Team USA had a thrilling day at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, with ice dancing drama and record-breaking speed on the ice highlighting their medal surge.
In ice dancing, American duo Madison Chock and Evan Bates delivered a season-best performance in the free dance, scoring 134.67. Their effort was just shy of gold, as France’s Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron narrowly took first place with 135.64. Canada’s Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier rounded out the podium with bronze.
“It’s the most you can hope for when you’re competing, to deliver your best every time you step on the ice,” Chock said after the ceremony. The silver adds to Team USA’s haul after Chock and Bates contributed to the country’s gold in the team figure skating event earlier in the Games.
Earlier, 21-year-old American speedskater Jordan Stolz electrified the crowd by winning gold in the men’s 1,000-meter race, setting a new Olympic record of 1:06.28. Stolz overtook Dutch skater Jenning de Boo in the final lap, cementing his status as a breakout star.
“I knew I had to find another gear,” Stolz said. “I went as hard as I possibly could.” This gold marks Stolz’s first Olympic medal and positions him as a favorite for more podium finishes in Milan Cortina.
Team USA continued its momentum with Ryan Cochran-Siegle earning silver in the men’s super-G, adding to his Beijing medal four years ago. Switzerland’s Franjo von Allmen took gold, with Marco Odermatt earning bronze.
In snowboarding, two-time Olympic champion Chloe Kim topped qualifying in the women’s halfpipe, setting up a strong chance for her third consecutive Olympic gold despite recently recovering from a shoulder injury.
By the day’s end, Norway and Italy led the medal table with 13 each, while the United States was just behind with 12, including four golds. With men’s hockey underway, Kim’s halfpipe final approaching, and short track speed skating promising more surprises, Team USA is building strong momentum as Milan Cortina 2026 heads into another action-packed day.
