The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy brought together the world’s top athletes for 19 days of international competition. Team USA once again proved itself as a global contender, earning medals across multiple events and showcasing depth in veteran leadership and rising talent.
While the spotlight often centers on national medal counts and primetime performances, this year’s games also carried local significance. Athletes with ties to Fairfax County Public Schools were represented on the Olympic Stage.
There were lots of local athletes from Fairfax County and the broader Washington DC area on Team USA. Figure skater Ilia Malinin, a 2023 graduate of Marshall High School in Fairfax County competed in his first Olympic Games. Known for landing the quadruple axel which is one of figure skating’s most difficult jumps. Malinin also attracted attention as one of the sport’s brightest young stars.
At the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, 21-year-old Ilia Malinin experienced a roller coaster debut. Finishing 8th in the individual men’s event after a mistake riddled free skate, Malinin eventually gained confidence and helped secure Team USA’s second consecutive gold medal in the figure skating team event.
Another local who was a standout is Brandom Kim, a Fairfax native and 2020 graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria. Kim competed for the US in short track speed skating, earning valuable Olympic experience and representing Northern Virginia on the world’s biggest stage.
Overall the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy concluded with strong performances across a range of sports for the United States. Team USA finished with 12 gold medals and a total of 33 medals, making the US come in second place.
One of the standout moments came in men’s ice hockey, where Team USA captured its first Olympic gold in the event since the iconic “Miracle on Ice” in 1980. In a dramatic 2-1 overtime victory over Canada, Jack Hughes scored the game winning goal.
American athletes also delivered memorable performances across freestyle skiing, figure skating, speed skating, and more. In freeski mixed team aerials, Team USA consisted of Kaila Kuhn, Connor Curran, and Christopher Lillis secured another gold, pushing the country’s total medal count.
In women’s figure skating, Alysa Liu secured a gold medal in the singles event, ending a 24 year drought for American women in the singles event, becoming the first US women to win the title since Sarah Hughes in 2002.
Beyond ranking highly across many events, Team USA was competitive in sports that were dominated historically by Nordic countries, one such sport is cross country skiing, where Ben Ogden and Gus Schumacher took silver in the men’s team sprint, marking it the first US medal in that event.
Overall Team USA excelled across many sports in 2026, combining victories in traditional winter sports with strong debuts in newer events. The diverse haul of medals reflects years of investment in athletic development at all levels.
As the Olympic flame was extinguished in Verona, athletes and fans alike celebrated games with historic moments, dramatic victories and inspiring performances.
