The flame has been extinguished in Verona, and the numbers are in: Team USA has officially recorded its most successful Winter Olympics in history. Closing the Games on February 22, 2026, American athletes secured a record-breaking 12 gold medals, surpassing the previous high of 10 set during the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.
At The Modern Memo, we analyze the historic “double-gold” in hockey, the speed skating dominance of a new prodigy, and the veteran triumphs that defined the Milano Cortina Games.
The Ice Hockey “Grand Slam”
For the first time in history, the United States swept the gold medals in both Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey in the same Games, both in dramatic overtime thrillers against arch-rival Canada.
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The Miracle Returns: Forty-six years to the day after the 1980 “Miracle on Ice,” the U.S. Men defeated Canada 2–1. Jack Hughes scored the golden goal in overtime, supported by a Herculean 41-save performance from goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.
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Women’s Redemption: Just three days prior, the U.S. Women staged a late-game comeback to force overtime, where Megan Keller netted the winner to reclaim the gold from the Canadians.
Jordan Stolz: The New King of the Oval
At just 21 years old, Wisconsin native Jordan Stolz cemented his legacy as one of the greatest speed skaters in American history.
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Double Gold: Stolz swept the 500m and 1000m sprints, setting new Olympic records in both events.
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Historical Context: He became the first American man since Eric Heiden in 1980 to win multiple individual speed skating golds in a single Olympics, adding a silver in the 1500m to bring his total haul to three medals.
Figure Skating: A Team and Individual Sweep
Despite the high-profile collapse of Ilia Malinin in the individual final, U.S. Figure Skating still brought home a massive haul of hardware.
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Team Event Champions: Led by a dominant short program from Malinin and the ice dance excellence of Madison Chock and Evan Bates, the U.S. took gold in the Team Event, narrowly edging out Japan.
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Alysa Liu’s Return: After stepping away from the sport in 2022, Alysa Liu completed the ultimate comeback, winning gold in Women’s Singles—the first American woman to do so since 2002.
Veterans and Rising Stars
The 2026 Games were defined by the resilience of seasoned veterans and the explosive arrival of new talent in the mountains.
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Mikaela Shiffrin: After a rocky start in the speed events, the G.O.A.T. of Alpine skiing secured gold in her signature Slalom, proving her dominance remains unmatched.
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Elana Meyers Taylor: At age 41, the legendary bobsledder finally won her elusive gold medal in the Monobob, winning by a razor-thin margin of 0.04 seconds to become the oldest American woman to win Winter Olympic gold.
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Breezy Johnson: Secured the first U.S. gold of the Games in the Women’s Downhill, a redemption arc following her devastating injury in 2022.
Final Standings
While Norway once again topped the overall medal table with 41 total medals (18 gold), the United States finished firmly in second place.
| Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| Norway | 18 | 12 | 11 | 41 |
| USA | 12 | 12 | 9 | 33 |
| Italy | 10 | 6 | 14 | 30 |
Final Word
The 12 gold medals won in Italy represent more than just athletic prowess; they signal a fundamental shift in the American approach to winter sports. When you look past the individual highlight reels and focus on the data of record-breaking gold counts and the technicality of the overtime hockey wins, you gain a clearer picture of a nation that has finally closed the gap with the European “winter superpowers.”
Quality information replaces the noise of partisan debates about athlete politics with the clarity of medal tables and Olympic records. It allows you to see these Games as a triumph of persistence, from Alysa Liu’s return to Elana Meyers Taylor’s sixth-time-is-the-charm victory. By choosing to follow the results in Milano Cortina rather than the cynicism of the pre-Games coverage, you align your perspective with the realities of American excellence and support a more informed, resilient national spirit.
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