Feature: Milan-Cortina 2026 ends in feats, farewells and fire

The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics was defined by records, breakthroughs and memorable moments, showcasing the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect, and winter sports' power to unite a divided world under the shared Olympic spirit.

by sportswriter He Leijing

MILAN, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics concluded on Sunday, ending more than two weeks of spectacle played out across frozen tracks and Alpine slopes. Athletes chased dreams with grit and grace, etching fresh chapters into Olympic history.

IOC president Kirsty Coventry hailed the Games as "truly successful," saying the event had "surpassed everyone's expectations."

Norway topped the medal table with 18 gold, 12 silver and 11 bronze medals, powered by its supremacy in cross-country skiing, biathlon and Nordic combined. The United States ranked second with 12 golds, 12 silvers and nine bronzes, while host nation Italy rode surging crowds to fourth, behind the Netherlands, with 30 medals including 10 golds, flourishing in speed skating, luge and Alpine skiing.

Yet beyond the arithmetic of medals, it was the spirit of breakthrough, resilience and moments of shared humanity that truly set the winter alight.

CHINA'S BREAKTHROUGH

China delivered its best result at an overseas Winter Games, collecting five gold, four silver and six bronze medals - surpassing its previous best of 5-2-4 at Vancouver 2010.

After the opening ceremony on February 6, China endured 11 competition days without a gold. Then, on February 18, the tide turned in an 80-minute burst.

Su Yiming struck gold first in the men's snowboard slopestyle on his 22nd birthday, days after claiming the big air bronze. Soon after, Xu Mengtao soared to the top of the podium in the women's aerials.

More meaningful than medals was the pursuit of self-transcendence.

In speed skating, Ning Zhongyan emerged as a standard-bearer. He captured three medals, including a historic gold in the men's 1,500 meters, upsetting American favorite Jordan Stolz with a new Olympic record. Days earlier, Ning's bronze in the 1,000m marked China's first Olympic medal in that event - a leap forward from his fifth-place finish in Beijing four years ago.

Freestyle skiing star Gu Ailing rebounded from an early qualifying stumble to claim silvers in slopestyle and big air before defending her halfpipe title, cementing her status as the most decorated freeskier in Olympic history and one of the sport's most versatile talents.

Milestones also accumulated. China claimed its first Olympic medal in the men's speed skating team pursuit. In ski jumping, bobsleigh and luge - disciplines once peripheral to China's winter identity - athletes repeatedly lowered national bests.

CONSTELLATION OF STARS

These Games glittered with record-breaking feats and nerve-steeling team triumphs.

Norway's cross-country icon Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo secured six gold medals to lift his Olympic gold tally to 11 and become the first athlete in any sport to win six golds at a single Winter Games.

Jordan Stolz reaffirmed his sprint dominance with Olympic-record performances in the 500m and 1,000m, while Italy's veteran Francesca Lollobrigida thrilled home crowds with gold in both the 3,000m and 5,000m.

Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen announced himself with a dazzling downhill, super-G and team combined hat-trick. In ski mountaineering's Olympic debut, Spain's Oriol Cardona Coll and Switzerland's Marianne Fatton claimed the first gold medals in blizzard-like conditions.

Youth and renewal shone just as brightly. 17-year-old Choi Ga-on of South Korea, competing on an injured leg, denied American star Chloe Kim a historic Olympic snowboard halfpipe three-peat.

Kazakhstan celebrated a landmark as Mikhail Shaidorov captured the men's gold in figure skating with five clean quadruple jumps, while American favorite Ilia Malinin faltered.

Elsewhere, Brazil, a nation without natural snow, savored a surreal moment when Lucas Pinheiro Braathen claimed the giant slalom gold, delivering South America's first Winter Olympic medal.

Africa sent its largest-ever Winter Games delegation to Milan-Cortina 2026, doubling its presence from Beijing 2022. Though medals proved elusive, participation and performance both marked meaningful steps forward.

Veterans also took their bows. Aerialist Qi Guangpu fell short in his final Olympic appearance. On the snowboard slopes, 45-year-old Roland Fischnaller finished his seventh Games alongside his 40-year-old friend Benjamin Karl, who captured the parallel giant slalom gold.

UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS

Not all defining moments were triumphant, and across these two weeks, emotion unfolded without script.

American Alpine legend Lindsey Vonn saw her comeback end in a downhill crash that left her with a fractured leg. Austrian bobsled pilot Jakob Mandlbauer required lengthy treatment after his sled overturned.

China's five-time Olympian Liu Jiayu suffered a heavy crash in halfpipe qualifying. Though later cleared of serious spinal injury, her tearful exit stirred concern across the arena. That night, she posted a smiling selfie despite visible bruising.

Grief, too, cast a shadow. Norwegian biathlete Sivert Guttorm Bakken passed away ahead of the Games. His teammates chose to stay at the hotel where he died, honoring his memory with courage and composure.

In ice hockey, the United States men's hockey team carried the spirit of the late Johnny Gaudreau, who died in a car accident in 2024. His jersey hung in the locker room throughout the tournament, a silent presence woven into their pursuit of gold.

Yet warmth persisted. American skier Breezy Johnson accepted a marriage proposal moments after her super-G run, drawing congratulations from pop superstar Taylor Swift. In Alpine skiing, Mexico's Sarah Schleper competed alongside her 18-year-old son Lasse Gaxiola, marking the first mother-and-son duo at a Winter Games.

Alpine star Federica Brignone, returning from a broken leg and torn ACL last April, captured super-G and giant slalom golds, prompting Sweden's Sara Hector and Norway's Thea Louise Stjernesund to bow in respect after her giant slalom triumph.

Love and partnership found their own spotlight. A textbook back full-full-full in the super final sealed gold for China's Xu Mengtao, making her the first athlete to win two Olympic titles in the women's aerials. Two days later, her husband Wang Xindi captured gold in the men's aerials - a rare married couple each claiming an individual gold at the same Games.

And across venues, volunteers in blue uniforms, including around 1,500 from China, moved tirelessly behind the scenes, embodying the Games' quiet heartbeat.

The latter half of the Olympics coincided with the Chinese Spring Festival, infusing Milan and Alpine towns with festive touches. For Chinese viewers watching across time zones, medal moments carried the added warmth of the Chinese New Year celebration.

As the Olympic flame dims, what remains are not merely results but resonant memories, of barriers broken, stars ascendant, tears shed and hopes rekindled. At these Games, winter sport once again proved its power to unite a divided world under the shared Olympic spirit. ■