sports
February 23, 2026
The US moved away from its heartland to set a Winter Olympics high in Italy
Other nations are catching up with the US in its traditional strengths such as snowboarding. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing for Americans
TL;DR
- The US achieved a record 12 gold medals and surpassed 30 overall medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
- Many of the US medalists were not well-known athletes, with notable success in cross-country skiing rather than traditional strongholds like snowboarding.
- While US snowboarders won fewer medals than in previous years, the success of competitors inspired by American athletes, like Chloe Kim mentoring Gaon Choi, highlights the global export of the sport.
- The US also performed well in alpine skiing and long-track speedskating, with medals also secured in ice hockey, figure skating, bobsleigh, luge, and curling.
- The rise of international competition in sports like snowboarding is viewed both as a challenge to US dominance and a testament to the global impact of American sports and athletes.
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