The United States of America Olympic team came into the 2026 Olympic games in Milano-Cortina, Italy with a point to prove and to remind people who they are. The Winter Olympics that come around every four years are every winter athlete’s dream to compete in. All athletes in this world want to have the chance to represent their country on the biggest stage ever. Team USA is a very highly touted and respected country when it comes to the Olympics; they still stand at the top of the podium with the most gold medals of all time as a country with over 1,220. No matter what sport Team USA is competing in, they will always have a target on their back, with every other country trying to hunt them down. 

So, with every other country coming after Team USA, that only drove them more and gave them a little extra kick of motivation to go ball out, and make people remember just how dominant of a country they are. Team USA shattered their own record of ten gold medals in a Winter Olympics in 2002, and they won 12 Gold medals in 2026. The brightest stars that took home a new gold medal were Team USA figure skater Alyssa Liu, the men’s hockey team, and speed skater Jordan Stoltz bringing home two gold medals.

Under the bright lights in Milan, Alyssa Liu shined the brightest. Liu’s performance to the song “Stateside” by PinkPanthress ft. Zara Larrson, was an uncommon choice for a figure skater, but Alyssa Liu also isn’t your common figure skater. Grayslake Central junior Addison Thomas said “Alyssa Liu’s song choice is a statement song and for someone who is Gen-Z, it’s pretty cool and makes you feel like you can relate to her.” After retiring at 16, Liu knew she had more left in the tank and something to prove. Liu stuck to a dedicated routine for a year and a half prior, and was determined to bring this gold medal back home. Liu’s routine featured difficult jumping passes, flowing step sequences, and level-four spins that drew thunderous applause from the Italian crowd, showcasing the fearless style that made her a prodigy years earlier. With the victory, Liu became the first American woman to win Olympic gold in figure skating since Sarah Hughes triumphed at the 2002 Winter Olympics, ending a 24-year drought for the United States in the event. All of Liu’s achievements and life goals had just come true. But most importantly, she remembered why she had worked so hard for this and regained her love, passion, and joy that came with skating.

The men’s hockey team came out blazing in Milan by starting out 5-0 and advanced to the gold medal game. The only issue is they had to play the team ‘up north,’ Canada, who has been known as the “Big Brother” to America when it comes to hockey. In a game defined by tension, speed, and a deep rivalry, the United States men’s hockey team captured Olympic gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan with a dramatic 2–1 overtime victory over Canada. The Americans came out hot and ready to play by taking an early lead when forward Matthew Boldy scored midway through the first period. Grayslake Central hockey player Alfonso Hermes said “I mean [Team USA] knew they had to come out hot to take down Canada and that’s just what they did”. Canada answered not too long after, where in the second with a goal from star defenseman Cale Makar, tying up the game that remained tied through the rest of regulation. U.S. goaltender Connor Hellebuyck delivered one of the standout performances of the tournament, stopping 41 of 42 shots earning the nickname “Secretary of Defense” and time after time defended shots to keep the Americans alive in the Olympic competition. When the game moved to sudden death overtime, the defining moment came quickly, just under two minutes in, forward Jack Hughes broke into the offensive zone and fired the puck past the Canadian goalie, sending the American bench pouring onto the ice in celebration. Hermes also said “That’s a goal Americans will remember forever and will forever go down in history.” The win ended a 46 year Olympic gold medal drought for the U.S. men’s hockey, their first since the iconic “Miracle on Ice” victory at the 1980 Winter Olympics and marked a new milestone for a generation of American players to come.

At only 21 years old, speed skater Jordan Stoltz flew back home with two gold medals this year in both the 500 and 1,000 meter races. In both races he held off strong challenges from Dutch skater Jenning de Boo. Stolz’s victories carried some history along with him, as he became the first American man since Eric Heiden to win the Olympic 500 and 1,000 meter double, placing him alongside one of the most legendary names in speed skating. By the end of the Olympics where he also earned silver in the 1,500 meters Stolz had emerged as one of Team USA’s most memorable athletes in Milan, his calm confidence and explosive speed marking the arrival of American dominance on the ice.

As the Olympics came to an end, the red, white, and blue once again stood proudly among the world’s best. From Liu’s inspiring comeback on the ice, to the men’s hockey team’s dramatic overtime victory, to Stolz’s blazing speed around the track, Team USA reminded the world exactly why it remains the most dominant nation in Olympic history.