MILAN — It’s Saturday, Feb. 14, at the 2026 Winter Olympics and we’re underway on Valentine’s Day at the Milano Cortina Games.

Friday’s action was defined by one of the most stunning moments of these Games: Ilia Malinin’s meltdown in the free skate of the men’s singles competition. Will Saturday bring that level of drama?

Getting things started, American women won a pair of medals in freestyle skiing as Jaelin Kauf and Elizabeth Lemley scored silver and bronze in the dual moguls competition. Then, the U.S. men’s hockey team defeated Denmark 6-3, with six different players scoring goals in the win.

USA TODAY Sports has a team of more than a dozen journalists on the ground in Italy to bring you behind the scenes with Team USA and keep you up to date with every medal win, big moment and triumphant finish. Get our Chasing Gold newsletter in your inbox every morning and join our WhatsApp channel to get the latest updates right in your texts.

USA TODAY Sports provided highlights of Day 8 at the 2026 Winter Olympics:

U.S. hockey defeats Denmark 6-3

After trailing 2-1 early in the first period, the United States’ offense comes together and overwhelms Denmark, ending in a 6-3 win to move the U.S. to 2-0 at the Olympics so far. Six different players scored for Team USA.

Team USA hockey leads Denmark 4-3 after 2nd period

It’s raining goals in United States vs. Denmark men’s hockey, as Team USA leads 4-3 after the first two periods. The Americans trailed 2-1 after the first period, but scored three goals in the second period and allowed two others to lead 4-3.

Matt Boldy, Brady Tkachuk, Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifan have all scored for the U.S. so far. – Austin Curtright

Team USA misses women’s freeski big air final

LIVIGNO – Grace Henderson was the best chance for the U.S. women’s free ski big air qualifiers with a first jump that resulted in an 86.75. But a mediocre second hit and a fall on her third jump meant no American would be moving on.Avery Krumme, the lone American who qualified for the slopestyle final, had a nice first jump but couldn’t capitalize and did not make finals.

Rell Harwood, who saved herself for big air as she comes back from an ACL injury, could not put down her first run and the last two simply weren’t enough to be in the top 12 that made it to finals.Marin Hamill also did not make the top 12.

Eileen Gu was the first of 27 athletes to jump and landed her first one before crashing on her second. The American-born Chinese competitor popped right back up needing a successful third jump to have the chance to defend her gold medal from four years ago. She nailed it and finished as the No. 2. qualifier.

Canada’s Megan Oldham won bronze in the slopestyle event earlier this week, with Gu (silver) and Switzerland’s Mathilde Gremaud (gold) placing above her. Oldham was the top qualifier with Gu and Gremaud, respectively, behind her. – Chris Bumbaca

Austria’s Janine Flock wins gold in skeleton

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy – Team USA skeleton athletes Kelly Curtis and Mystique Ro finish 12th (3:52.13) and 15th (3:52.48), respectively, out of 25 sleds. Curtis’ Olympic best performance (she finished 21st in Beijing) comes just over two years after giving birth to her daughter Maeve in Nov. 2023. 

Austrian Janine Flock, in her fourth Olympic Games and first medal winning slide, topped the podium with a golden time of 3:49.02. Germany’s Susanne Kreher won silver (3:49.32), and her teammate Jacqueline Pfeifer won bronze (3:49.46) – Payton Titus

Mikaela Shiffrin lines up third for Olympic giant slalom run

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Mikaela Shiffrin will get one of the first cracks at the giant slalom course.

Shiffrin will start third in the GS race at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics on Sunday, Feb. 15. Paula Moltzan, who won bronze with Jackie Wiles in the team combined, is just behind her at No. 5, and Nina O’Brien will start 11th. A.J. Hurt is the last American in the race, starting 23rd.

The start order for the second run will be reverse order of the results from the first.

The GS is the first of the tech races, though Shiffrin, Moltzan, and Hurt all did slalom runs in the team combined. Shiffrin will be looking for a better result in the GS after notably struggling in the team combined, finishing 15th out of 18.- Nancy Armour

Marie-Philip Poulin ties hockey record, Canadian women advance to semis

Canada women’s hockey captain Marie-Philip Poulin scored a goal in her return from a lower-body injury on Saturday. That ties her with Hall of Famer Hayley Wickenheiser for most career Olympic women’s hockey goals (18).

Canada beat Germany 5-1 to advance to the semifinals, where it will face the winner of Finland-Switzerland. The USA will face Sweden. – Mike Brehm

Stolz sets Olympic record in 500, earns second gold medal

MILAN — Jordan Stolz resumed his quest for four gold medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

And on it goes.

Stolz captured his second gold by winning the men’s 500 meters at Milano Speed Skating Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 14, setting an Olympic record while he was at it.

Paired with Jenning de Boo of the Netherlands, Stolz finished with a time of 33.79 seconds, another Olympic record for the 21-year-old from Wisconsin.

To secure four gold medals, Stolz must win his final two races – the 1,500 meters on Thursday, Feb. 19, and the mass start on Saturday, Feb. 21.

Stolz won his first Olympic gold here in the men’s 1,000 meters on Wednesday, Feb. 11, while setting a new Olympic record. — Josh Peter

Pressure can topple even the best, as Ilia Malinin can attest

In December, before the U.S. figure skating championships, USA TODAY Sports’ Christine Brennan asked Ilia Malinin what seemed like an unfathomable question: Do you ever think about not winning the 2026 Winter Olympics gold medal?

It seemed silly. Malinin was figuratively being handed the gold medal before he even crossed the Atlantic Ocean. But to some surprise, it had crossed his mind.

“Sometimes, I have those thoughts a little bit,” Malinin. “It’s like everyone expects you to be so perfect, and really know what you’re doing all the time, but sometimes you’re not always perfect.’

Malinin’s golden moment turned into disaster, with a tough performance resulting in an eighth place finish in the men’s singles, a result the entire figure skating world is still trying to understand. − Jordan Mendoza

Team USA speed skating advances to women’s team pursuit semifinals

Giorgia Birkeland, Brittany Bowe and Mia Manganello advanced to the semifinal round in the women’s team pursuit at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium.The trio posted a time of 2:58.32, 3.29 seconds behind the top speed of 2:55.03 by Canada. Japan (2:55.52) and Netherlands (2:55.65) also moved on to the semifinal round, which is scheduled for Tuesday.

Jordan Stolz set to compete for second speed skating gold

Jordan Stolz returns to the Milano Speed Skating Stadium to renew his pursuit of four Olympic gold medals at 2026 Winter Games.

After winning his first gold in the men’s 1,000 meters on Wednesday, Sotlz’s quest continues today with the men’s 500 meters (11 a.m. ET start, Peacock).

The field of 30 skaters is considered to be strong, and Stolz, the 21-year-old from Wisconsin, is not the runaway favorite. Though he’s a two-time world champion at the distance and won the season World Cup title again this year, he ‘only’ won five of the nine 500-meter races.

To secure four golds, Stolz would need to win not only the 500 meters, but also the 1,500 meters on Thursday and the mass start next Saturday. − Josh Peter

Armour: Olympics not the only way to define greatness

 The Olympic podium is not the end-all, be-all. Even the Olympics themselves cannot define an athlete’s career.

It can seem that way, when the eyes of the world are trained on these 16 days and one moment – a medal, an act of sportsmanship, a catastrophe – has the power to change an athlete’s life. But that white-hot spotlight that burns athletes up at the Olympics as often as it elevates them is our failure, the result of our ignorance.

We expect these athletes to deliver like show ponies during the Olympics – ignoring they’ve got an entire body of work outside the Games – and are ruthless when they don’t.

Mikaela Shiffrin could put away her skis today and there would be little question that she’s the greatest skier of all time. Her legacy has long been secured, and nothing that happens at these 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics – good, bad or indifferent – will change that.

And yet, Shiffrin has already come in for criticism at these Olympics after a disastrous slalom run in the team combined.

She’s not the only one, columnist Nancy Armour writes.

Winter Olympics power couples celebrate Valentine’s Day in Italy

Snow isn’t the only thing in the air at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

There will be no shortage of love as power couples gear up for the Games together. The Olympics run through Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) and some competitors won’t have to spend the holiday apart from their significant other. 

‘The skating career is short and finite, but the relationship is much, much longer,’ said Evan Bates, one half of the husband-and-wife ice dancing duo with Madison Chock. ‘The appreciation for everything that we’ve gone through over 15 years has grown as maybe you get closer towards the end.’

