“It was one to remember, highlighting impressive performances, especially in figure skating,” said junior Chayce Fort.

The 2026 Winter Olympics were held in Italy from February 6 to February 22. Team USA delivered a strong performance, earning 12 gold medals, 12 silver medals, and 9 bronze medals. Although this year did not set any major records, it proved to be groundbreaking in terms of its impact on pop culture. Especially with the women’s teams winning 67% of the total gold medals won this winter olympics. 

Ice skating was easily one of the most iconic events of the 2026 Winter Olympics, especially with athletes like Alysa Liu taking center stage. She captivated audiences not only with her incredible skill, but also with her story. After stepping away from the sport as a burned-out teenager, Liu returned to the ice and ultimately claimed gold, showing how powerful passion and perseverance can be. Her journey—and especially her final performance—helped turn her into a true pop-culture star. Skating to Stateside by PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson, Liu delivered a routine that quickly became an “ego boost”, pushing her career and popularity to new heights.

The USA Hockey teams won gold in both the Men’s and Women’s event, giving them both their third gold medal. But the men’s team took 66 years to accomplish this while the women’s team only took 28 years. Nonetheless both hockey teams showed discipline and power in their games against their heated rival Canada and especially in overtime. Though what happened off the ice may be more questionable.

Another iconic sport of the season is snowboarding and skiing. Two time goldest Chloe Kim returned for her 3rd time and took home Silver for the USA in half pipe snowboarding. Another honorable mention being Mikaela Shiffrin who won her 3rd gold medal and 4th overall in slalom skiing.