The 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo came to a close on February 22 after sixteen days of competition across the Italian Alps and northern Italian cities. For the United States, the Games will be remembered as one of the most successful Winter Olympics in the nation's history, with American athletes collecting their highest-ever total of gold medals.
Team USA finished with twelve gold medals, placing the country second overall behind Norway in both gold and total medal counts. The performance surpassed previous American records at the Winter Games and was fueled by strong showings across multiple disciplines, from skiing and snowboarding to figure skating and speed skating.
A Golden Finish on Ice
Perhaps the most memorable moment of the Games for American audiences came on the final day, when the U.S. men's ice hockey team defeated Canada in a tightly contested overtime final. The winning goal came in dramatic fashion, sealing the first American men's hockey gold at the Olympics in 46 years. The result sparked celebrations across the country and added a thrilling exclamation point to an already impressive Olympic campaign.
Women Lead the Way
One of the defining narratives of Team USA's performance was the outsized contribution of female athletes. American women dominated several events and accounted for a significant share of the country's medal haul. Analysts and commentators noted that the depth of talent on the women's side reflected years of investment in grassroots sports programs across the country.
A New Kind of Winter Games
The Milan Cortina Olympics were widely praised for their organization and the way they distributed events across multiple venues and cities. The closing ceremony, held in the historic city of Verona, marked the formal end of what the International Olympic Committee described as a forward-looking edition of the Winter Games. Attention now turns to the upcoming Paralympic Winter Games, set to begin in early March at the same venues.