We take a look at a few of the most notable partnerships at the 2026 Winter Olympics. − Cydney Henderson

Luger Ashley Farquharson calls for greater access to winter sports

Growing up in Park City, Utah, home of several sports for the 2002 Winter Olympics, Ashley Farquharson was surprised to learn not everyone in America knew what luge was.

As she’s gotten older, Farquharson has realized her experience was the unique one. With access to the same venues used in 2002 and after school programs like the Youth Sports Alliance (YSA), 41 Park City athletes are competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics. Farquharson, 26, said she’s part of the first generation to benefit from 2002’s legacy.

Looking ahead to 2034, when the Olympics return to Utah, Farquharson is passionate about making winter sports more accessible. − Payton Titus

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen wins historic gold for Brazil

South America has its first medal ever in the Winter Olympics, and it’s gold.

Alpine skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, a native of Norway who now competes for Brazil (his mother’s country), won the men’s giant slalom at Stelvio Ski Centre in Bormio to make history.

Pinheiro Braathen was the first skier on the hill during the morning’s opening run, and he used that leadoff spot to throw down a sizzling 1:13.92. Switzerland’s star Marco Odermatt was the only competitor to get within 1.57 seconds of that time, and even he was nearly a second (0.95) behind Pinheiro Braathen.

It was clearly the Brazilian’s gold medal to lose entering the afternoon’s second run, and he didn’t lose it, finishing ahead of Odermatt, the silver medalist, by 0.58 seconds. Though there were still skiers left to compete following Pinheiro Braathen’s run, the results were all but official. − Gentry Estes

What happened to Ilia Malinin? 

It was set to be a coronation inside Milano Ice Skating Arena. The American prodigy, the “Quad God” Ilia Malinin, was going to take his place in figure skating lore and become the 2026 Winter Olympic champion.

All was well — until it was time to take the ice. 

“Going into that starting post,” Malinin said. “I just felt like all the traumatic moments of my life really just started flooding my head. There’s just so many negative thoughts that just flooded into there.

‘I just did not handle it.’

It was a stunner in the men’s singles free skate. Not only did the 21-year-old U.S. star not win gold, but he didn’t even reach the podium, finishing in eighth place, the worst competition result of his senior career since March 2022.

There are so many questions as to what happened. − Jordan Mendoza

Live 2026 Winter Olympics medal count

USA TODAY Sports is keeping track of all the medals won at the Milano Cortina Games with live updates as they’re awarded.

Here’s the current top 10 in the medal count, as of 8:07 a.m. ET:

Norway: 19 Total (9 Gold, 3 Silver, 7 Bronze)
Italy: 18 Total (6 Gold, 3 Silver, 9 Bronze)
United States: 16 Total (4 Gold, 8 Silver, 4 Bronze)
Japan: 14 Total (3 Gold, 3 Silver, 8 Bronze)
Austria: 12 Total (3 Gold, 6 Silver, 3 Bronze)
Germany: 11 Total (4 Gold, 4 Silver, 3 Bronze)
France: 10 Total (4 Gold, 5 Silver, 1 Bronze)
Sweden: 9 Total (4 Gold, 4 Silver, 1 Bronze)
Switzerland: 7 Total (4 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze)
Netherlands: 7 Total (3 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze)

Sweden overcomes disaster to medal in cross-country relay; USA 5th

Team USA finished fifth in the women’s 4 x 7.5km relay amid tough, rainy conditions at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium.

The American relay team — made up of Julia Kern, Rosie Brennan, Novie McCabe and Jessie Diggins — finished behind Norway (gold), Sweden (silver) and Finland (bronze).

Sweden’s Ebba Andersson opened the door for Norway in the second leg after suffering two separate crashes. The second crash was brutal and ripped the binding off her right ski. Andersson had to race a portion of the course on one ski before meeting a technician on the course to switch out her gear. But the Swedes were able to recover to claim silver.

‘It’s so wet out there,’ Kern said, according to the NBC broadcast. ‘These are the worst conditions we’ve had here in Tesero.” − Cydney Henderson

USA’s Kauf, Lemley take silver, bronze in women’s dual moguls

The USA claimed a pair of medals in the most exciting addition to the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics program, dual moguls.

Jaelin Kauf reached the podium again in freestyle skiing, taking another silver. It’s the third Olympic medal (all silver) of her career, following a silver in the individual competition at these Olympics and in 2022 at the Beijing Games. Australia’s Jakara Anthony overcame a fall in the final of the individual competition to win gold.

Fellow American Liz Lemley won the bronze medal after narrowly edging France’s Perrine Laffont in the ‘small final.’ It’s Lemley’s second medal of these Games after she took the gold in individual moguls.

The United States made up half of the quarterfinalists with Tess Johnson and Olivia Giaccio joining Kauf and Lemley. − Chris Bumbaca

Women’s freestyle skiing: Jaelin Kauf, Elizabeth Lemley into dual moguls semifinals

Jaelin Kauf will face France’s Perrine Laffont, while Elizabeth Lemley will take on Australia’s Jakara Anthony in the semifinals of the women’s dual moguls. Americans Tess Johnson and Olivia Giaccio were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Alpine skiing: Brazil seeking history in men’s giant slalom

As the first of two runs in the men’s giant slalom nears an end, a heck of a story is shaping up at the Stelvio Ski Centre in Bormio.

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, a skier who represents Brazil, has opened up a lead of nearly a full second over the rest of the field. That has put him in position to claim the first-ever Winter Olympics medal for a South American nation in this afternoon’s final run.

American medal hopeful River Radamus is in 12th, a total of 2.46 seconds back of the leader – but less than a second away from third place.

‘I’m in the mix,’ Radamus said. ‘I know I’ve got a punchers’ chance at it, and I have nothing to lose. So I’ll give it all I’ve got next run.’

Of the two other USA skiers in the giant slalom: Ryder Sarchett is 4.80 seconds behind and currently in 29th place, Kyle Negomir is out after failing to make it through his first try through the slalom gates.

Pinheiro Braathen was born in Norway and originally competed under that flag before retiring abruptly at age 23. He returned to ski for Brazil, his mother’s native country, and has continued to be one of the world’s top-rated slalom skiers.

Can anyone catch him during the second run?

‘If he has a good run, it’s going to be nearly impossible almost, the way he’s skiing,’ said Team USA’s Sarchett. — Gentry Estes

Women’s freestyle skiing: Four Americans into dual moguls quarterfinals

Jaelin Kauf, Tess Johnson, Olivia Giaccio and Elizabeth Lemley make up half of the final eight in women’s dual moguls. None of the four Americans will face each other in the quarterfinals.

Hockey schedule, scores

Olympic men’s hockey schedule and scores today

All times Eastern and accurate as of Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, at 5:30 p.m.Watch it here: Stream your favorite shows, the biggest blockbusters and more.

6:10 a.m. – Sweden vs. Slovakia , Group B on CNBC, Peacock
6:10 a.m. – Germany vs. Latvia, Group C on CNBC, Peacock
10:40 a.m. – Finland vs. Italy, Group B on USA, Peacock
3:10 p.m. – USA vs. Denmark, Group C on USA, Peacock

River Radamus struggles out of the gate in giant slalom

Team USA’s River Radamus got off to an inauspicious start at the giant slalom on Day 8, finishing +2.46 on his first run.

Where to watch Olympics today

Watch all 2026 Winter Olympics events on NBC and Peacock.

Watch Olympics on Peacock

Olympics schedule today

All times Eastern and accurate as of Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, at 6:34 p.m.

