Every four years, the Winter Olympics showcase the world’s best athletes. With numerous events spanning 16 days over about two weeks, including 14 days of competition and 16 events. Alpine Skiing, Biathlon, Bobsleigh, Cross-Country Skiing, Curling, Figure Skating, Freestyle Skiing, Ice Hockey, Luge, Nordic Combined, Short Track Speed Skating, Skeleton, Ski Jumping, Ski Mountaineering, Snowboard and Speed Skating. Some events are well known, and their athletes’ performances are highly anticipated, while others are new to viewers. People from all over the world sit and root for the athletes representing their country. What most people forget, though, are the stories of amazing comebacks, crazy records, heartbreaking tributes and decisions.

Lindsey Vonn – Alpine skiing

Alpine Skiing’s favorite from the US team, Lindsey Vonn, tore her ACL just weeks before her Olympic performance. Yet, she built up her strength and decided to make her way to the Olympics. She completed all the training rounds, but unfortunately, her pole got caught on one of the first flags on the course, leading her to crash. Vonn was airlifted off the course, and she later announced she had broken her leg. She is expected to make a full recovery.

Madison Chock and Evan Bates – Ice dance

One of the best romances on the team competing for Team USA in rhythm ice dancing and team ice dancing is Madison Chock and Evan Bates. Married in June 2024, they got engaged in 2022. The pair started dancing together around 2011, with Bates admitting to Chock that he had feelings for her, leading them to start dating around 2017. Lovingly referred to as the parents of Team USA, the perfect pair faced some controversy during the individual event, where a French judge had an eight-point discrepancy, causing fans to question the judge who awarded the pair silver instead of gold.

Breezy Johnson – Alpine Skiing

Another love story was just solidified for life at the Olympics this year. US skier Breezy Johnson will go home with not just a gold medal but also a ring on her finger. Johnson was met at the base of the Super G mountain by her boyfriend, Connor Watkins. Watkins proposed and gave Johnson a small piece of wood with “Honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy?” which are lyrics from one of Taylor Swift’s songs, “The Alchemy,” carved onto the wood, alongside the ring. She said yes.

Ilia Malinin – Figure skating

There are also many tales to be told about the individual athletes. US Men’s figure skating phenom, Ilia Malinin, represented Team USA in the team skate short program and freeskate. He is only 21 and grew up in Vienna, Va., with his parents and sister, who also figure skate. With his performance in the team skate, he helped lead the US team to a gold medal. Malinin was the only skater to perform a backflip, while the quad flip and a quad lutz were also in his program. With these tricks, it is evident why he was nicknamed the “Quad God”.

Alysa Liu – Figure skating

Alysa Liu was a rising name in the figure skating world. She placed sixth at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics at 16 and included many difficult elements, such as a triple axel and a triple lutz, in her programs. After the 2022 Winter Olympics, she unexpectedly hung up her skates to focus on herself. She then came back shortly after and was better than ever, winning gold in the women’s individual skate and helping lead the U.S. teams to a team gold medal. Liu is very noticeable on the ice, expressing her sense of style. She has sparkling gowns, a frenulum “smiley” piercing, bold eyeliner and slicked-back hair with iconic layered halo highlights that she adds every winter.

Laila Edwards – Ice hockey

Making history for Team USA women’s hockey is Laila Edwards. Edwards is making her Olympic debut at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games. She is a senior at the University of Wisconsin and is the first black woman to compete for Team USA’s women’s ice hockey team. She is accompanied by some of her collegiate teammates, senior defender Caroline Harvey, junior goaltender Ava McNaughton and senior forward Kirsten Simms. Edwards scored one of the five goals in the shutout game, with the final score 5-0 as the US beat Canada. She also had a power-play assist for Team USA’s 5-1 win against Czechia.

Ollie Martin – Snowboarding

US Snowboarder Ollie Martin also has an amazing Olympic story. Finishing fourth in the men’s big air, Martin, who is only 17 and still in high school, was competing with a broken arm and was the youngest in that event. Martin competed against seasoned snowboarders who had been competing since before he was even born, yet still managed to finish in the top four.

Tallulah Proulx – Alpine skiing

17-year-old Alpine skier Tallulah Proulx is the first female from the Philippines to compete in the Winter Olympics, and also the country’s youngest Winter Olympian. She came in the respectable top 50, but this is just the beginning for the young athlete.

Giovanni Franzoni – Downhill skiing

Giovanni Franzoni, a downhill skier for the Italian team, tragically lost his friend, Matteo Franzoso, in September due to a freak training accident. He has not let the accident discourage or deter him and has instead dedicated every win and title to Franzoso. After his silver medal run Franzoni told Sky Italia, “I hope to be an inspiration to kids who aren’t confident in what they’re doing.”

Stevenson Savart – Cross-country skiing

Haiti’s Stevenson Savart competed in the men’s cross-country skiing, finishing 79th out of 113 skiers in the men’s 10km interval start free race. He said, “You have to know that I’m going to the Olympics with 20 pairs of skis, 10 for skating and 10 for classic. But if you ever get the chance to look inside the trucks of the big nations, it’s around 80 pairs per athlete.” Savart received a grant awarded by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to 249 athletes who qualified for the Olympic Winter Games. The grant was provided through the Olympic Solidarity programme. The goal of the program is to level the playing field by redistributing IOC revenues and support to the athletes and National Olympic Committees most in need.

Johannes Høsflot Klæbo – Cross-country skiing

Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo joined U.S. swimming legend Michael Phelps as the only Olympians who have won 10 gold medals. Klæbo won every race he had entered in the Games and even broke the Winter Olympics record in the 4 x 7.5-kilometer relay.

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen – Alpine skiing

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen won gold in Alpine skiing giant slalom. He used to race for Norway but then switched to Brazil, which is his mom’s home country. With his gold medal win in the giant slalom, he brought South America its first medal at the Winter Games.

Benoît Richaud – Figure skating

Benoît Richaud is one of the world’s top choreographers in ice skating. He has 16 competitors in Milan, split between 12 single skaters and four pairs, which are then split among 13 different countries. He can be seen next to American Maxim Naumov, Frenchman Adam Siao Him Fa, Canadian Stephen Gogolev and many more. He says he has about 10 countries’ team jackets he cycles through during the Olympics, making his very own secret quick changes.

Team USA – Women’s Ice Hockey

The US women’s hockey team delivered an incredible performance at the Winter Olympics. They beat Team Canada in overtime to win the gold medal and went undefeated through the round-robin preliminary round. Team U.S.A. ended with a 7-0 record, winning gold and outscoring the other teams 33-2. Many of the talented young players are set to enter the women’s professional hockey league (PWHL) draft this spring, while some of the older talents are retiring after this medal. The game against Canada ended 5-0, marking the first time the Canadian women’s team had ever been shut out at the Olympics.

The Olympics were pretty well done with historic outcomes and little controversy. Norway came in first in the medal race with 18 Gold, 12 Silver, 11 Bronze, and 41 total medals. The US was second with 12 Gold, 12 Silver, 9 Bronze and 33 total medals. Italy came third with 10 Gold, 6 Silver, 14 Bronze and 30 total medals. Many athletes and viewers enjoyed the games. There were many comeback stories and first-time events that made these games really special. With no major scandals, the Olympic Winter Games fans are excited for 2030.