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Figure Skating Gala Opens Day 15 of Milan‑Cortina Games, Broadcast Live Across U.S.

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  • Tage Thompson, right, celebrates with Dylan Larkin after Larkin scored in the quarterfinal game at the 2026 Olympics. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
    Tage Thompson, right, celebrates with Dylan Larkin after Larkin scored in the quarterfinal game at the 2026 Olympics. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
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    Tage Thompson, right, celebrates with Dylan Larkin after Larkin scored in the quarterfinal game at the 2026 Olympics. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) (Credit: AP) Source Full size
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  • 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)
    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)
    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
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  • Figure skating medalists from left, Kaori Sakamoto of Japan, Alysa Liu of the U.S., and Ami Nakai of Japan. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
    Figure skating medalists from left, Kaori Sakamoto of Japan, Alysa Liu of the U.S., and Ami Nakai of Japan. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
    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
  • United States' Elana Meyers Taylor, front, slides down the track during a two women bobsled training session, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
    United States' Elana Meyers Taylor, front, slides down the track during a two women bobsled training session, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
    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
  • 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)
    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)
    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
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  • Figure skating medalists from left, Kaori Sakamoto of Japan, Alysa Liu of the U.S., and Ami Nakai of Japan. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
    Figure skating medalists from left, Kaori Sakamoto of Japan, Alysa Liu of the U.S., and Ami Nakai of Japan. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
    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
  • United States' Elana Meyers Taylor, front, slides down the track during a two women bobsled training session, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
    United States' Elana Meyers Taylor, front, slides down the track during a two women bobsled training session, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
    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

Gala Launches Saturday Night with Artistic Freedom The exhibition gala opened on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, at the Milan‑Cortina Winter Games venue, allowing skaters to perform without competitive restrictions and to use props or bring friends onto the ice [1][3]. All figure‑skating medals had already been awarded, so the event highlighted pure artistic expression [7]. Skaters gathered for a group selfie after their routines, underscoring the celebratory atmosphere [1].

U.S. Stars and International Medalists Share the Ice American athletes Alysa Liu, Amber Glenn, Madison Chock / Evan Bates, and Ilia Malinin (who executed a back‑flip) featured prominently [1][4][3]. The lineup also included Spain’s Olivia Smart / Tim Dieck, Italy’s Daniel Grassl and pair Sara Conti / Niccolò Macii, Kazakhstan’s gold‑medalist Mikhail Shaidorov, Japan’s Ami Nakai, Korea’s Lee Haein, and Germany’s Fabienne Hase Minerva / Nikita Volodin [1][4][3]. The diverse roster reflected participation from 90 nations competing in the Games [2].

U.S. Broadcast Schedule Brings Gala to Millions Peacock streamed the live gala at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday, followed by NBC’s coverage beginning at 2:55 p.m. ET, with additional primetime segments later that night [3][4]. A repeat airing aired on USA Network at 1:30 a.m. ET on Sunday for viewers who missed the live event [3][4]. Access required NBC authentication, and the schedule was listed alongside other Saturday streams on NBCOlympics.com [6].

Day 15 Highlights Include Historic Curling Final and Bobsleigh Showdown The Games’ 15th day featured 3,000 athletes from 90 nations competing for 116 medals [2]. Great Britain’s men’s curling team, skipped by Bruce Mouat, faced Canada for the gold‑medal match, a chance for Britain’s first men’s curling gold since 1924 [2]. In four‑man bobsleigh, German legend Francesco Friedrich pursued a historic fifth gold while Britain’s Brad Hall remained in podium contention [2].

Closing Ceremony Set for Verona Arena, Flag Passes to 2030 Host The closing ceremony is scheduled for 19:00 local time on Feb. 24 at Verona’s Roman Arena, where the Olympic flag will be handed to the French Alps for the 2030 Winter Games [2]. The ceremony will cap off a week of competition that included medal events across skiing, biathlon, speed skating, ice hockey, and more [5][6][9].

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Timeline

Dec 27, 2025 – Officials describe figure skating as the centerpiece of Milan‑Cortina 2026, noting five medal events (men’s, women’s, pairs, ice‑dance, team) each with short and free programs, and explain the sport’s evolution from its 1908 Summer Games debut to a Winter staple since 1924 [25][30].

Jan 12, 2026 – Team USA announces its Olympic figure‑skating roster, naming Alysa Liu, Isabeau Levito and Amber Glenn in women’s singles; Ilia Malinin, Maxim Naumov and Andrew Torgashev in men’s singles; pairs Ellie Kam/Danny O’Shea and Emily Chan/Spencer Howe; and three ice‑dance teams led by Madison Chock/Evan Bates, all set to compete Feb 6‑19 [24][29].

