USA Wins Men’s Hockey Gold as Verona Closing Ceremony Hands Olympic Flag to France

Updated 2026-02-26 22:44:41+00:00 (40 articles)

Image: Newsweek

Alysa Liu of Team United States competes in Women’s Single Skating – Free Skating on day thirteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on February 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) Source Full size
Image: AP

Source Full size
Image: AP

Source Full size
Image: King5 (Seattle, WA)

United States' Elana Meyers Taylor, front, slides down the track during a two women bobsled training session, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) (Credit: AP) Source Full size
Image: King5 (Seattle, WA)

United States' Jack Hughes (86) celebrates after scoring in the semifinal game against Slovakia at the 2026 Winter Olympics. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) (Credit: AP) Source Full size
Image: AP

Source Full size
Image: Le Monde

Le Monde Source Full size
Image: AP

Source Full size
Image: WBNS (Columbus, OH)

Figure skating medalists from left, Kaori Sakamoto of Japan, Alysa Liu of the U.S., and Ami Nakai of Japan. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) (Credit: AP) Source Full size
Image: AP

Source Full size
Image: Newsweek

Alysa Liu of Team United States competes in Women’s Single Skating – Free Skating on day thirteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on February 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) Source Full size
Image: AP

Source Full size
Image: AP

Source Full size
Image: AP

Source Full size
Image: AP

Source Full size
Image: AP

Source Full size
Image: WBNS (Columbus, OH)

Figure skating medalists from left, Kaori Sakamoto of Japan, Alysa Liu of the U.S., and Ami Nakai of Japan. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) (Credit: AP) Source Full size
Image: King5 (Seattle, WA)

United States' Jack Hughes (86) celebrates after scoring in the semifinal game against Slovakia at the 2026 Winter Olympics. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) (Credit: AP) Source Full size
Image: King5 (Seattle, WA)

United States' Elana Meyers Taylor, front, slides down the track during a two women bobsled training session, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) (Credit: AP) Source Full size
Image: Le Monde

Le Monde Source Full size
Image: Le Monde

Les Allemands Johannes Lochner, Thorsten Margis, Jorn Wenzel et Georg Fleischhauer lors de l’épreuve de bobsleigh à quatre aux Jeux olympiques d’hiver, à Cortina d’Ampezzo, le samedi 21 février 2026.AIJAZ RAHI / AP (AIJAZ RAHI / AP) Source Full size

Closing ceremony in Verona officially ends the Milan‑Cortina Games The Olympic flame was extinguished during the Verona arena ceremony on Feb 23, 2026, and speeches by IOC member Kirsty Coventry and Organizing Committee head Giovanni Malagò marked the Games’ conclusion [2][3]. The event featured fireworks, cultural performances and the symbolic handover of the Olympic flag [2][8]. Mario Gargiulo, 89, returned as the oldest volunteer, sharing memories of the 1956 Cortina Games [2].

USA secures men’s hockey gold in overtime thriller Jack Hughes scored the overtime winner for a 2‑1 victory over Canada, delivering the United States its first men’s hockey gold since 1980 [2][4][7]. The win sparked celebrations on the ice, with teammates and fans captured in multiple photo galleries [1][3][4]. The match concluded the tournament’s final day, which also included bobsleigh and curling medal events [7][5].

Eileen Gu defends halfpipe title, adds gold to China’s tally Chinese freestyle skier Eileen Gu captured the women’s halfpipe gold on Feb 22, 2026, while also earning two silvers in other freestyle events [2][4][5]. Her victory continued China’s strong performance in freestyle skiing and was highlighted in both news and photo coverage [1][3]. The halfpipe final had been delayed by weather before Gu’s successful run [5].

Sweden and Germany dominate the final medal contests Sweden’s Ebba Andersson won the women’s 50 km cross‑country classic, and the Swedish women’s curling team claimed gold, while Germany swept the four‑man bobsled with a 1‑2 finish [2][4][8]. These results extended Germany’s bobsleigh success from the previous day and underscored Sweden’s strength in Nordic events [2][4]. Both nations added multiple medals to their overall counts in the Games’ closing stage [8].

Olympic flag handed to France, confirming 2030 host During the closing ceremony, the Olympic flag was officially passed to French representatives, designating France as the host of the 2030 Winter Games [2][8]. The handover ceremony took place in Verona’s historic arena and was featured in visual galleries across outlets [3][5]. This transition marks the next chapter for the Winter Olympics after the Milan‑Cortina finale [2].

Sources

Timeline

Dec 15, 2025 – Figure skating headlines the Milan‑Cortina Games with five medal events (men’s, women’s, pairs, ice dance, team) each featuring a short program and free skate, judged on technical elements and presentation, underscoring its historic Olympic role since 1908 [25].

Jan 6, 2026 – Skeleton returns to Milan‑Cortina with men’s, women’s and the debut mixed‑team event (Feb 12‑15), and the United States enters as reigning world champions in the mixed team while Britain’s Matt Weston heads the men’s field as the favorite [24].

Jan 12, 2026 – Team USA announces its figure‑skating roster, naming Alysa Liu, Isabeau Levito and Amber Glenn for women’s singles and Ilia Malinin, Maxim Naumov and Andrew Torgashev for men’s singles, plus two pairs and three ice‑dance teams, setting the line‑up for the Games [23].

Jan 26, 2026 – The 2026 Winter Olympics open on Feb 6 in Milan and Cortina, featuring a record 195 medals, the debut of ski‑mountaineering, and the highest ever proportion of women athletes, reflecting the IOC’s push for gender parity [22].

Jan 26, 2026 – Team USA releases its largest Winter Olympic roster ever—232 athletes, including 98 returning Olympians and 18 champions—surpassing the 228‑athlete record from PyeongChang 2018 [21].

