Italy Celebrates a Queen, Norway Crowns a King, and Canada Strikes Gold
The ninth day of the 2026 Winter Olympics will be remembered for the deafening roars of the Italian tifosi in Cortina d’Ampezzo and the quiet, clinical efficiency of a Norwegian legend. As the Games cross the halfway mark, the intensity on the snow and ice has shifted from mere competition to the forging of historical legacies.
The Headline: Italy’s Tofane Queen
The story of the day was undoubtedly Federica Brignone. In front of a home crowd that had been waiting for a singular, transcendent moment, the Italian veteran delivered a masterclass in the Women’s Giant Slalom. Brignone, who has battled back from significant injuries in the lead up to these Games, attacked the Tofane slope with a ferocity that left her competitors scrambling.
She clocked a combined time that edged out Sweden’s Sara Hector by a mere 0.12 seconds. For Brignone, this wasn’t just a gold medal; it was a redemption arc completed on home soil. Meanwhile, American superstar Mikaela Shiffrin finished a disappointing fifth, struggling to find her rhythm on the icy Italian surface, leaving her one final chance for individual gold in Tuesday’s Slalom.
The Legend: Klæbo Stands Alone
In the cross country stadium, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo achieved what many thought impossible so early in his career. By anchoring the Norwegian team to a dominant victory in the Men’s 4×7.5km Relay, Klæbo secured his ninth career Olympic gold medal.
With this win, he officially breaks the tie with legends Bjørn Dæhlie and Marit Bjørgen to become the most successful Norwegian Winter Olympian in history. “I don’t think about the numbers,” Klæbo told reporters afterward, “but when I see my teammates crying at the finish line, I realize what we’ve done.”
The Breakthrough: Canada’s Drought Ends
For eight days, Canada a traditional winter powerhouse had been strangely absent from the top step of the podium. That changed in the Men’s Dual Moguls. The “GOAT” of moguls, Mikael Kingsbury, finally captured the elusive gold he had narrowly missed earlier in the week. In a high speed, side by side final against Japan’s Ikuma Horishima, Kingsbury was flawless, securing Canada’s first gold of Milano Cortina 2026 in what he has confirmed is his final Olympic appearance.
| Rank | Nation | Gold 🥇 | Silver 🥈 | Bronze 🥉 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norway | 11 | 6 | 7 | 24 |
| 2 | Italy | 8 | 4 | 10 | 22 |
| 3 | United States | 5 | 8 | 4 | 17 |
| 4 | Japan | 3 | 5 | 9 | 17 |
| 5 | France | 4 | 7 | 4 | 15 |
| 6 | Austria | 4 | 6 | 3 | 13 |
| 7 | Germany | 4 | 5 | 4 | 13 |
| 8 | Sweden | 5 | 5 | 1 | 11 |
| 9 | Netherlands | 5 | 5 | 1 | 11 |
| 10 | Switzerland | 4 | 2 | 3 | 9 |
Sunday Night “Ice & Fire” Highlights
- Men’s Hockey: The USA sent a message to the rest of the bracket with a 7-1 dismantling of Germany. Matty Beniers and Cole Caufield both notched two goals apiece. Canada also swept their preliminary round with a hard fought win over France, led by a breakout performance from youngster Macklin Celebrini.
- Speed Skating: The Netherlands continued their “Orange Crush” in the oval. Femke Kok broke the Olympic record in the Women’s 500m to take gold, leading a Dutch 1-2 finish that silenced the arena.
- Curling: The “Miracle on Ice” 2.0 continues for the U.S. Men, who stunned the world-leading Swedish rink 8-5 in a tactical masterpiece. They now sit in prime position for the playoffs.
Day 10 Preview: “Super Monday”
If Day 9 was about legends, Day 10 is about the “Next Gen” and the high-drama pairs. Here is what to watch for on Monday, February 16.
1. Figure Skating: Pairs Short Program (1:45 PM CET)
This is the “can’t miss” event of the week. All eyes are on Canada’s Deanna Stellato-Dudek. At 42 years old, she is the oldest woman to compete in Olympic figure skating in over a century. After a head injury forced her out of the team event, her return for the individual pairs short program is the emotional heart of these Games. She and partner Maxime Deschamps are heavy favorites for a medal.
2. Women’s Freeski Big Air Finals (10:30 AM CET)
Eileen Gu is back. The global icon looks to defend her title in the Big Air, but she faces a massive challenge from Switzerland’s Mathilde Gremaud, who has been landing “triple corks” with terrifying consistency in practice. This will be a battle of nerves and aerial physics.
3. Short Track: Women’s 1,000m Finals (1:30 PM CET)
Short track is the “roller derby” of the Olympics, and the 1,000m is its most volatile event. Look for a showdown between the Republic of Korea and the Netherlands. The speed is higher than ever this year, and with the tight corners in Milan, crashes are almost a guarantee.
4. Women’s Bobsleigh: Monobob Heats (4:00 AM CET)
The “sliding” events move into their final stages. Kaillie Humphries (USA) looks to continue her dominance in the Monobob, but Germany’s Laura Nolte has been faster in the mid section of the track all week.
5. Men’s Ski Jumping: Super Team (9:45 AM CET)
Making its debut, the “Super Team” format (two jumpers per nation instead of four) is designed for maximum drama. Slovenia and Poland are the favorites, but the home Italian duo has shown surprising “pop” off the large hill.