3:00 a.m. – Ski Jumping: Women’s Large Hill Official Training 2, Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium (Val di Fiemme)
3:05 a.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – ITA vs.CHN, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
3:05 a.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – GBR vs. CAN, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
3:05 a.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – SUI vs. JPN, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
4 a.m. – Bobsleigh: Women’s Monobob Official Training Heats 5 & 6, Cortina Sliding Centre (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
4 a.m. – Alpine Skiing: Men’s Giant Slalom (Runs 1 & 2) – medal event, Stelvio Ski Centre (Bormio, Valtellina)
4:30 a.m. – Freestyle Skiing: Women’s Dual Moguls Quarters, Semis, Finals – medal event, Livigno Aerials & Moguls Park (Livigno, Valtellina)
6 a.m. – Cross-Country Skiing: Women’s 4 x 7.5km Relay – medal event, Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium (Val di Fiemme)
6:10 a.m. – Ice Hockey: Men’s Preliminary (GER vs. LAT), Anterselva Biathlon Arena (Antholz)
6:10 a.m. – Ice Hockey: Men’s Preliminary (SWE vs. SVK), Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena
6:30 a.m. – Bobsleigh: 2-man Official Training Heats 5 & 6, Cortina Sliding Centre (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
8:05 a.m. – Curling: Men’s Round Robin – GER vs. USA, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
8:05 a.m. – Curling: Men’s Round Robin – CZE vs. GBR, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
8:05 a.m. – Curling: Men’s Round Robin – SWE vs. CHN, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
8:05 a.m. – Curling: Men’s Round Robin – SUI vs. CAN, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
8: 45 a.m. – Biathlon: Women’s 7.5km Sprint – medal event, Anterselva Biathlon Arena (Antholz)
10 a.m. – Speed Skating: Women’s Team Pursuit Quarterfinals, Milano Speed Skating Stadium (Rho, Milan)
10:40 a.m. – Ice Hockey: Men’s Preliminary (FIN vs. ITA), Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena
10:40 a.m. – Ice Hockey: Women’s Quarterfinals, Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena
11 a.m. – Speed Skating: Men’s 500m – medal event, Milano Speed Skating Stadium (Rho, Milan)
12 p.m. – Skeleton: Women’s Heats 3 & 4 – medal event, Cortina Sliding Centre (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
12:45 p.m. – Ski Jumping: Men’s Large Hill 1st Round, Final – medal event, Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium (Val di Fiemme)
1:05 p.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – CAN vs. SUI, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
1:05 p.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – JPN vs. USA, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
1:05 p.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – KOR vs. DEN, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
1:05 p.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – ITA vs. SWE, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
1:30 p.m. – Freestyle Skiing: Women’s Freeski Big Air Qualification Runs 1, 2, 3, Livigno Snow Park (Livigno, Valtellina)
2:15 p.m. – Short Track: Women’s 1000m, Men’s 15000m Heats, Semifinals, Finals (Medal Events), Milano Ice Skating Arena (Milan)
3:10 p.m. – Ice Hockey: Men’s Preliminary (USA vs. DEN), Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena
3:10 p.m. – Ice Hockey: Women’s Quarterfinals, Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena

Meet Team USA 2026: Get to know the athletes behind the games

More 2026 Winter Olympics

See the full Milano Cortina Games schedule

See the 2026 Medal Count Here

MILAN — It’s Saturday, Feb. 14, at the 2026 Winter Olympics and we’re underway on Valentine’s Day at the Milano Cortina Games.

Friday’s action was defined by one of the most stunning moments of these Games: Ilia Malinin’s meltdown in the free skate of the men’s singles competition. Will Saturday bring that level of drama?

There’s plenty of action on tap, including the return to the ice of the U.S. men’s hockey team.

Getting things started, American women won a pair of medals in freestyle skiing as Jaelin Kauf and Elizabeth Lemley scored silver and bronze in the dual moguls competition.

USA TODAY Sports has a team of more than a dozen journalists on the ground in Italy to bring you behind the scenes with Team USA and keep you up to date with every medal win, big moment and triumphant finish. Get our Chasing Gold newsletter in your inbox every morning and join our WhatsApp channel to get the latest updates right in your texts.

USA TODAY Sports will also provide live updates and highlights of Day 8 at the 2026 Winter Olympics:

Team USA hockey leads Denmark 4-3 after 2nd period

It’s raining goals in United States vs. Denmark men’s hockey, as Team USA leads 4-3 after the first two periods. The Americans trailed 2-1 after the first period, but scored three goals in the second period and allowed two others to lead 4-3.

Matt Boldy, Brady Tkachuk, Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifan have all scored for the U.S. so far. – Austin Curtright

Team USA misses women’s freeski big air final

LIVIGNO – Grace Henderson was the best chance for the U.S. women’s free ski big air qualifiers with a first jump that resulted in an 86.75. But a mediocre second hit and a fall on her third jump meant no American would be moving on.Avery Krumme, the lone American who qualified for the slopestyle final, had a nice first jump but couldn’t capitalize and did not make finals.

Rell Harwood, who saved herself for big air as she comes back from an ACL injury, could not put down her first run and the last two simply weren’t enough to be in the top 12 that made it to finals.Marin Hamill also did not make the top 12.

Eileen Gu was the first of 27 athletes to jump and landed her first one before crashing on her second. The American-born Chinese competitor popped right back up needing a successful third jump to have the chance to defend her gold medal from four years ago. She nailed it and finished as the No. 2. qualifier.

Canada’s Megan Oldham won bronze in the slopestyle event earlier this week, with Gu (silver) and Switzerland’s Mathilde Gremaud (gold) placing above her. Oldham was the top qualifier with Gu and Gremaud, respectively, behind her. – Chris Bumbaca

Austria’s Janine Flock wins gold in skeleton

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy – Team USA skeleton athletes Kelly Curtis and Mystique Ro finish 12th (3:52.13) and 15th (3:52.48), respectively, out of 25 sleds. Curtis’ Olympic best performance (she finished 21st in Beijing) comes just over two years after giving birth to her daughter Maeve in Nov. 2023. 

Austrian Janine Flock, in her fourth Olympic Games and first medal winning slide, topped the podium with a golden time of 3:49.02. Germany’s Susanne Kreher won silver (3:49.32), and her teammate Jacqueline Pfeifer won bronze (3:49.46) – Payton Titus

Mikaela Shiffrin lines up third for Olympic giant slalom run

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Mikaela Shiffrin will get one of the first cracks at the giant slalom course.

Shiffrin will start third in the GS race at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics on Sunday, Feb. 15. Paula Moltzan, who won bronze with Jackie Wiles in the team combined, is just behind her at No. 5, and Nina O’Brien will start 11th. A.J. Hurt is the last American in the race, starting 23rd.

The start order for the second run will be reverse order of the results from the first.

The GS is the first of the tech races, though Shiffrin, Moltzan, and Hurt all did slalom runs in the team combined. Shiffrin will be looking for a better result in the GS after notably struggling in the team combined, finishing 15th out of 18.- Nancy Armour

Marie-Philip Poulin ties hockey record, Canadian women advance to semis

Canada women’s hockey captain Marie-Philip Poulin scored a goal in her return from a lower-body injury on Saturday. That ties her with Hall of Famer Hayley Wickenheiser for most career Olympic women’s hockey goals (18).

Canada beat Germany 5-1 to advance to the semifinals, where it will face the winner of Finland-Switzerland. The USA will face Sweden. – Mike Brehm

Stolz sets Olympic record in 500, earns second gold medal

MILAN — Jordan Stolz resumed his quest for four gold medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

And on it goes.

Stolz captured his second gold by winning the men’s 500 meters at Milano Speed Skating Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 14, setting an Olympic record while he was at it.

Paired with Jenning de Boo of the Netherlands, Stolz finished with a time of 33.79 seconds, another Olympic record for the 21-year-old from Wisconsin.

To secure four gold medals, Stolz must win his final two races – the 1,500 meters on Thursday, Feb. 19, and the mass start on Saturday, Feb. 21.

Stolz won his first Olympic gold here in the men’s 1,000 meters on Wednesday, Feb. 11, while setting a new Olympic record. — Josh Peter

Pressure can topple even the best, as Ilia Malinin can attest

In December, before the U.S. figure skating championships, USA TODAY Sports’ Christine Brennan asked Ilia Malinin what seemed like an unfathomable question: Do you ever think about not winning the 2026 Winter Olympics gold medal?

It seemed silly. Malinin was figuratively being handed the gold medal before he even crossed the Atlantic Ocean. But to some surprise, it had crossed his mind.

“Sometimes, I have those thoughts a little bit,” Malinin. “It’s like everyone expects you to be so perfect, and really know what you’re doing all the time, but sometimes you’re not always perfect.’

Malinin’s golden moment turned into disaster, with a tough performance resulting in an eighth place finish in the men’s singles, a result the entire figure skating world is still trying to understand. − Jordan Mendoza

Team USA speed skating advances to women’s team pursuit semifinals

Giorgia Birkeland, Brittany Bowe and Mia Manganello advanced to the semifinal round in the women’s team pursuit at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium.The trio posted a time of 2:58.32, 3.29 seconds behind the top speed of 2:55.03 by Canada. Japan (2:55.52) and Netherlands (2:55.65) also moved on to the semifinal round, which is scheduled for Tuesday.

Jordan Stolz set to compete for second speed skating gold

Jordan Stolz returns to the Milano Speed Skating Stadium to renew his pursuit of four Olympic gold medals at 2026 Winter Games.

