As the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina draw to a close, a flurry of medals, record-breaking performances, and emotional moments have defined the final days of competition. From curling triumphs to historic speed skating feats, the Games have delivered drama and delight for athletes and fans alike. Tomorrow, Valérie Maltais and Steven Dubois, two of Canada’s most decorated speed skaters, will carry the national flag at the closing ceremony in the Arena di Verona—a fitting honor for athletes who have embodied the spirit of perseverance and unity throughout these Olympics.
Maltais, a 35-year-old from La Baie, Quebec, capped off her Games with an impressive trio of medals: gold in the team pursuit and bronze in both the 1,500-metre and 3,000-metre events. Dubois, hailing from Terrebonne, Quebec, added to his already illustrious resume with a gold in the men’s 500-metre short track and silver in the mixed relay. "Valérie Maltais and Steven Dubois represent the heart, grit, and unity of Team Canada," the team’s official announcement read, a sentiment echoed across the nation.
For Maltais, the closing ceremony marks the culmination of a career defined by resilience and achievement. After her third medal, she was visibly elated, reflecting on the journey that led her to this moment. Dubois, too, was moved by his success, remarking, "It means so much, honestly," after outpacing fellow Canadian William Dandjinou and three Dutch skaters in the 500-metre final.
Canada’s curling teams also made headlines. In a nail-biting men’s final, Brad Jacobs led his squad to a 9-6 gold medal victory over top-ranked Great Britain. The match was a back-and-forth battle, but a pivotal ninth end—featuring clutch shots by Brett Gallant and Marc Kennedy—put Canada in the driver’s seat. With the pressure mounting, Jacobs delivered a perfect hit for three, giving his team an 8-6 lead heading into the final end. Great Britain’s Bruce Mouat attempted a miraculous double take-out, but couldn’t pull it off, sealing the win for Canada. The celebration that followed was electric, with Jacobs expressing, "I’m proud of the guys. I’m proud that we were able to hang in there throughout that whole game. To see the looks on their faces at the end, celebrating that win, is just special."
This gold marks Canada’s first in men’s curling since 2014 and adds to the legacies of Kennedy and Ben Hebert, both of whom now have multiple Olympic golds. For Gallant, the victory is especially sweet, surpassing the bronze he earned four years ago in Beijing. As Hebert put it, "I don’t have many words. The feeling’s crazy. Sixteen years ago we did it, and we did it again today. It feels great to be standing on top of the podium today."
On the women’s side, Rachel Homan’s rink rebounded from a slow start to claim bronze against the United States, winning 10-7. Homan, satisfied and relieved, said, "[We] struggled early, but it didn’t matter. We stuck together, and I couldn’t be more proud of our fight. And to get a bronze medal and bring that home for Canada, there’s just no better feeling." Emma Miskew, reflecting on the team’s journey, added, "This one feels so sweet. The fact that we were even in the semi—we had to win five sudden-death games in a row just to get there." The team’s resilience and unity paid off, restoring pride after an early exit at the previous Olympics.
Elsewhere, the ice hockey rink saw Finland clinch the men’s bronze medal with a decisive 6-1 win over Slovakia. While the game was close through two periods, a power play goal by Roope Hintz opened the floodgates in the third, with Kaapo Kakko and Joel Armia adding to the tally. The Finns’ performance was clinical, and though their celebrations were muted—perhaps reflecting higher ambitions—the bronze adds to their storied Olympic history, now totaling five medals in Games featuring NHL players.
Speed skating delivered its own share of emotion and history. Ivanie Blondin of Ottawa captured silver in the women’s mass start—her second Olympic silver in the event and, by her own account, likely her final race. Before the final, Blondin told gold medalist Marijke Groenewoud of the Netherlands that it would be their "last dance." Afterward, Blondin reflected, "She got a little emotional and she was like, 'Let’s just go out there and have fun,' and we did." Looking back, Blondin said, "It’s why I’m still here, still fighting for medals—and I’m proud of that," adding her hope to inspire the next generation of skaters.
Meanwhile, Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo etched his name into Olympic lore, winning a record-breaking sixth gold medal in the men’s 50-kilometre cross-country mass start. Klæbo’s sweep—gold in all six events he entered—makes him the first Winter Olympian to achieve such a feat at a single Games, bringing his career tally to 11 golds. "It’s a lot of emotions that are going through your mind when you’re doing the last 100 metres but, yeah, it couldn’t be a better way to crown the Olympics with winning the 50K," Klæbo told CBC. His accomplishment underscores Norway’s dominance at these Games, where they amassed a staggering 18 golds and 40 total medals, leading the medal count.
The bobsleigh track brought both triumph and disappointment. Germany’s Laura Nolte and Deborah Levi repeated as Olympic champions in the two-woman event, with compatriots Lisa Buckwitz and Neele Schuten taking silver. The USA’s Kaillie Armbruster Humphries and Jasmine Jones claimed bronze, a highlight in a competition marked by a heavy crash involving Austria’s Jakob Mandlbauer, who was stretchered off but reported as "responsive." For Canada, it was a tough outing: Bianca Ribi and Skylar Sieben finished joint 11th—Canada’s lowest placement in the event since its Olympic debut in 2002.
Other notable moments included the postponement of the women’s halfpipe final due to heavy snow, the USA’s gold in mixed team aerials, and a show-stopping figure skating exhibition featuring Alysa Liu and Ilia Malinin. The Games also saw France and Italy celebrate golds in new and traditional disciplines, with the host nation’s Simone Deromedis and Federico Tomasoni delighting the home crowd in ski cross.
As the Olympic flame prepares to dim in Verona, the stories of resilience, redemption, and record-setting will linger. For Canada, the return to curling glory, the emotional farewells of skating greats, and the honor bestowed on Maltais and Dubois highlight a Winter Games that will be remembered for its drama and heart. With the final events still to unfold and the closing ceremony on the horizon, the world awaits the next chapter in Olympic history.