Milano Cortina 2026: Italy’s Women Win Historic First Olympic Final
- The XXV Winter Olympic Games, held in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, concluded on February 22, 2026.
- Norway dominated the medal table, securing the most gold medals with 18 and the highest total medal count with 41.
- The United States women's ice hockey team secured their third Olympic gold medal by defeating Canada.
The XXV Winter Olympic Games, held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, concluded on February 22, 2026. The event featured 2,900 athletes from 92 National Olympic Committees, including first-time participants from Benin, Guinea-Bissau, and the United Arab Emirates.
Norway dominated the medal table, securing the most gold medals with 18 and the highest total medal count with 41. This performance broke the previous record of 16 gold medals set by Norway at the 2022 Winter Olympics and surpassed their own overall record of 39 medals from 2018.
Women’s Ice Hockey and Figure Skating
The United States women’s ice hockey team secured their third Olympic gold medal by defeating Canada. The gold medal game was decided in overtime, ending in a 2-1 victory for the U.S. After Megan Keller scored the game-winning goal.
The U.S. Team had trailed 1-0 until captain Hilary Knight scored the equalizing goal in the 58th minute. Since the introduction of women’s hockey to the Olympics in 1998, only the United States and Canada have won the gold medal.
In women’s figure skating, Alysa Liu won the gold medal on February 19, 2026. This marked the first Olympic medal for an American in women’s figure skating in 20 years, and the first gold for a U.S. Woman in the discipline since Sarah Hughes in 2002.
Liu achieved the highest free skating score of the competition with 150.20. Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto took the silver medal, while Mone Chiba of Japan earned the bronze. Other American competitors included Amber Glenn, who finished fifth, and Isabeau Levito, who placed 12th.
Additional Results and Historic Milestones
Italy’s women’s ice hockey team achieved a historic milestone by recording their first-ever Winter Olympic Games win during the Milano Cortina 2026 games.
In cross-country skiing, Ebba Andersson of Sweden won the gold medal in the women’s 50km mass start classic on February 22, 2026, marking her first gold medal of the games.
Brazil also reached a significant landmark, winning both the first medal and the first gold medal in the history of its Winter Olympic participation.
Competition Overview
The 2026 Games consisted of 116 events across eight sports and 16 disciplines. A notable addition to the program was the Olympic debut of ski mountaineering.
A total of 29 National Olympic Committees received at least one medal, with 19 of those nations winning at least one gold medal.