After winning his first gold in the men’s 1,000 meters on Wednesday, Sotlz’s quest continues today with the men’s 500 meters (11 a.m. ET start, Peacock).

The field of 30 skaters is considered to be strong, and Stolz, the 21-year-old from Wisconsin, is not the runaway favorite. Though he’s a two-time world champion at the distance and won the season World Cup title again this year, he ‘only’ won five of the nine 500-meter races.

To secure four golds, Stolz would need to win not only the 500 meters, but also the 1,500 meters on Thursday and the mass start next Saturday. − Josh Peter

Armour: Olympics not the only way to define greatness

 The Olympic podium is not the end-all, be-all. Even the Olympics themselves cannot define an athlete’s career.

It can seem that way, when the eyes of the world are trained on these 16 days and one moment – a medal, an act of sportsmanship, a catastrophe – has the power to change an athlete’s life. But that white-hot spotlight that burns athletes up at the Olympics as often as it elevates them is our failure, the result of our ignorance.

We expect these athletes to deliver like show ponies during the Olympics – ignoring they’ve got an entire body of work outside the Games – and are ruthless when they don’t.

Mikaela Shiffrin could put away her skis today and there would be little question that she’s the greatest skier of all time. Her legacy has long been secured, and nothing that happens at these 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics – good, bad or indifferent – will change that.

And yet, Shiffrin has already come in for criticism at these Olympics after a disastrous slalom run in the team combined.

She’s not the only one, columnist Nancy Armour writes.

Winter Olympics power couples celebrate Valentine’s Day in Italy

Snow isn’t the only thing in the air at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

There will be no shortage of love as power couples gear up for the Games together. The Olympics run through Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) and some competitors won’t have to spend the holiday apart from their significant other. 

‘The skating career is short and finite, but the relationship is much, much longer,’ said Evan Bates, one half of the husband-and-wife ice dancing duo with Madison Chock. ‘The appreciation for everything that we’ve gone through over 15 years has grown as maybe you get closer towards the end.’

We take a look at a few of the most notable partnerships at the 2026 Winter Olympics. − Cydney Henderson

Luger Ashley Farquharson calls for greater access to winter sports

Growing up in Park City, Utah, home of several sports for the 2002 Winter Olympics, Ashley Farquharson was surprised to learn not everyone in America knew what luge was.

As she’s gotten older, Farquharson has realized her experience was the unique one. With access to the same venues used in 2002 and after school programs like the Youth Sports Alliance (YSA), 41 Park City athletes are competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics. Farquharson, 26, said she’s part of the first generation to benefit from 2002’s legacy.

Looking ahead to 2034, when the Olympics return to Utah, Farquharson is passionate about making winter sports more accessible. − Payton Titus

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen wins historic gold for Brazil

South America has its first medal ever in the Winter Olympics, and it’s gold.

Alpine skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, a native of Norway who now competes for Brazil (his mother’s country), won the men’s giant slalom at Stelvio Ski Centre in Bormio to make history.

Pinheiro Braathen was the first skier on the hill during the morning’s opening run, and he used that leadoff spot to throw down a sizzling 1:13.92. Switzerland’s star Marco Odermatt was the only competitor to get within 1.57 seconds of that time, and even he was nearly a second (0.95) behind Pinheiro Braathen.

It was clearly the Brazilian’s gold medal to lose entering the afternoon’s second run, and he didn’t lose it, finishing ahead of Odermatt, the silver medalist, by 0.58 seconds. Though there were still skiers left to compete following Pinheiro Braathen’s run, the results were all but official. − Gentry Estes

What happened to Ilia Malinin? 

It was set to be a coronation inside Milano Ice Skating Arena. The American prodigy, the “Quad God” Ilia Malinin, was going to take his place in figure skating lore and become the 2026 Winter Olympic champion.

All was well — until it was time to take the ice. 

“Going into that starting post,” Malinin said. “I just felt like all the traumatic moments of my life really just started flooding my head. There’s just so many negative thoughts that just flooded into there.

‘I just did not handle it.’

It was a stunner in the men’s singles free skate. Not only did the 21-year-old U.S. star not win gold, but he didn’t even reach the podium, finishing in eighth place, the worst competition result of his senior career since March 2022.

There are so many questions as to what happened. − Jordan Mendoza

Live 2026 Winter Olympics medal count

USA TODAY Sports is keeping track of all the medals won at the Milano Cortina Games with live updates as they’re awarded.

Here’s the current top 10 in the medal count, as of 8:07 a.m. ET:

Norway: 19 Total (9 Gold, 3 Silver, 7 Bronze)
Italy: 18 Total (6 Gold, 3 Silver, 9 Bronze)
United States: 16 Total (4 Gold, 8 Silver, 4 Bronze)
Japan: 14 Total (3 Gold, 3 Silver, 8 Bronze)
Austria: 12 Total (3 Gold, 6 Silver, 3 Bronze)
Germany: 11 Total (4 Gold, 4 Silver, 3 Bronze)
France: 10 Total (4 Gold, 5 Silver, 1 Bronze)
Sweden: 9 Total (4 Gold, 4 Silver, 1 Bronze)
Switzerland: 7 Total (4 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze)
Netherlands: 7 Total (3 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze)

Sweden overcomes disaster to medal in cross-country relay; USA 5th

Team USA finished fifth in the women’s 4 x 7.5km relay amid tough, rainy conditions at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium.

The American relay team — made up of Julia Kern, Rosie Brennan, Novie McCabe and Jessie Diggins — finished behind Norway (gold), Sweden (silver) and Finland (bronze).

Sweden’s Ebba Andersson opened the door for Norway in the second leg after suffering two separate crashes. The second crash was brutal and ripped the binding off her right ski. Andersson had to race a portion of the course on one ski before meeting a technician on the course to switch out her gear. But the Swedes were able to recover to claim silver.

‘It’s so wet out there,’ Kern said, according to the NBC broadcast. ‘These are the worst conditions we’ve had here in Tesero.” − Cydney Henderson

USA’s Kauf, Lemley take silver, bronze in women’s dual moguls

The USA claimed a pair of medals in the most exciting addition to the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics program, dual moguls.

Jaelin Kauf reached the podium again in freestyle skiing, taking another silver. It’s the third Olympic medal (all silver) of her career, following a silver in the individual competition at these Olympics and in 2022 at the Beijing Games. Australia’s Jakara Anthony overcame a fall in the final of the individual competition to win gold.

Fellow American Liz Lemley won the bronze medal after narrowly edging France’s Perrine Laffont in the ‘small final.’ It’s Lemley’s second medal of these Games after she took the gold in individual moguls.

The United States made up half of the quarterfinalists with Tess Johnson and Olivia Giaccio joining Kauf and Lemley. − Chris Bumbaca

Women’s freestyle skiing: Jaelin Kauf, Elizabeth Lemley into dual moguls semifinals

Jaelin Kauf will face France’s Perrine Laffont, while Elizabeth Lemley will take on Australia’s Jakara Anthony in the semifinals of the women’s dual moguls. Americans Tess Johnson and Olivia Giaccio were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Alpine skiing: Brazil seeking history in men’s giant slalom

As the first of two runs in the men’s giant slalom nears an end, a heck of a story is shaping up at the Stelvio Ski Centre in Bormio.

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, a skier who represents Brazil, has opened up a lead of nearly a full second over the rest of the field. That has put him in position to claim the first-ever Winter Olympics medal for a South American nation in this afternoon’s final run.

American medal hopeful River Radamus is in 12th, a total of 2.46 seconds back of the leader – but less than a second away from third place.

‘I’m in the mix,’ Radamus said. ‘I know I’ve got a punchers’ chance at it, and I have nothing to lose. So I’ll give it all I’ve got next run.’

Of the two other USA skiers in the giant slalom: Ryder Sarchett is 4.80 seconds behind and currently in 29th place, Kyle Negomir is out after failing to make it through his first try through the slalom gates.

Pinheiro Braathen was born in Norway and originally competed under that flag before retiring abruptly at age 23. He returned to ski for Brazil, his mother’s native country, and has continued to be one of the world’s top-rated slalom skiers.

Can anyone catch him during the second run?

‘If he has a good run, it’s going to be nearly impossible almost, the way he’s skiing,’ said Team USA’s Sarchett. — Gentry Estes

Women’s freestyle skiing: Four Americans into dual moguls quarterfinals

Jaelin Kauf, Tess Johnson, Olivia Giaccio and Elizabeth Lemley make up half of the final eight in women’s dual moguls. None of the four Americans will face each other in the quarterfinals.

