By: Matthew S. Taylor
The 232 Olympians of Team USA return home from the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Games in Italy victorious after setting the United States’ record for gold medals earned during the Winter Olympics.
Team USA brought home 33 medals in total: 12 gold, 12 silver and 9 bronze. They were second only to the historically dominant Norway, which broke records for 41 total podium finishes as well as 18 gold medals.
A historic highlight moment for fans of Team USA was the men’s hockey team’s 2-1 overtime victory over Canada, winning gold in the event for the first time since the “Miracle on Ice” exactly 46 years prior.
Jack Hughes scored the winning goal at 1:41 into the 3-on-3 overtime period. Hughes suffered an injury during the third period that cost him several teeth, yet he played through to finish the game with what has been nicknamed the “Golden Goal.”
Credit for the victory also belongs to goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who in a stellar performance, set the U.S. Olympic record with 41 saves.
In a parallel matchup between Teams USA and Canada, the women’s hockey final game was determined in another 2-1 overtime thriller.
At the end of the third period, captain Hilary Knight tied the game, narrowly avoiding the silver medal by forcing an extra frame. Defenseman Megan Keller scored the winning goal 4:07 into overtime, capping off an undefeated Olympic season for the team as they brought home their third gold medal in the event.
On the individual stage, 21-year-old speedskater Jordan Stolz was the most successful standalone Olympian of Team USA this year, coming home with three total medals: two gold and one silver. Stolz’s gold medals came from winning both the 500-meter and 1000-meter races—the first man to do so since Eric Heiden in 1980. Stolz also set the record for the 500-meter event, finishing in only 33.77 seconds.
After coming in first place in the Slalom event, Mikaela Shiffrin became the first American Alpine skier to win three career Olympic gold medals. She ended the race 1.50 seconds ahead of her closest competitor, the largest margin since 1998.
Alysa Liu, a 20-year-old skater dubbed the “Golden Girl,” earned two gold medals through her historic comeback, becoming the first American woman to win the women’s individual gold in 24 years. She also led Team USA to gold in the Figure Skating Team Event. Beyond her athleticism, she has been transformed into a global icon as audiences connected with her signature smile and alternative, personal style that breaks from the traditional skating aesthetics. Her popularity exploded since her victory, with her Instagram follower count increasing from 200,000 to over 4.4 million in only a matter of days.
Team USA brought home three gold medals in freestyle skiing. Kaila Kuhn, Connor Curran and Chris Lillis defended their 2022 title in the Mixed Team Aerials. Alex Ferreira earned gold in the Men’s Freeski Halfpipe, and 19-year-old Elizabeth Lemley took home gold in Women’s Moguls. Adding to Team USA’s success were Elana Meyers Taylor, winning her first Olympic gold in the monobob event at 41 years old, and Ben Ogden, who became the first American man to win an individual Olympic medal in cross-country skiing in 50 years, taking silver in the sprint.
Breezy Johnson was the first to bring gold to Team USA in the Women’s Downhill, the second American woman to ever win the title. Our previous coverage of the Olympics mentioned the return of 41-year-old Lindsey Vonn in her journey to participate as a skier on Team USA. However, just 13 seconds into the Women’s Downhill final, Vonn clipped a gate and suffered a high-speed crash. She was airlifted to a hospital for the second time in a month.
Vonn was released from the hospital on Feb. 23, revealing that her accident caused a tibia fracture and a life-threatening case of compartment syndrome. She credited Team USA for saving her leg from amputation. She is expected to use a wheelchair through her year-long recovery period.
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina provided a stage for Team USA to showcase their evolution. From the “Golden Goal” to the “Golden Girl,” the American athletes bring pride to their country, with eyes set to return and dominate once more in the French Alps in 2030.
