Story perspectives

Team USA Shines with 13 Medals at Milan Olympics

2/13/2026

Center

USA Athletes Shine

Team USA holds 13 total medals at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics, including four golds.
Breezy Johnson won gold in the women's downhill, her first Olympic medal.
Ilia Malinin won gold in the figure skating team event, helping the U.S. defeat Japan.
Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea won gold in the pairs free skate.
Organizers faced criticism over podium surfaces that damaged skaters' blades and are implementing fixes.

Left

Medal Mishap Investigation

Breezy Johnson, an American downhill skier and Olympic gold medalist, reported medals breaking after awards.
Alysa Liu, a U.S. figure skater, and other athletes experienced similar problems, prompting an investigation.
Andrea Francisi, the chief games operations officer, emphasized producing flawless medals for athletes.
The organizing committee is committed to resolving these issues promptly, citing past medal concerns at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

History

Historical Context

The 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics were marred by a judging scandal in figure skating, where a French judge was found to have been bribed, leading to joint gold medals. This prompted the U.S. Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee to implement reforms for greater transparency. Similar concerns about medal quality have arisen ahead of the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics, highlighting ongoing challenges in maintaining athlete trust.

1 of 3

USA Athletes Shine

Team USA holds 13 total medals at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics, including four golds.
Breezy Johnson won gold in the women's downhill, her first Olympic medal.
Ilia Malinin won gold in the figure skating team event, helping the U.S. defeat Japan.
Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea won gold in the pairs free skate.
Organizers faced criticism over podium surfaces that damaged skaters' blades and are implementing fixes.

1 / 3