Hockey schedule, scores

Olympic men’s hockey schedule and scores today

All times Eastern and accurate as of Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, at 5:30 p.m.Watch it here: Stream your favorite shows, the biggest blockbusters and more.

6:10 a.m. – Sweden vs. Slovakia , Group B on CNBC, Peacock
6:10 a.m. – Germany vs. Latvia, Group C on CNBC, Peacock
10:40 a.m. – Finland vs. Italy, Group B on USA, Peacock
3:10 p.m. – USA vs. Denmark, Group C on USA, Peacock

River Radamus struggles out of the gate in giant slalom

Team USA’s River Radamus got off to an inauspicious start at the giant slalom on Day 8, finishing +2.46 on his first run.

Where to watch Olympics today

Watch all 2026 Winter Olympics events on NBC and Peacock.

Watch Olympics on Peacock

Olympics schedule today

All times Eastern and accurate as of Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, at 6:34 p.m.

3:00 a.m. – Ski Jumping: Women’s Large Hill Official Training 2, Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium (Val di Fiemme)
3:05 a.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – ITA vs.CHN, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
3:05 a.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – GBR vs. CAN, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
3:05 a.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – SUI vs. JPN, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
4 a.m. – Bobsleigh: Women’s Monobob Official Training Heats 5 & 6, Cortina Sliding Centre (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
4 a.m. – Alpine Skiing: Men’s Giant Slalom (Runs 1 & 2) – medal event, Stelvio Ski Centre (Bormio, Valtellina)
4:30 a.m. – Freestyle Skiing: Women’s Dual Moguls Quarters, Semis, Finals – medal event, Livigno Aerials & Moguls Park (Livigno, Valtellina)
6 a.m. – Cross-Country Skiing: Women’s 4 x 7.5km Relay – medal event, Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium (Val di Fiemme)
6:10 a.m. – Ice Hockey: Men’s Preliminary (GER vs. LAT), Anterselva Biathlon Arena (Antholz)
6:10 a.m. – Ice Hockey: Men’s Preliminary (SWE vs. SVK), Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena
6:30 a.m. – Bobsleigh: 2-man Official Training Heats 5 & 6, Cortina Sliding Centre (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
8:05 a.m. – Curling: Men’s Round Robin – GER vs. USA, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
8:05 a.m. – Curling: Men’s Round Robin – CZE vs. GBR, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
8:05 a.m. – Curling: Men’s Round Robin – SWE vs. CHN, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
8:05 a.m. – Curling: Men’s Round Robin – SUI vs. CAN, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
8: 45 a.m. – Biathlon: Women’s 7.5km Sprint – medal event, Anterselva Biathlon Arena (Antholz)
10 a.m. – Speed Skating: Women’s Team Pursuit Quarterfinals, Milano Speed Skating Stadium (Rho, Milan)
10:40 a.m. – Ice Hockey: Men’s Preliminary (FIN vs. ITA), Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena
10:40 a.m. – Ice Hockey: Women’s Quarterfinals, Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena
11 a.m. – Speed Skating: Men’s 500m – medal event, Milano Speed Skating Stadium (Rho, Milan)
12 p.m. – Skeleton: Women’s Heats 3 & 4 – medal event, Cortina Sliding Centre (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
12:45 p.m. – Ski Jumping: Men’s Large Hill 1st Round, Final – medal event, Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium (Val di Fiemme)
1:05 p.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – CAN vs. SUI, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
1:05 p.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – JPN vs. USA, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
1:05 p.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – KOR vs. DEN, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
1:05 p.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – ITA vs. SWE, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
1:30 p.m. – Freestyle Skiing: Women’s Freeski Big Air Qualification Runs 1, 2, 3, Livigno Snow Park (Livigno, Valtellina)
2:15 p.m. – Short Track: Women’s 1000m, Men’s 15000m Heats, Semifinals, Finals (Medal Events), Milano Ice Skating Arena (Milan)
3:10 p.m. – Ice Hockey: Men’s Preliminary (USA vs. DEN), Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena
3:10 p.m. – Ice Hockey: Women’s Quarterfinals, Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena

Meet Team USA 2026: Get to know the athletes behind the games

More 2026 Winter Olympics

See the full Milano Cortina Games schedule

See the 2026 Medal Count Here

The university said in a statement that Kingston, who is facing a first-degree felony rape charge, is no longer part of the football program.

‘As of Friday, Parker Kingston is no longer a student at Brigham Young University and is no longer a member of the BYU football team,’ BYU said in a statement to the USA TODAY Network. ‘University administration and athletic administration, including BYU Head Coach Kalani Sitake, were only made aware of the investigation and allegations after Kingston’s arrest this past Wednesday, Feb. 11.’

Kingston, 21, was charged on Wednesday, Feb. 11. According to The Salt Lake Tribune, he made his first appearance, remotely, in Washington County Fifth District Court on Friday, Feb. 13, from the Purgatory Correctional Facility in Hurricane, Utah.

He was held in Washington County jail without bail following his arrest. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, Judge John Walton agreed to terms with Washington County chief deputy attorney Ryan Shaum and Kingston’s defense attorney Cara Tangaro for Kingston to be released on $100,000 bond with $10,000 cash immediately paid to the court.

The charge against Kingston stems from an incident Feb. 23, 2025, in St. George, Utah ― over 250 miles south of BYU’s campus in Provo, Utah. The alleged victim was 20 at the time of the incident, and made her sexual assault report to officers at St. George Regional Hospital.

Kingston, a redshirt junior last season, earned second-team All-Big 12 honors after catching 67 passes for 928 yards with five touchdowns, along with 25 carries for 125 yards with three touchdowns.

According to The Salt Lake Tribune, four other stipulations were set in Kingston’s release:

Among the requirements Walton set for Kingston’s release were:

GPS ankle monitor for at least the next 60 days
No contact with alleged victim, her family or case witnesses
Kingston must delete all social media applications from his phone
Kingston is not allowed in Washington County except for future in-person court appearances

Kingston is due for a virtual hearing on Feb. 25, and the preliminary in-person hearing is scheduled for April 13, in the Fifth District Court in St. George.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to survivors and their loved ones in English and Spanish at: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and en Español RAINN.org/es.

Snow isn’t the only thing in the air at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

There will be no shortage of love as power couples gear up for the Games together. The Olympics run through Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) and some competitors won’t have to spend the holiday apart from their significant other. Olympic medals are always the goal, but some athletes already have their prize.

‘The skating career is short and finite, but the relationship is much, much longer,’ said Evan Bates, one half of the husband-and-wife ice dancing duo with Madison Chock. ‘The appreciation for everything that we’ve gone through over 15 years has grown as maybe you get closer towards the end.’

Each Olympic partnership is unique. Some Olympic duos compete together, like Bates and Chock, while others participate in the same discipline, including American snowboarders Red Gerard and Hailey Langland. There’s partners in completely different sports, such as ice hockey star Hilary Knight and speed skater Brittany Bowe, and even some lovebirds representing different countries, like Anna Kjellbin and Ronja Savolainen.

Here are a few of the most notable partnerships at the 2026 Winter Olympics:

Madison Chock and Evan Bates

Nationality: American
Discipline: Figure skating — Ice Dance
Olympic medals: The pair has three Olympic medals (one gold in 2022 team event, gold in the 2026 team event and silver in the 2026 ice dance event).

Figure skating ice dance pair Madison Chock and Evan Bates are partners both on and off the ice. The duo went on their first date at a Bahama Breeze restaurant on Chock’s 16th birthday, where Bates gifted her a black zip-up sweater from Pink. Nothing came of the date, but the two friends stayed in touch and eventually started competing together after both parted ways with their previous partners in 2011.

‘We genuinely enjoy each other’s company a lot,’ Bates said at the USOPC media summit in October. ‘Our relationship was a friendship first. And I think that is a big reason why we just like each other.

Their relationship slowly blossomed and they started dating in 2017. Chock and Bates got engaged in June 2022 following the Beijing Games, where they narrowly missed the podium with a fourth-place finish, and tied the knot in a Hawaiian wedding in June 2024. The duo made their fourth Olympic appearance together (and their first as husband and wife) at the Milano Cortina Games after winning three consecutive World championships.

Winning Olympic gold, however, isn’t the sole goal for Chock and Bates. They strive to ‘grow together as a team and as a couple,’ said Chock, who believed the connectedness would lead to them standing on top of the podium.

‘Skating and winning (an) Olympic gold medal was always the top priority, and it still is for us, but the focus on our relationship and the understanding of how that pursuit of excellence benefits our relationship, especially if we allow it to, has become more of a priority,’ Bates added.

