On February 6, the world gathered as the 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony, held in Milan, Italy, finally began. As 93 countries came together to compete, millions of viewers waited in anticipation as the Olympics unfolded for the triumphs, losses, drama, and inspirational stories that awaited. And indeed, it was well worth the wait as the scandal and victories not only met fans’ expectations but exceeded them.
“I was excited to see all the different athletes from all the different countries,” said Allison Nakamura (11). “It was definitely interesting to see just how amazing some of the athletes are from so many different countries.”
Over the following weeks, the United States collected a total of 33 medals, finishing second behind Norway’s 41 gold medals. Despite the excitement for many favored events, viewers also demonstrated scrutiny over the results of several competitions, many of which had previously failed to pique their interest.
“I think the least is definitely curling because I don’t really get it,” said Rachel Chen (11). “I feel like they’re just mopping the floor.”
Yet, this year’s results for curling only escalated tensions on the sport as multiple scandals arose. One primary controversy involved Canadian curler Mark Kennedy, who was accused of a “double-touch” that helped to secure an 8-6 victory against Sweden. Though multiple videos surfaced demonstrating Kennedy’s illegal move, judges refused to make calls through unofficial footage, instead enforcing closer observations going forward.
The idea of curling as an Olympic-level sport has remained controversial for many years now, and the scandals that arose from this year’s Winter Olympics only further demonstrated the absurdity of the event. However, curling was not the only event to receive backlash as controversy over the United States’ men’s hockey team rapidly escalated following the end of the Olympics.
The final hockey game took place on February 22 against Canada, where the United States emerged victorious with a final overtime score of 2-1. Despite securing the first gold medal in many years for the United States’ men’s hockey team, the viral phone call with President Donald Trump, which surfaced soon after their victory, resulted in immense public turmoil.
In what was expected to be an invitation to the State of the Union address, the president included a sarcastic statement towards the United States’ women’s hockey team. The men’s team laughed along with the president, a gesture which enraged public viewers. Also bringing home gold, the women’s team declined the president’s “offer” to the address due to schedule conflicts. Though the men’s hockey team has made several announcements to clarify their actions following the phone call, social media has since negatively reflected upon the men’s team’s response to the degrading statement.
Still, amid scandal and controversy clouding several Winter Olympic moments, this year’s events also witnessed many heartwarming and triumphant instances among athletes and countries. The crowd was particularly enthusiastic on the ice for America’s figure skating team, which secured gold with the collective contributions of several phenomenal athletes.
“I was most excited about watching the figure skaters because this time I knew the Russians weren’t competing, so it’s different from the other Olympics,” said Chen.
One returning skater especially caught the hearts of many: Alyssa Liu. After she departed from figure skating following the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, fans were ecstatic when Liu announced she would return to this year’s competition. Despite the expectations and mental struggles she had faced, Liu shone this time with pure joy, inspiring viewers of all ages.
“[Through] the way she portrays her emotions throughout her pieces and her stylistic choices, she was really able to convey the story through each one of her performances,” said junior Kylie Medina.
Noted by her signature ringed highlights and smiley, Liu’s renditions of “Promise” by Laufey and “Stateside” by PinkPantheress and Zara Larson took over social media by storm. However, what stood out most was not the precision and intricate moves typically expected of performers at such high levels, but the sense of ease and pure happiness Liu evoked through her skating.
“I didn’t really know much about [Liu] before the Olympics. But watching her skate in the women’s freestyle was super amazing to watch because you could just see the joy of the Olympics on her face,” said Nakamura.
Whether it was through heartwarming events such as Liu’s performances or embarrassing moments, including the failed four-man bobsled, this year’s 2026 Winter Olympics were an immense success in viewership and preparation for the 2028 Summer Olympics. Especially as Los Angeles will be hosting the upcoming Olympics, fans can rest assured that it will be a memorable experience of excitement and surprise.