Jan 26, 2026 – The opening ceremony is scheduled for Feb 6 in Milan and Cortina, with dual Leonardo‑da‑Vinci‑inspired cauldrons, performances by Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli and others, and the “Harmony” theme designed by Marco Balich [27].

Feb 2, 2026 – Speed skating returns with full long‑track, short‑track and mass‑start programs, ranging from 500 m to 10 000 m, highlighting the sport’s high‑speed technical demands [20].

Feb 3, 2026 – Colorado supplies the most U.S. Olympians (31), followed by Minnesota (24), as the United States fields a historic 234‑athlete Winter team, eclipsing the 2018 record [18].

Feb 4, 2026 – The opening ceremony details are confirmed: two cauldrons ignite in Milan’s Arco della Pace and Cortina’s Piazza Dibona, with star performers Mariah Carey, Laura Pausini, Lang Lang and others, and mixed doubles curling begins before the ceremony [5].

Feb 5, 2026 – Training and early competition kick off a day before the opening ceremony, with mixed doubles curling round‑robin, women’s ice‑hockey prelims, alpine downhill runs in Bormio, and ski‑jumping sessions in Predazzo, marking the first competitive action of the Games [17].

Feb 6, 2026 – Team USA aims for back‑to‑back gold in the figure‑skating team event, launching the competition hours before the opening ceremony and emphasizing the “Harmony” theme and star‑studded performances in Milan [14].

Feb 6, 2026 – The figure‑skating team event opens at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, with a 10‑point‑for‑first scoring system and a roster that includes Liu, Levito, Glenn, Malinin, Naumov, Torgashev and top pairs and dance teams, setting the stage for a medal showdown [16].

Feb 12‑15, 2026 – Skeleton races occur at the Cortina Sliding Center, culminating in the mixed‑team debut where the U.S. pair Mystique Ro and Austin Florian defend their world title [24].

Feb 18, 2026 – Day 12 highlights include Sweden’s Maja Dahlqvist winning the women’s cross‑country team sprint, Canada’s Steven Dubois taking men’s short‑track 500 m gold, and intense ice‑hockey quarterfinals featuring a helmet loss by USA’s Jake Sanderson [12].

Feb 19, 2026 – Day 13 sees the United States women’s ice‑hockey win gold in overtime (Megan Keller’s winner), China’s Ning Zhongyan claim men’s 1500 m speedskating gold, and Britain’s men’s curling secure a semifinal victory, advancing toward a medal match [11].

Feb 20, 2026 – Day 14 captures women’s ski‑cross finals in Livigno, curling semifinals with USA‑Switzerland and Sweden‑Canada matchups, and China’s Wang Xindi winning men’s aerials gold, illustrating the Games’ diverse medal battles [10].

Feb 21, 2026 – The figure‑skating exhibition gala takes place in Milan, featuring U.S. skaters Alysa Liu, Amber Glenn, Madison Chock/Evan Bates and Ilia Malinin, alongside international medalists, emphasizing camaraderie with a group selfie [8].

Feb 22, 2026 – Day 16 highlights include the United States men’s ice‑hockey winning overtime gold over Canada (Jack Hughes’ winner), China’s Eileen Gu defending her halfpipe title, Sweden’s Ebba Andersson taking women’s 50 km cross‑country gold, and Germany sweeping the four‑man bobsled [7][3].

Feb 22, 2026 – The closing ceremony in Verona extinguishes the Olympic flame, features speeches by IOC member Kirsty Coventry and Organizing Committee head Giovanni Malagò, and officially hands the Olympic flag to France, confirming the 2030 Winter Games host [3].

Feb 23, 2026 – The AP weekly photo gallery captures the U.S. men’s hockey gold‑medal moment (Jack Hughes’ overtime goal) and Alysa Liu’s women’s figure‑skating free‑skate performance from Feb 19, underscoring iconic moments of the Games [6].

Feb 24, 2026 – The Games conclude with France exceeding its 21‑medal target by earning 23 medals, while the final day includes women’s 50 km cross‑country, women’s ski halfpipe, and the men’s ice‑hockey USA‑Canada showdown, wrapping up the historic Milan‑Cortina Winter Olympics [30].

Dive deeper (9 sub-stories)

AP: Global Moments Captured in AP’s Weekly Photo Gallery (Feb 20‑26, 2026) 2026-02-26 22:44:41+00:00
Closing Ceremony Extinguishes Flame, USA Wins Hockey Gold, France Secures 2030 Host (10 articles) 2026-02-23 17:24:58+00:00
Milan‑Cortina Winter Games Figure Skating Gala Showcases Medalists and Global Stars (2 articles) 2026-02-21 22:28:16+00:00
Final Day of Winter Olympics 2026 Features Men’s Hockey Gold, Closing Ceremony, and Weather‑Shifted Schedule (8 articles) 2026-02-21 18:24:17+00:00
2026 Winter Olympics Figure Skating Exhibition Gala Streams Live Saturday at 2 p.m. ET (2 articles) 2026-02-21 00:04:24+00:00
Team USA Unveils Full Figure Skating Roster Ahead of 2026 Olympic Team Event (6 articles) 2026-02-06 02:00:00+00:00
Colorado Supplies 31 Athletes as U.S. Sends Record 234 to Milan‑Cortina 2026 (7 articles) 2026-02-03 23:30:14+00:00
Speed Skating Returns With Full Long‑Track, Short‑Track, Mass‑Start Slate at Milan‑Cortina 2026 (3 articles) 2026-02-02 07:15:00+00:00
AP: Skeleton set for Milan Cortina Olympics with dominant favorites and mixed-team debut 2026-01-06 13:50:22+00:00

All related articles (40 articles)

External resources (111 links)

Top Headlines

Feeds