Hilary Knight and Brittany Bowe

Nationality: American
Discipline: Ice hockey (Knight), speed skating (Bowe)
Olympic medals: Knight has four medals (one gold in 2018 and three silvers in 2010, 2014, 2022), while Bowe has two bronze medals (1000m in 2018 and Team Pursuit 6 Laps in 2022).

There’s a good chance that if you enter the home of Olympic power couple Hilary Knight and Brittany Bowe, sports will be playing on the television.

‘Whether it’s playoffs, regular season, we’re watching everything sports 24/7,’ Knight said at the USOPC media summit in October, adding that’s one of the ‘awesome’ perks of dating a fellow athlete.

Knight and Bowe first met at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games amid strict COVID-19 protocols. The duo connected on fully masked strolls that were cute, but not necessarily romantic, Knight recalled. Bowe walked away with bronze in the 1000m, but she told People that her time with Knight ‘was the biggest win coming out of Beijing.’

“(It was) a very unique way to meet someone, but it was also kind of cool because we felt like we were in this bubble,’ Bowe said. ‘No outside distractions. And we really had a lot of time just to get to know each other.” 

‘We have normal human conversations and then we have Olympic athlete conversations about tactical and technical parts of our training,’ Knight said. ‘(Bowe’s) so intentional and thoughtful with preparation and it’s something that I hope that’s rubbed off on me in the right way. But it’s really incredible when you put two different sports side by side and see how they’re similar and how they’re different as well.’

Knight (hockey) and Bowe (speed skating) started dating in December 2022. The relationship helped Knight find the strength to publicly come out a year later in 2023. Knight said they understand each other on a different level as two elite athletes with prolonged careers. Milano Cortina marks Knight’s fifth Games and Bowe’s fourth.

Chloe Kim and Myles Garrett

Nationality: American
Discipline: Snowboard halfpipe (Kim)
Olympic medals: Kim has two gold medals (2018, 2022) and one silver (2026)

Garrett may not be an Olympian, but he can relate to being an elite. The Cleveland Browns’ defensive end and two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year set the NFL’s single-season sack record (23) in January. Kim and Garrett made their first public appearance together at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards in Japan in May 2025. The duo confirmed their relationship in November when Kim attended a Browns game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Garrett returned the favor. He was front and center at the 2026 Winter Olympics to watch Kim try and complete a historic three-peat in the women’s snowboard halfpipe event. He donned a sweater with Kim’s face on it.

‘We’re both just so supportive of one another,’ Garrett said of their relationship. ‘She’s always texting, she’s always calling to see how I’m doing during the year and I’m doing the same right now, checking on her, seeing how she’s feeling, emotionally and physically.’

‘I grew up in a very Korean household, so we didn’t really watch American sports, or sports in general. It was whatever my dad was into. I guess my dad did watch football when he first came to America, but when I came around, it was a lot of, like, golf, tennis, things of that sort. So it’s actually funny that we’re in this position right now, because I had no idea who he was. Like, zero idea,’ Kim said.

CHLOE KIM: Who is Chloe Kim’s boyfriend? What to know about Myles Garrett

Red Gerard and Hailey Langland

Nationality: American
Discipline: Snowboarding
Olympic medals: Gerard has one gold slopestyle medal (2018)

The snowboarders first met on the slopes in Mount Hood, Oregon, at age 12 and remained good friends until their ‘friendship developed into a relationship,’ according to Gerard. The duo made it official several years later before their respective Olympic debuts in PyeongChang in 2018, where Gerard went on to become the youngest Olympic snowboarding champion after winning gold in slopestyle at age 17.

Langland and Gerard agree that dating someone that competes in the same sport comes with a lot of benefits: They understand each other. They travel the world together. They push each other to be better.

Gerard described Langland as the ‘chill’ one in the relationship. ‘She’s more relaxed and keeps me relaxed,’ he joked.

Langland said her beau is a ‘great athlete and great advocate for the sport.’

She added, ‘I look up to him.’

Mikaela Shiffrin and Aleksander Aamodt Kilde

Nationality: American (Shiffrin), Norwegian (Kilde)
Discipline: Alpine skiing
Oympic medals: Shiffrin has three, including two golds (Slalom in 2014; Giant Slalom in 2018) and one silver medal (Super Combined in 2018). Kilde won two medals at the 2022 Beijing Games, a silver in Alpine Combined and bronze in super-G.

Kilde and Shiffrin have been dating since early 2021, and made their relationship Instagram-official a year later in June. The couple announced their engagement in April 2024. Shiffrin and Kilde are both set to compete in their fourth Games, but their journey to Milano Cortina hasn’t been without challenges.

In January 2024, Kilde suffered a severe crash during a downhill race in Switzerland that left him with injuries to his calf and shoulder. He faced an additional setback during his recovery after a shoulder infection led to sepsis and required additional surgery. Kilde returned to the World Cup circuit in November ahead of the Milano Cortina Games, an emotional moment for both Kilde and Shiffrin. ‘I’m so proud of him,’ she told local media.

Kilde has supported Shiffrin through her own adversity. Shiffrin suffered severe muscle trauma and a puncture wound in her abdomen during a November 2024 crash, but has returned to form ahead of Milano Cortina.

‘We’ve been a rock for each other,” Kilde said in October. ‘We’re always supporting each other.’

Kaysha Love and Hunter Powell

Nationality: American
Discipline: Bobsled

The bobsledders have nerves of steel as they steer their way to the … wedding altar. Love and Powell announced their engagement in June 2025, with Powell writing on Instagram, ‘I love you to the moon and back and infinitely more Kaysha Love. I always have and I always will.’

Love competed in track and field at UNLV before switching over to bobsled in late 2020. Less than two years later, she made her Olympic debut at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games. Powell shares a similar story and Love served as the catalyst. Love recruited Powell to switch to bobsled after the 2024 track and field season. Less than two years since starting the sport, he’s now set to make his Olympic debut in Milano Cortina.

Oksana Masters and Aaron Pike

Nationality: American
Discipline: Para Nordic skiing
Paralympic medals: Masters has 19 Paralympic medals (nine gold, seven silver, three bronze)

Masters has competed in every Summer and Winter Paralympics since 2012 and is the most decorated U.S. Winter Paralympian of all-time with 14 medals, in addition to five Summer Paralympic medals, but Masters told NBC that she ‘didn’t start succeeding as an athlete until (Pike) came into my life.’

Masters and Pike, both seven-time Paralympians, first crossed paths at an U.S. para Nordic development event in 2013 but connected at the 2014 Sochi Paralympics after sharing a gondola ride together. Pike recreated the cable car ride eight years later in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park when he proposed to Masters.

Masters said Pike ‘helped me really feel confident in my abilities and … celebrate the things that I normally diminish. When I have really bad days, he understands it. I understand his. And when the really good days come, they’re even better, because you’re celebrating them with your best friend. … It’s our secret weapon that we have each other.”

Anna Kjellbin and Ronja Savolainen

Nationality: Sweden (Kjellbin), Finland (Savolainen)
Discipline: Women’s ice hockey
Olympic medals: Savolainen has two bronze medals (2018, 2022)

This couple’s heated rivalry could spice up the ice at Milano Cortina. Swedish hockey defender Anna Kjellbin and Finnish defender Ronja Savolainen got engaged in 2024 after nearly five years of dating, but on the ice, ‘she’s my enemy. That’s how it goes,’ Savolainen said in 2024.

Kjellbin and Savolainen are used to facing off against each other because they’re both in the PWHL. Kjellbin plays for the Toronto Sceptres and Savolainen plays for the Ottawa Charge. Only a two-hour drive separates them.

 “We were super lucky that we are so close to each other. It was the best thing that could happen,’ Savolainen said. “We’re in the same country, at least, the same side of the world, so I’m super happy.’

The Sweden and Finland women’s hockey teams aren’t scheduled to face each other in the round-robin preliminaries, but the couple could meet in the later medal rounds. Savolainen has won two bronze medals with Team Finland, while Kjellbin is set to make her second Winter Games appearance with Team Sweden.

Cornelius Kersten and Ellia Smeding

Nationality: British
Discipline: Speed skating

Love is brewing for these British speed skaters. Kersten and Smeding co-founded the coffee company Brew 22 in 2020 to fund their journey to the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Both are still involved in the coffee company, which has evolved to feature five flavors to represent each Olympic ring.

