The 2026 winter Olympics held in the beautiful cities of Milan and Cortina d Ampezzo in northern Italy provided two memorable weeks of global sport as well. Both epic feats of snow-capped mountain top performance and theatrical finales on the ice, the 2026 Winter Olympics did not lack jaw-dropping moments. The athletes of the world tested the boundaries of human success, and off-the-field stories were heartwarming, reminding us of the importance of the Games that lie way beyond the amount of medals. So, whether you were watching it all or you are only now watching, here are the five best things that made the 2026 Winter Olympics what it will be remembered as even after the flame is gone out.
Top 5 Moments in 2026 Winter Olympics
1. Alysa Liu’s Golden Comeback
Alysa Liu, a twenty-year-old figure skater, has retired after the Beijing Olympics, but then she rebelled against the system and came back to skating in 2024. She also produced one of the most popular shows of the whole winter Olympics, winning the team event and the individual event at the 2026 Winter Olympics, skating her free program to a popular song by Donna Summer, “MacArthur Park”. Her refreshingly carefree attitude captured hearts worldwide. “I didn’t need a medal,” she said. “If I fell on every jump, I would still be out there wearing this dress.” It was a masterclass in competing for the love of the sport.
2. Mikaela Shiffrin’s Redemption Slalom Gold
Mikaela Shiffrin, an alpine skiing icon, came to Italy with unresolved business after failing to get a medal at the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing. She had a rough start, missing the podium in the team event and giant slalom, but she saved the best to the end. In her final race, Shiffrin won slalom gold by a staggering 1.50-second margin, the largest winning gap in Olympic alpine skiing since 1998. “This is a moment I have dreamed about,” she said through tears. Her comeback cemented her status as one of the greatest alpine skiers of all time.
3. Lucas Pinheiro Braathen Makes History for Brazil
Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, who became the first Winter Olympic games gold medalist in Brazilian history, won the giant slalom event in the men category and brought South America the first Winter Olympics Games medal of any kind ever. “I was skiing with my heart”, he said, and when you ski like you do it is possible to do anything. Braathen won, with the ardent encouragement of the Brazilian spectators who were ready to learn about the French alpine skiing at last, a triumph of endurance, honor and the sporting heart of the world.
4. Team USA Women’s Hockey Wins Gold in Overtime
In a match that had fans holding their breath until the final second, the United States women’s ice hockey team defeated Canada 2–1 in sudden death overtime to claim gold. Megan Keller scored the decisive goal, sending the team into euphoria. The US women won Olympic gold only the second time the event had been established in 1998, and it was a long, hard-earned victory that can be listed as one of the most dramatic endings in the history of Winter Olympics.
5. Johannes Høsflot Klæbo Rewrites the Record Books
Norway’s Johannes Hosflot Klaebo secured his spot in Olympic history in the 2026 Winter Olympics by winning the most Olympic cross-country skiing gold medals in the history of the game at six. These wins put Klæbo alongside Michael Phelps as the only two athletes in the history of the Olympics to have won 10 or more career gold medals. Phelps retired with 23 golds but Klaebo is unrivaled on the snow. His insistence on excellence and his capability of showing up at the moment, on the largest stage in the world, made him the undisputed star athlete in the 2026 Winter Olympics and a name that will reverberate in the history of the Games decades after.
FAQs
Q. Where were the 2026 Winter Olympics held?
A. The Games were hosted in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in northern Italy with the Closing Ceremony held in Verona.
Q. Who won the most gold medals?
A. Norwegian cross-country skier Johannes Hosflot Klaebo is the only athlete to win six Gold medals in Winter Olympics history, and his total number of Olympic golds surpassed 10.
Q. When is the next Winter Olympics?
A. The next Winter Olympics are scheduled for 2030. The 2026 Winter Olympics set a remarkably high bar that future host cities will strive to match.
Get the Latest Updates at inkrisp.com. Also, follow our social media for updates on X and Instagram.