’s individual event, after he was predicted to win gold, the "Quad God" shared a deeply vulnerable Instagram post that went viral for its honesty. He wrote about the invisible battles athletes face and how happiest memories can end up tainted by the noise. He followed this up with a powerful Gala performance to the song Fear by NF, which featured choreography of him "scrolling" through a phone and flinching under imaginary camera flashes. Fortunately for Ilia and his teammates, the peak of his 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics experience came during the figure skating team event. This is where the 21-year-old helped lead Team USA to a first-place finish and gold medals for everyone, including himself. It marked Malinin's first Olympic gold. There will be many more.
Perhaps even more impressively, Malinin was awarded the 2026 Fair Play Award in recognition of his profound display of sportsmanship at the Olympics. After he finished outside the medals in the men's individual event, Malinin immediately cast aside any personal disappointment to embrace and celebrate gold medalist Mikhail Shaidorov. Commenting on the award, IOC President Kirsty Coventry stated: "Fair play is the heartbeat of the Olympic Movement. Ilia’s actions reminded us all that excellence is not just measured by a podium finish, but by the respect and solidarity we show our competitors in our most difficult moments. The unprecedented fan participation in this award is a testament to the success of Milano Cortina 2026 and the universal appeal of the Olympic values."
Another American who embodied that sentiment was Alysa Liu, who won gold in the women's figure skating. She skated like she wasn't in a competition and was only there to perform her best for herself and her family watching from the stands, and nothing more. But she really pushed the limits during her performance on the ice and her clear enjoyment and reckless abandon probably won her the gold. Outside of the ice rink she had moments too. Liu's "tree hair" reveal went viral on TikTok (appearing in a video with Paralympian Haven Shepherd) to explain her unique "striped" hair. When asked about the bleached horizontal bands, Liu simply said, "I just want to be a tree." She explained she adds a new ring every year, a quirky and authentic moment from the Californian that fans loved.
Perhaps the greatest "social" moment for Team USA came on the final day of competition when the US won their final gold medal. The "victory selfie" and tribute moments after Jack Hughes scored the overtime game-winner to secure the first U.S. men's hockey gold in 46 years captured an epic event in American sports history. The US team's "victory selfie" on the ice became an instant classic. Even more poignant was a post shared by several teammates, including Brady Tkachuk, holding up the jersey of the late Johnny Gaudreau during their celebration—a tribute that resonated far beyond the sports world.
And Jack Hughes had a brother on the team named Quinn and another in the stands called Luke (also a pro hockey player). The Hughes brothers led Team USA to this historic gold medal. Jack scored the overtime winner against Canada in the final, while Quinn provided key defensive contributions and an overtime winner against Sweden. Three brothers born in the USA, raised primarily in Ontario, Canada, but, fortunately for the US, later moved to Michigan and chose to play for Team USA. Their Mother played for the US national hockey team and their father Jim Hughes was an NHL assistant coach. They are affectionately known as US Hockey's "First Family". They are going to make movies about these guys after this historic performance in Italy.
Overall, Milano Cortina 2026 was a memorable Games for all American fans. We celebrated triumphs, commiserated over defeats, and most importantly, we witnessed the power of human spirit and athletic excellence. The athletes of Team USA left it all out on the snow and ice, and for that, we are incredibly proud. Now, we look forward to the next chapter in Los Angeles in 2028, eager to see what new stories and heroes will emerge.
A final thought: The most credit for these Games has to go to the host nation of Italy, not just for staging such an incredible competition but also for gaining a historic medal haul. And it is not the total of 30 medals that is the most impressive part, it is the fact that Italy won them across the board in all sports, not just in one or two disciplines like other nations tend to do. They earned medals Speed skating, Alpine skiing, Luge, Short-track, Freestyle skiing, Snowboarding, Cross-country Skiing, Curling, Biathlon and Figure skating.
Out of all the great Italian competitors we have to give a huge shout out to Italian skier, Federica Brignone, who achieved an incredible double-gold comeback at Milano Cortina after breaking her left leg and tearing her ACL in April 2025. Following her gold medal victory in the giant slalom her competitors Sara Hector (Sweden) and Thea Louise Stjernesund (Norway) playfully bowed in the finish area to honor her, with many photos capturing the moment (one of them is below). Even though she beat them, these skiers immediately got over their own accomplishments and recognized the greatness of what they had just witnessed and playfully displayed their awe to the world. Nobody thought Federica could come back that quickly and win, but her performance was typical of the Italia team that showed toughness, a fighting spirit and national pride across the board. Pretty gutsy, Sig.ra Brignone, pretty gutsy indeed.
You can see all the many of the highlights from Milano Cortina 2026 on Youtube here.