Smeding finished 23rd in the 1000m and 27th in 1500m at Beijing 2022. Smeding may have been far off the podium, but made history as the first female long track speed skater to represent Great Britain since 1980. Kersten’s best result came with his ninth-place finish in the 1,000m.

Kersten and Smeding have each dealt with injuries in the lead-up to Milano Cortina. Smeding worked her way back from a hip injury to qualify for her second Olympic Games, but Kersten couldn’t find his footing after suffering torn obliques and a torn labral in a bad crash in 2023. Smeding credits Kersten with her recovery.

‘I’ve seen Cornelius struggle with injuries and his ongoing one now. Knowing how he’s dealt with injuries really gave me a guideline of staying optimistic and confident and being patient with my time,’ she said in May 2025.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

MILAN — In December, before the U.S. figure skating championships, USA TODAY Sports’ Christine Brennan asked Ilia Malinin what seemed like an unfathomable question: Do you ever think about not winning the 2026 Winter Olympics gold medal?

It seemed silly. Malinin was figuratively being handed the gold medal before he even crossed the Atlantic Ocean. But to some surprise, it had crossed his mind.

“Sometimes, I have those thoughts a little bit,” Malinin. “It’s like everyone expects you to be so perfect, and really know what you’re doing all the time, but sometimes you’re not always perfect. 

Watch Winter Olympics on Peacock

‘You can have a day where nothing works out, and you kind of just have to go through that.”

What seemed like a preposterous thought turned into reality — on the dreaded Friday the 13th. 

Malinin’s golden moment turned into disaster, with a tough performance resulting in an eighth place finish in the men’s singles, a result the entire figure skating world is still trying to understand. 

Since his stunning falls, the entire world wondered what happened. He himself was still trying to figure it out. But one thing he consistently mentioned immediately afterward was feeling the immense pressure and the nerves — and it makes much more sense.

Although so many of us have dealt with sports pressure — of course, at varying levels — there’s nothing like Olympic pressure. It’s a feeling only Olympians can relate to, let alone when you’re a gold medal favorite. 

He tried to treat it like every competition before, but the Olympics simply aren’t like any other outing. It’s a global event with a worldwide audience. 

Almost all of us are not able to relate to Malinin — we can only try to understand.

“The Olympics, the magnitude of it, sometimes it’s overwhelming,” said Evan Bates, an ice dance skater and five-time Olympian.

Malinin started feeling the pressure in late 2025 as the Olympic season was beginning. At that point, he had won nine consecutive events, riding the momentum high. At the time, he felt like he could handle it and would see how he’d manage it.

He continued his tear with another Grand Prix final and U.S. title, seemingly untouchable. But the pressure was mounting, and it couldn’t be ignored.

“A lot of the times, it is a lot to handle when you have all the pressure, all the attention, all the focus on you to become the Olympic gold hopeful,” Malinin said on Feb. 4. “A lot of the time, I’ll have bad days where I think about that and it really shuts me down, and it really puts me in not the best moods.

“That’s something that everyone has to go through, and they have to find their way to motivate themselves or keep them together.”

You could tell there were some nerves in his short program of the team event, but he responded in the free skate to heroically earn the U.S. gold. Then the short program of the men’s singles was so great, there was no inkling of he’d falter.

But then came the hardest lesson of pressure and nerves: They operate on their own accord, and no matter how much you train, there isn’t much that can combat it.

All of it led to right before Malinin took the ice, where he said “all the traumatic moments of my life” flooded his head.

“It was really just something that overwhelmed me, and I just felt like I had no control,” he added.

It’s almost a coincidence 11-time Olympic medalist and seven-time Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles was inside Milano Ice Skating Arena to watch the performance. She has dealt with the mental struggles and pressures of this stage, famously when the twisties shortened her run in the 2021 Olympics.

The list of star American athletes struggling in the Olympics doesn’t end there, especially figure skaters, with Michelle Kwan in 2002 and Nathan Chen in 2018. 

If there’s any takeaway from the struggles of Malinin and several other U.S. Olympians, this is far from the end. Biles returned in 2024 and captured three golds. 

A lot can happen in four years, but Malinin will be 25 years old and likely still an elite skater. He wants to compete in three Winter Olympics, capable of making it to 2030. Should he make it to the French Alps at the next Olympics, it this would be an experience that will help him immensely. It could even be the difference in the him getting back to the top of the sport and finally becoming Olympic champion.

In Milano Cortina, we learned “Quad God” isn’t immortal. He’s just a human, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It may just be the lesson that kickstarts the redemption arc for Malinin.

The University of Northern Iowa announced the death of tight end Parker Sutherland on Saturday, Feb. 14.

According to a news release from the school, the tight end died Saturday morning. It did not disclose a cause of death.

“I’m heartbroken,” UNI football coach Todd Stepsis said in the news release. “No words can express my condolences to Adam, Jill and Georgia. Parker embodied everything we look for in a UNI Football Panther. His talent and potential excited us on a daily basis, but it failed to compare to the type of person and teammate he was. 

‘His character, humility, toughness and genuine love of others are what champions are made of. While I’m saddened that our time together was short, we will celebrate the bright light that he brought to our football team for the rest of our lives.”

The Iowa City, Iowa native appeared in four games for the Panthers in 2025, earning redshirt status. He earned second-team all-state status as a senior at Iowa City High School, where he also played basketball and baseball.

‘It is a heartbreaking day for our Panther Athletics family with the passing of our Parker Sutherland. He embraced the opportunity to play Panther football and represent the University through sport,’ UNI athletics director Megan Franklin said. ‘We are devastated ― just devastated. The blessing is that we have a Panther family who will hold the Sutherland family, our football team, and our athletics staff close as we grieve.’

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — The Olympic podium is not the end-all, be-all. Even the Olympics themselves cannot define an athlete’s career.

It can seem that way, when the eyes of the world are trained on these 16 days and one moment – a medal, an act of sportsmanship, a catastrophe – has the power to change an athlete’s life. But that white-hot spotlight that burns athletes up at the Olympics as often as it elevates them is our failure, the result of our ignorance.

These sports we are sudden experts in exist outside the month or so every four years when most Americans are paying attention. The athletes who we’re casting judgment on because of their performance in a single event, maybe two, have entire careers that we know nothing about and, honestly, don’t care to.

We expect these athletes to deliver like show ponies during the Olympics – ignoring they’ve got an entire body of work outside the Games – and are ruthless when they don’t.

“The Olympics ask us to take a real risk on the world stage. One that requires courage and vulnerability to erroneous judgment and narratives built on a limited understanding of what this sport truly demands,” Mikaela Shiffrin wrote on social media on Friday, Feb. 13.

Shiffrin knows this better than most. She has more World Cup victories than any other Alpine skier, man or woman, and her 108 wins (and counting) is a record unlikely ever to be broken. Or, if it is, it will be decades from now.

She’s the only skier in history to win a World Cup in each of skiing’s six disciplines – downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom, combined and parallel – and she has the single-season record for wins with 17. Her 15 medals at the world championships are tied for most by any skier, man or woman, and her eight golds are second only to Christl Cranz, who skied for Germany from 1934 to 1939.

She also has two gold medals and a silver at the Olympics.

In other words, Shiffrin could put away her skis today and there would be little question that she’s the greatest skier of all time. Her legacy has long been secured, and nothing that happens at these 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics – good, bad or indifferent – will change that.

And yet, Shiffrin has already come in for criticism at these Olympics after a disastrous slalom run in the team combined.

Shiffrin was 15th out of 18 skiers in the slalom run, dropping her and Breezy Johnson from first to fourth place. It was Shiffrin’s worst performance in a slalom race in almost 15 years and immediately drew comparisons to the Beijing Olympics, where she skied out of three races and did not finish higher than ninth in an individual race.

The howling chorus is likely to grow louder after the giant slalom race Sunday, Feb. 15.

Despite the certainty of the armchair experts, Shiffrin is not a medal favorite in the race. Though one of her Olympic golds and two of her 12 season titles are in GS, she’s spent the last 15 months trying to regain her form in the discipline after the devastating crash that left her with a puncture wound in the abdomen and PTSD.

Her third-place finish in the last GS before the Olympics was her first podium in the discipline in two years. She has not won a GS race since December 2023.

If she wins a GS medal here, it will be a delightful surprise. If she doesn’t, it will be fine. A disappointment for her surely, but it will affect the rest of our lives not one bit. The best athletes don’t always perform their best at the Olympics, for any number of reasons, and that’s OK.

Swiss star Marco Odermatt is all but certain to win a fifth consecutive overall title this season, but he’s still oh-for-gold in Milano Cortina. Odermatt won his second silver of the Games in the GS on Saturday, Feb. 14, and also has a bronze. His only Olympic gold came four years ago in the GS.

