2026 Winter Olympics: Schedule, Medal Events & Ilia Malinin’s Gold Pursuit

Milan, Italy – The United States continued its strong showing at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Friday, highlighted by Ilia Malinin’s pursuit of gold in the men’s free skate and a dominant performance by the U.S. Women’s hockey team. As Team USA aims to bolster its medal count, all eyes are on Malinin, who already has one gold medal from the team event and the Americans’ quarterfinal matchup against Italy.

Malinin, dubbed the “Quad God,” delivered a stunning performance in the short program earlier this week, scoring 108.16 – a full five points ahead of his nearest competitor. He showcased his signature backflip, a move that has captivated audiences and solidified his status as a leading figure in the sport. Today’s free skate presents another opportunity for the 21-year-old from Vienna, Virginia, to add to his growing list of accolades.

The question on everyone’s mind is whether Malinin will attempt the quad Axel in his free skate. He opted not to include the challenging jump in the short program, but its potential inclusion today could further elevate his score and cement his place in Olympic history. A victory would mark the second consecutive Olympic gold medal for the United States in men’s singles figure skating.

Beyond the ice, the U.S. Women’s hockey team demonstrated its offensive prowess in a decisive 3:10 p.m. ET quarterfinal clash against Italy. The Americans dominated the preliminary round, outscoring their opponents by a combined total of 20-1, entering the knockout stage as clear favorites. Caroline Harvey has been a key offensive contributor, racking up six points in the last two games, while veteran Hilary Knight is on the verge of breaking multiple U.S. Olympic records, needing just one more goal to reach a historic milestone.

The day’s schedule also featured several other medal events. Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo secured his eighth career gold medal in the men’s 10 kilometer cross-country skiing event. The men’s 10 kilometer biathlon sprint also concluded, with results still coming in as of this writing. In speed skating, the men’s 10,000m event awarded a medal, and the women’s snowboard cross final saw Team USA athletes competing for podium positions. Alessandro Barbieri, a 17-year-old American, competed in the men’s halfpipe final after qualifying in fourth place on Wednesday.

The full schedule of events for Friday, February 13th, included:

• Cross-Country Skiing: Men’s 10 km Interval Start Free* – 5:45 a.m. ET
• Snowboarding: Women’s Cross Final* – 7:30 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. ET
• Biathlon: Men’s 10 km Sprint* – 8 a.m. ET
• Speed Skating: Men’s 10,000m* – 10 a.m. ET
• Figure Skating: Men’s Free Skate* – 1 p.m. – 5:10 p.m. ET
• Snowboarding: Men’s Halfpipe Final* – 1:30 p.m. ET
• Women’s Ice Hockey: Quarterfinal – Team USA vs. Italy – 3:10 p.m. ET

*Denotes medal event

The 2026 Winter Olympics continue to deliver thrilling moments and showcase the world’s top athletes. With Malinin poised to compete and the U.S. Women’s hockey team advancing, Team USA is well-positioned to add to its medal tally in the days to come. Fans can follow all the action live on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com, with select events also airing on NBC and USA Network.