Team USA is having a historic Olympics with Shiffrin’s slalom dominance, shocking medal hauls in cross-country skiing, and unexpected bronze in slopestyle
Wednesday at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina was basically a masterclass in American excellence across winter sports. Mikaela Shiffrin reclaimed her throne in women’s slalom, winning gold with a combined time of 1:39.10 a massive 1.5 seconds ahead of silver medalist Camille Rast of Switzerland. That’s not just winning. That’s dominating. Shiffrin had already claimed gold in the event at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, but suffered disappointment at the past two Games. This wasn’t just a comeback. This was redemption at the highest level.
- Team USA is having a historic Olympics with Shiffrin’s slalom dominance, shocking medal hauls in cross-country skiing, and unexpected bronze in slopestyle
- Team USA also pulled off something genuinely shocking in cross-country skiing
- In men’s slopestyle snowboarding, Jake Canter delivered an absolutely shocking bronze medal
- The women’s hockey team appears to be historic
- In men’s hockey quarterfinals, the surprises continued
What made Shiffrin’s performance genuinely special was the dominance she showed entering the second run. She carried a 0.82-second lead into the final descent, an absolutely commanding margin. Her first run was technically flawless aggressive, confident, with such solid technique that she seemed to flow from gate to gate. That’s championship-level skiing. That’s what happens when experience meets preparation meets mental clarity.
Team USA also pulled off something genuinely shocking in cross-country skiing
Ben Ogden and Gus Schumacher won silver in the men’s team sprint free with a time of 18:30.35, just 1.37 seconds behind Norway’s gold. That matters because Team USA had only won four cross-country medals in Olympic history entering Milano Cortina. The Americans have nearly matched that entire total in this Games alone. Jessie Diggins claimed bronze in the women’s 10km, and Ogden won bronze in the individual sprint. That’s three medals in one discipline for a country that traditionally struggles in cross-country skiing.
In men’s slopestyle snowboarding, Jake Canter delivered an absolutely shocking bronze medal
He was in 10th place after two runs, basically out of contention. Then he threw down a spectacular final run flipping extra rotations, stomping jumps, and posting a 79.36 that put him on the podium. That’s the kind of clutch performance that defines Olympic legacies. Canter came from nowhere and claimed hardware. China’s Su Yiming took gold and was the most consistent rider, while Japan’s Taiga Hasegawa claimed silver.
In women’s slopestyle, Team USA didn’t medal, but the Americans showed promising youth development. Jess Perlmutter and Lily Dhawornvej, both 16 years old, competed against a stiff field and finished sixth and 11th respectively. New Zealand’s Zoi Sadowski-Synnott nearly defended her title but came up short behind Japan’s Mari Fukada, who took gold. The future looks bright for American slopestyle skiing.
Off the ice and slopes, Hilary Knight made headlines by proposing to speed skater Brittany Bowe on Wednesday. Knight captioned the Instagram video: “Olympics brought us together. This one made us forever.” The couple first met at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, so Milano Cortina represented the perfect full-circle moment. Knight is preparing to compete in the women’s hockey gold medal game against Canada on Thursday, but apparently she had one more medal to secure first.
The women’s hockey team appears to be historic
Olympic champion Monique Lamoureux told USA TODAY Sports that the 2026 squad could be the best women’s team ever. They’ve been unstoppable in their run to Thursday’s gold medal matchup. The 1998 inaugural Olympic team and the 2018 Pyeongchang team both won gold, but the 2026 squad might possess the most complete roster assembled. Their depth is their superpower.
In men’s hockey quarterfinals, the surprises continued
Slovakia, entering as group winners, defeated Germany 6-2. Canada is facing a tougher-than-expected challenge against Czechia, trailing 2-1 after one period despite beating them 5-0 in preliminary action. The All-American quarterfinal featuring Team USA against Sweden will take place Wednesday.
Milano Cortina is delivering exactly what Winter Olympics should deliver: American excellence, unexpected champions, and moments that transcend sports.
Wednesday proved that perfectly.