Despite his epic meltdown in the free skate Friday, Feb. 13, Ilia Malinin is still a two-time world champion who has redefined figure skating and pushed its boundaries beyond what anyone thought possible. Chloe Kim didn’t become the first three-time gold medalist in the halfpipe, but she still won a silver despite a bum shoulder that will need surgery.

That’s not making excuses. That’s recognizing that athletes, even Olympic ones, are human.

There are many ways to define success, and limiting it to how someone’s done at an Olympics is both ill-informed and foolish. The Olympics are 16 days out of a career. To deem someone a failure or a choke job is to ignore all the wins it took just to get here. Just because you weren’t paying attention to those does not make them mean any less.

“I’m grateful to be here, motivated and excited for what’s next, and proud to be part of this American team. May we all champion one another, tread lightly on what we don’t fully comprehend, and have the fortitude to keep showing up,” Shiffrin wrote.

The Olympics are supposed to showcase the best of the best. And many times they do. When they don’t, however, they bring out the worst in those who are watching. That’s on us. No one else.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Mikaela Shiffrin will get one of the first cracks at the giant slalom course.

Shiffrin will start third in the GS race at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics on Sunday, Feb. 15. Paula Moltzan, who won bronze with Jackie Wiles in the team combined, is just behind her at No. 5 and Nina O’Brien will start 11th. A.J. Hurt is the last American in the race, starting 23rd.

The start order for the second run will be reverse order of the results from the first.

The GS is the first of the tech races, though Shiffrin, Moltzan and Hurt all did slalom runs in the team combined. Shiffrin will be looking for a better result in the GS after notably struggling in the team combined, finishing 15th out of 18.

‘My skiing in the first race didn’t come together the way I visualized. I fought for every hundredth and didn’t totally find the right execution,’ Shiffrin wrote in a social media post Friday, Feb. 13.

‘… That’s ski racing: fine margins, endless changing variables, and constant adaptation,’ she added. ‘We’ve taken the lessons, analyzed and adjusted, and are moving forward – with focus, intention, and belief in the practice.’

But expectations for Shiffrin in the GS should be tempered. Though one of her Olympic gold medals is in the GS (2018) and two of her 12 season titles are in the discipline, she’s spent the past 15 months trying to regain her form in the discipline after the devastating crash that left her with a puncture wound in her obliques and PTSD.

Her third-place finish in the last GS before the Olympics was her first podium in the discipline in two years. She has not won a GS race since December 2023.

Moltzan, meanwhile, has been on the GS podium three times this World Cup season. That includes a silver medal in the final GS before the Olympics.

American free skiers Jaelin Kauf and Liz Lemley won silver and bronze, respectively, in the Olympic debut of dual moguls.
The two skiers are responsible for 25% of the total U.S. medals won at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Dual moguls, a new Olympic event, pits two skiers against each other in a head-to-head race.
Four American skiers, half of the field, advanced to the quarterfinals of the knockout-style event.

LIVIGNO, Italy — The mogul mavens have put Team USA on their backs.

More than a week into the 2026 Winter Olympics, two United States free skiers are responsible for 25% of U.S. medals won.

In the Olympic debut of dual moguls – perhaps the most exciting addition to the program these Games – on Saturday, Jaelin Kauf won silver, same as she did in the classic moguls event four days earlier. Liz Lemley, her teammate who won a surprising gold in moguls, took bronze.

Australia’s Jakara Anthony, whose stumble in the single final gave the U.S. the top two spots on the podium, persevered to win gold. The other two Americans in the field, Tess Johnson and Olivia Giacco, advanced to the quarterfinals of the knockout-style event, meaning half of the final eight skiers wore the U.S. flag on their uniform. Beyond the American success, though, is the indelible excitement of the event.

Watch Winter Olympics on Peacock

“I think from the moment we woke up this morning, all of us girls were so excited and energized by the opportunity to be able to compete in the first-ever dual moguls, finally have it showcased on the Olympic stage,” said Kauf, who is now the most-decorated mogul skier in U.S. history with three career silver medals. “It was pretty spectacular.”

Johnson said she was buzzing regardless of the individual outcome for her. That’s the effect dual moguls has.

“We wanted to put on a show today, and I think that’s exactly what we did,” Johnson said. “Dual moguls breeds excitement and chaos. Anything can happen.”

Dual moguls, making its Olympic debut despite being a mainstay on the World Cup circuit, pits two competitors against each other at the same time. The one with the highest score moves on to the next round. The score is based on the judges’ assessment of turns (roughly 60%), aerials (20%) and time (20%), with five points available per judge for a maximum score of 35.

In the regular moguls, a fall ends an athlete’s day. Depending on the round, someone can fall and still walk away with a medal.

That’s actually exactly what Kauf and Lemley did, as they both crashed during their respective semifinal runs. Kauf’s semifinal opponent, Perrine Laffont, skied outside of the course. She saw out of the corner of her eye that Laffont had deviated off her line, but wasn’t exactly sure what happened – the perils of dual moguls.

“Sometimes when that happens you shut down and take it easy, like, ‘OK, they blew out or messed up, I have this pretty secured,’” Kauf said.

Kauf knew she was moving into finals yet wanted to keep giving it her all with only one race left. She wasn’t sure exactly what happened next, but halfway through the middle section she went down hard. The Wyoming native stayed in bounds, though, and completed her run. Because Laffont went outside of the boundary flag, Kauf still moved on.

Her hip and back hurt the most, and after the medal ceremony she was in search of her backpack to fish out some ibuprofen. She’ll be sore Sunday, she said. Every skier is always dealing with something, Kauf said. She tried to ignore it for the final. But Anthony was on a warpath after she lost out on a chance to repeat as the Olympic champion and would not be denied in the final.

“I think this is a gnarly sport,” Kauf said.

Lemley’s fall came on her final jump at the bottom of the hill.  She came in “super short” and under-rotated, she said. She lost a ski and got up with hyperextended her elbow. If she was in pain, she blocked it out. In the start gate, she could be seen loosening it up.  

“I’ll deal with that later,” she told herself.

It was time to win a medal. The 20-year-old already battled back from a grueling ACL rehab and was already proud of herself for getting there, let alone already having a gold in her pocket. She and her coach built up to moment with a detailed plan dating back to last summer that left her on a smooth trajectory for this past week.

Laffont, the bronze medalist in the classic event, beat Lemley down the hill by 0.99 seconds. But this is a judged sport, and Lemley won, 18-17. When the numbers flashed on the video screen, Lemley appeared surprised by her victory. It was not a perfect run, she later said. The mistakes were noticeable and she was frazzled at the top after fall. All she could do was trust her skiing ability.

Crashing, climbing into a snowmobile for an uncomfortable ride back to the top and then putting down runs is not easy, Giacco said.

“I’ve been there before, and I’ve been on both ends of it, and (Lemley) really rose to the occasion,” said Giacco, whose family shouted “OG” as she readied for her races.

Lemley is a fan of mogul skiing in general and doesn’t care if she’s going down the mountain solo or with another competitor in her periphery. She just wants all mogul skiing to become more popular.

“I think it provides a better spectator event,” Lemley said of dual moguls.  

For the second time in four days, supporters hoisted Kauf and Lemley on their shoulders. This time, they joined hands with their medals around their necks.

One difference in the mentality in a dual race compared to a normal one, Johnson said, is adjusting tricks to be lower and land further down the hill. Another is that there is a start gate.

“You feel like a horse,” Johnson said.

Johnson has been saying for a year that fans will fall in love with dual moguls once they watch it. The unpredictability and the drama combine for enthralling entertainment.

Dual moguls provides a different vibe whether in the crowd and on the course, Kauf said. The head-to-head competition is relatable for all sports fans. She felt like her duel – with an “e” – against Anthony in the final was worthy of duals’ debut.

“Everyone’s putting it out there every single run,” Kauf said.

Kauf, 29, acknowledged this is likely her last Olympics. Three silver medals definitely isn’t bad at all, she said. The consistency is certainly admirable. And that’s the point of training, Kauf said – to put down the runs she wants every time she pushes down the hill. In her 11th World Cup season, Kauf has the experience to be a strong mental competitor, she said, even when the pressure is on.

“Obviously all of us out here are skiing for gold every time we push out of the gate and every girl out here is capable of that,” Kauf said. “The talent in this Olympics is absolutely insane on the women’s side.”

Clearly, dual moguls was the ideal vehicle to display that talent.