Jan 26, 2026 – The U.S. Olympic Committee releases a record‑size Winter roster of 232 athletes, the largest ever, featuring 98 returning Olympians and 18 champions, selected primarily on world‑circuit standings [23][27].

Jan 26, 2026 – The IOC confirms that 90+ nations, including Kenya, India and Saudi Arabia, will compete in Milan‑Cortina 2026, with ski mountaineering making its Olympic debut and women comprising the highest participation percentage in Winter Games history [28].

Jan 26, 2026 – The Games will award a record 195 medals across 16 disciplines, and the closing ceremony will be staged at Verona’s Arena on Feb 22, where the Olympic flag will pass to the French Alps for the 2030 Winter Games [28][2].

Jan 26, 2026 – Norway tops the all‑time Winter Olympic medal table with 405 total medals (148 gold), while the former Soviet Union remains a separate entry with 194 medals, underscoring Norway’s historic dominance [5].

Jan 26, 2026 – Vice President JD Vance leads the U.S. delegation, joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and former Olympians, as hundreds protest ICE presence in Milan during the Games [5].

Jan 26, 2026 – Speed‑skater Corinne Stoddard says the Milan schedule “lets me soak in the opening ceremony without a race the next day,” highlighting the Games’ athlete‑friendly timing [14].

Jan 26, 2026 – Team USA targets back‑to‑back gold in the figure‑skating team event, citing the 2022 win that resulted from a Russian doping penalty and outlining a Friday‑Sunday competition format [15].

Jan 26, 2026 – The opening ceremony theme “Harmony” features Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli, Laura Pausini, Lang Lang and others, with two Leonardo‑da‑Vinci‑inspired cauldrons lit in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo [4][15].

Feb 4, 2026 – Mixed‑doubles curling round‑robin begins, becoming the only sport contested daily throughout the Games, while women’s ice‑hockey preliminaries and men’s snowboarding big‑air qualifiers follow [4].

Feb 5, 2026 – Athletes start training and early competition a day before the opening ceremony: mixed‑doubles curling and women’s ice‑hockey prelims kick off, Alpine downhill runs commence in Bormio, and figure‑skaters Reed/Ambrulevicius rehearse in Milan [18].

Feb 6, 2026 – The opening ceremony launches at Milan’s San Siro (and a parallel ceremony in Cortina), broadcasting live at 2 p.m. ET, with performances by Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli and others, while the figure‑skating team event opens hours later at the Milano Ice Skating Arena [4][14][15][16][17].

Feb 17, 2026 – In the team‑pursuit speed‑skating finals, Italy wins men’s gold and Canada takes women’s gold, while the men’s 4×7.5 km biathlon relay draws crowds in Anterselva [13].

Feb 18, 2026 – A stray dog runs onto the women’s team‑sprint cross‑country course in Tesero, follows the skiers down the straightaway and finishes after the race, but officials report no impact on times; the same day Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo claims his fifth gold of the Games, his tenth overall [12].

Feb 20, 2026 – Women’s ski‑cross finals in Livigno see Swiss skiers Talina Gantenbein and Saskja Lack battling French rider Anouck Errard; China’s Wang Xindi wins men’s aerials gold, and Norway’s Johannes Dale‑Skjevdal captures the men’s 15 km biathlon mass‑start in Anterselva [8].

Feb 21, 2026 – Great Britain’s men’s curling team, led by skip Bruce Mouat, faces Canada for the gold‑medal game, a chance for Britain’s first men’s curling gold since 1924 [2].

Feb 21, 2026 – The United States wins women’s ice‑hockey gold in overtime, 2‑1 over Canada, celebrating the victory at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena [1].

Feb 21, 2026 – Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo secures his fifth gold of the Games in the men’s cross‑country team sprint at Tesero, reinforcing Norway’s strength in the discipline [1].

Feb 21, 2026 – The figure‑skating exhibition gala takes place in Milan, featuring U.S. skaters Alysa Liu, Amber Glenn, Madison Chock/Evan Bates, Ilia Malinin (who performs a back‑flip), and international medalists such as Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov, with a group selfie underscoring camaraderie [6][7].

Feb 22, 2026 – The closing ceremony unfolds at Verona’s historic Arena, officially ending the XXV Winter Games and handing the Olympic flag to the French Alps, setting the stage for the 2030 Winter Olympics [2].

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