The 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan–Cortina, Italy, closed with one of the strongest overall performances in Team USA history, and a milestone moment for the Florida Panhandle. From ice rinks to mountain slopes, American athletes delivered a Games packed with breakthroughs, surprises, and golden finishes.

 

Below is a look at the biggest U.S. storylines, including a hometown hero who skated her way into Olympic history.

 

Panhandle Pride on Olympic Ice ⛸️

Crestview’s own Mia Manganello Kilburg gave northwest Florida a moment to cheer about on February 21, capturing bronze in the women’s mass start, the final race of her career.

 

Her medal wasn’t just personal; it was historic.

• First individual Olympic medal of her career

• First‑ever U.S. medal in the mass start event

• A storybook ending for a skater who began on in‑line wheels in the Florida heat before chasing ice halfway across the world

 

For Panhandle readers, this was a reminder that world‑class talent can come from anywhere, even a place better known for beaches than blades.

 

⛸️ A Golden Games for U.S. Figure Skating

Figure skating delivered some of the most emotional and high‑profile American victories of the Games.

 

Alysa Liu Takes Center Stage

Alysa Liu claimed gold in the women’s individual event, cementing her status as the new face of U.S. women’s skating. Her win capped a dominant week that also included a standout performance in the team event, where Team USA captured gold.

 

Team Event Triumph

The U.S. team, powered by Liu, Starr Andrews, Amber Glenn, Ilia Malinin, and others, built an insurmountable lead with clean programs and high technical scores.

 

For readers, this is a rare double:

• Gold in the team event

• Gold in a marquee individual event

 

It’s a combination that hasn’t always aligned for American skating, making Milan–Cortina a true breakthrough.

 

Ilia Malinin: From Quad God to Heartbreak

On the men’s side, Ilia Malinin entered as the heavy favorite.

• He dominated the short program with a massive 108.16, taking the lead.

• But mistakes in the free skate dropped him to eighth overall, one of the biggest surprises of the Games.

 

Still, Malinin didn’t leave empty‑handed, he helped anchor the team event gold, giving the U.S. the cushion it needed to stay ahead of its rivals. The contrast between triumph and disappointment gave fans one of the most emotional arcs of the Olympics.

 

🥇 Where Team USA Struck Gold

Team USA finished Milan–Cortina with 33 total medals, 12 gold, 12 silver, 9 bronze, ranking second overall behind Norway.
The 12 gold medals marked the most U.S. golds ever at a single Winter Olympics.

 

Here’s where the red, white, and blue ruled the ice and snow:

 

Hockey Sweeps the Podium

• Men’s Ice Hockey: USA defeated Canada 2–1 in overtime, with Jack Hughes scoring the golden goal in the final game of the Games, the record‑breaking 12th U.S. gold.

• Women’s Ice Hockey: USA beat Canada 2–1 in overtime as well, completing the first men’s/women’s hockey sweep in American Olympic history.

 

Freestyle Skiing

• Gold in mixed team aerials (Christopher Lillis, Connor Curran, Kaila Kuhn)

• Multiple podiums across aerials, slopestyle, and halfpipe

 

Speed Skating

• Jordan Stolz delivered two golds, making long‑track one of the most productive sports for Team USA.

 

Snowboarding & Other Ice/Freestyle Events

• Strong showings across halfpipe, slopestyle, and big air

• Additional medals in bobsled and monobob

In short: the U.S. leaned into its identity as a freestyle and ice powerhouse, not a Nordic nation.

 

🌟 Big U.S. Star Storylines

Breakthrough & Clutch Moments

Jack Hughes’ overtime winner against Canada instantly entered USA Hockey lore, ending a decades‑long drought in men’s Olympic gold.

 

Record‑Setting Games

With 12 golds, Milan–Cortina became the most golden Winter Olympics ever for Team USA.

 

Disappointments & Injuries

• Eileen Gu (competing for China but born in the U.S.) took silver in big air, losing her 2022 title.

• Swiss favorite Mathilde Gremaud suffered a serious hip injury during training, overshadowing the event.

• Pre‑Games injuries in U.S. hockey made the eventual gold even more dramatic.

• Missed golds in traditional strengths like figure skating and sliding events added emotional near‑misses.

• Lindsey Vonn 41-year-old skiing legend was competing in the women's downhill final when she hooked a gate just 13 seconds into her run, leading to a violent tumble, and suffered a complex tibia fracture in her left leg during a high-speed crash. 

 

Host Nation Italy Makes History

Italy delivered its best Winter Olympics ever, earning 30 total medals, good for fourth in golds and third in total medals. The home crowd had plenty to celebrate.

 

🎉 A Winter Games to Remember

From Panhandle pride to record‑breaking golds, Milan–Cortina 2026 will go down as one of the most memorable Winter Olympics in U.S. history. Team USA blended veteran grit, rising‑star brilliance, and clutch performances across the board, all while giving Florida’s own Mia Manganello Kilburg a perfect final chapter to her career.

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Team USA Wins Gold in Men’s Ice Hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics Article

 

USA Women’s Hockey Wins Gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics Article

 

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