Ottawa-Gatineau Athletes Shine at the Opening of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics
The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are officially underway, with two days of competition already completed ahead of Friday’s Opening Ceremony. Dozens of athletes with ties to the Ottawa-Gatineau region are representing Canada and other nations, poised to make their mark across a diverse range of sports.
Speed Skating: A Strong Showing for the National Capital Region
The National Capital Region is well-represented on the speed skating oval, with three athletes competing for Team Canada. Isabelle Weidemann and Ivanie Blondin, both from Ottawa, are considered strong medal contenders, according to an analysis commissioned by CBC Sports. The pair will race in their first event, the 3000-metre, on Saturday, .
Gatineau’s Cédrick Brunet will be making his Olympic debut in the 500-metre race. Brunet comes from a family with a strong athletic background, including several Olympic and professional athletes.
CBC’s Omar Dabaghi-Pacheco is providing coverage from the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, having prepared for the assignment by training with the Gloucester Concordes, the club where both Weidemann and Blondin honed their skills.
Alpine Skiing: Schmidt Siblings and Grenier Compete
Ottawa’s Jared and Hannah Schmidt, a sibling duo, will compete in ski cross for Team Canada on and . Valerie Grenier of St. Isidore, Ontario, is also aiming for a podium finish at her third Winter Games, building on her success on the World Cup circuit.
Biathlon: Ottawa Athletes in the Mixed Relay
Megan Connelly and Alex Rousseau, both from Ottawa, will team up for the 4×6 kilometre mixed relay on in Antholz-Anterselva.
Bobsleigh: Carleton Connections on the Ice
Three athletes with Ottawa ties are competing in bobsleigh for Canada. Mike Evelyn O’Higgins and Jay Dearborn, both former Carleton University football players, will compete in both the two-man and four-man events. Keaton Bruggeling, also a former Carleton Raven and Ottawa RedBlacks draft pick, will join them for the four-man event on and . Evelyn O’Higgins and Dearborn will race in the two-man event on and .
Cross-Country Skiing: Local Skiers at Tesero
Cathy Stewart-Jones and Alex Cyr will represent Canada at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium, beginning with the skiathlon events.
Curling: Team Homan Eyes Gold
Rachel Homan and her team will compete for gold at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium. Homan, a local favorite, is hoping to finally secure an Olympic medal after previous close calls.
Figure Skating: Poirier Represents Canada
Eastern Ontario will be represented in figure skating by a local skater and their partner. They are considered medal hopefuls.
Hockey: Ottawa Players on Multiple Rosters
The 2026 Winter Olympics mark the return of NHL players and the first Games featuring athletes from the newly formed Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). Several players with ties to Ottawa’s professional hockey teams will be competing.
Canada will feature three players from the Ottawa Charge: captain Brianne Jenner, Jocelyne Larocque (named an assistant captain), and Kayle Osborne.
The United States will also have representation from Ottawa, with Gwyneth Philips and Rory Guilday (both from the Ottawa Charge), Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson (both from the Ottawa Senators) on their roster.
Finland will feature Senators Nikolas Matinpalo and Lars Eller, while Germany will be represented by Tim Stützle (Ottawa Senators). Italy will feature Jason Seed, a former Carleton Raven and Gatineau Olympique player.
The women’s hockey tournament begins on , with Canada facing Finland and the U.S. Playing Czechia. The men’s tournament starts on , with Slovakia versus Finland and Sweden versus Italy.
Officials and Support Crew
Jean “Rocky” Lamontagne (Ottawa Pacers) will be serving as chief starter for the men’s short track speed skating events.
A full competition schedule is available on the Milano Cortina 2026 website.
