Winter Olympics 2026: List of all winners, losers, top performers, and more

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina delivered high-pressure competition, emotional wins and a few hard lessons for medal favourites. Over two weeks, the Games once again showed that reputation means very little once the event begins. Form, timing and mental strength decided everything. Milano Cortina 2026 will be remembered for strong performances, close contests and the athletes who handled pressure best.

Medal table leaders and team success

Norway finished at the top of the medal table and did it in convincing fashion. Cross-country skiing and biathlon were their strongest areas, and they controlled those events from start to finish. What made the difference was depth. It was not just one superstar carrying the team. Many athletes stepped up across different formats. It is the kind of consistency that separates a good Winter Olympics from a dominant one. Meanwhile, the United States finished second overall and produced some of the most memorable moments of the Games. The men’s ice hockey final against Canada went into overtime and when the United States secured gold, it felt like a major statement. It ended a long wait for Olympic glory in men’s hockey. The women’s team then followed with a gold medal of their own, making it a rare sweep for American hockey. The wins carried emotional weight and instantly became part of Olympic history. Beyond hockey, the United States delivered solid results in alpine skiing, freestyle skiing and snowboarding. While they were not flawless, but they were consistently competitive.

The athletes who stood out

The standout individual athlete of Milano Cortina was Johannes Høsflot Klæbo of Norway. The cross-country skier won six gold medals in a single edition of the Winter Olympics, something no athlete had achieved before. Each time he competed, he looked composed and in control. By the end of the Games, he was the defining face of the event.

Mikaela Shiffrin won another Olympic gold, adding to her already remarkable career. The win reminded everyone why she is one of the best alpine skiers of her time. Eileen Gu also delivered when it counted the most, defending her freestyle skiing title and proving she handles big moments well.

The Netherlands continued its dominance in speed skating, as it has done for years. Italy, competing on home soil, produced one of its strongest Winter Olympic performances. The support from local crowds clearly made an impact and the results reflected the same energy.

Not every favourite succeeded, though. Several medal contenders fell short in tightly contested finals, especially in skiing and freestyle events where the margins were extremely small. In alpine skiing, reigning Olympic champion Marco Odermatt failed to add another gold despite entering as a strong favourite. In freestyle skiing, defending medallist Mathilde Gremaud narrowly missed the podium in a tightly contested final. In ice hockey, Canada men's national ice hockey team fell short in the gold medal match against the United States and had to settle for silver.

There were also important breakthrough moments, with a few nations outside the usual winter sports powers winning medals. Johannes Høsflot Klæbo was the biggest star, winning six gold medals in cross country skiing. Mikaela Shiffrin won another Olympic gold, while Eileen Gu defended her freestyle skiing title. The United States men's national ice hockey team also secured a memorable gold medal win.

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