OUR FAVOURITE MOMENTS AT THE WINTER OLYMPICS
words by ANOUK WOUDT
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina d’Ampezzo delivered a unforgettable showcase of athletic excellence, leaving this year with countless exciting moments that had audiences worldwide glued to their screens. With records being broken left and right and viral moments dominating the Internet’s consciousness, these Games are certain to be remembered as a standout chapter in Winter Olympic history. As the tournament comes to an end, we invite you to revisit some of our favourite moments and athletes of the season with our comprehensive list.
AN EXPLOSIVE OPENING CEREMONY
image via @people
When it comes to the best moments, there’s no better place to start than the spectacular opening ceremony. Spread across the host cities of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, both exploded in an unmistakably Italian blaze of music and culture, welcoming the Winter Olympics with a bang. Aptly titled Armonia, which means harmony in Italian, the ceremony fused influences of opera and Roman mythology in a true celebration of its host country. Dazzling performances graced Milano’s San Siro Stadium, featuring classical legends Andrea Bocelli and Lang Lang, as well as even White Lotus star Sabrina Impacciatore, who celebrated her country through dance. The queen of winter, Mariah Carey, also sang, entering with a glitzy feathered ensemble that absolutely stole the show.
ALYSA LIU: A GEN-Z STAR IN THE MAKING
image via @alysaxliu
It seems the whole world can’t get enough of Alysia Liu. With her signature halo hair and smiley piercing, she immediately drew everyone’s attention with her unique look, but kept it for her effortless spirit. Her consistently beaming energy has earned her the place as a Gen-Z icon, with the entire Internet unable to stop talking about her. Taking home two Gold medals for her figure skating, her talent does nothing but add to her allure, inspiring us to be unabashedly ourselves and, most importantly, have fun. Ending everything off with her playful ice performance of Stateside by PinkPantheress (the Zara Larsson remix!) at the Olympic Gala, she has truly cemented herself in our minds now, with a moment that will stay on repeat forever.
SNOOP DOGG, OUR UNOFFICIAL OLYMPICS MASCOT
image via @snoopdogg
This Olympic season, Snoop Dogg was everywhere. Serving as an honorary coach for Team USA, it felt like there wasn’t a single event where he didn’t make an appearance, reprising his Paris Olympics role in creating viral moments on each leg of the way. Whether he was serving gelati with Martha Stewart or crip walking in snow boots, he seemed to be having a blast, easing the intensity of such high-stakes moments. With his very own “Snoop-cast”, hosted by NBC, he even acted as a commentator for the men’s hockey quarterfinals. Switching from the monotonous commentator voice to ultra-chiller Snoop Dogg was definitely refreshing, making you feel like you were just chatting with a friend.
ILIA MALININ AKA “THE QUAD GOD”
image via @ilia_quadg0d_malinin
This year, figure skating stole the spotlight, with Ilia Malinin absolutely stealing our hearts as well. Given the name “the Quad God” for his iconic quadruple jumps, he is the only skater in the world to have landed a fully rotated quadruple axel in competition. After winning gold in the team event, he was heavily expected to win the men’s single event, but an unexpected fall dropped his placement to 8th instead. Nevertheless, his talent is undeniable, with the whole world obsessing over the way he glides through the air with graceful leaps that make the near-impossible look easy.
JUTTA LEERDAM, OUR COVER STAR, WINS GOLD AND SILVER
image via @juttaleerdam
We can’t forget our very own digital cover star, Jutta Leerdam. Representing Team Netherlands, the Dutch speed skater brought home gold and silver medals, even breaking the record for the fastest 1000m speed skate run. As her prowess grows, she is quickly making a name for herself as one of the leading skaters of her generation. Off the ice, she has also gained recognition as one of the most high-profile Olympians, which is due in part to her relationship with former YouTuber Jake Paul, who was seen tearing up on the sidelines during her win.
CONDOM SHORTAGE IN THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE
image courtesy of the International Olympic Committee – Photographs by Giampaolo Sgura
Every Olympics, organisers provide free condoms to their athletes to ensure safe sex, though this practice usually goes fairly unnoticed. However, this year was a little different. With a shortage occurring within only three days of the initial 10,000 supply drop, the condom situation became a spectacle, with many joking that Valentine’s Day had something to do with it. Rumours swirled, imaginations ran wild, and while we’re thrilled everyone’s being safe, let’s be real: plenty probably ended up just being taken as souvenirs, especially considering their special 2026 Olympics branding.
BRAZIL WINS ITS FIRST GOLD EVER
image via @pinheiiiroo
With a gold medal win from Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, Brazil has entered the winner’s club for ski slalom, which is a remarkable accomplishment for a country that rarely has snow. Born in Oslo though half-Brazilian, Braathen chose to compete for Team Brazil with the goal of putting Brazil on the winter sports map, and his plan absolutely succeeded! This victory isn’t just a first for Brazil; it also marks the first-ever Winter Olympic gold for South America, officially carving the continent into winter sports history.
HEATED RIVALRY BEARS THE OLYMPIC TORCH
image via @olympics
Seeing as they are everywhere right now, it only makes sense that the Heated Rivalry golden boys, Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, made their joint appearance at the Winter Olympics this year. Participating in the 49th leg of the Olympic Torch Relay, they were selected as official torch bearers. As they walked through the streets of Feltre with breaming smiles, they were met with cheering crowds and flashing cameras. Sparks were flying (and it wasn’t just from the torches), capturing global attention and adding a touch of Hollywood excitement to the Olympic festivities.
ELANA MEYERS TAYLOR WINS HER FIRST GOLD
image via @teamusa
At the age of 41, Elana Meyers Taylor made history this Olympics run, becoming the oldest athlete to win an individual Winter Olympic gold medal. After five Olympic participations, she finally won gold in the monobob competition, marking her first Olympic gold medal, despite being a four-time world champion and the most decorated Black athlete ever at a Winter Olympics. The victory marked her sixth Olympic medal overall, tying U.S. speed skating legend Bonnie Blair for the most Winter Olympic medals by an American woman.
WOLFDOG JOINS THE RACE
image via @abcnews
Amidst the women’s cross-country skiing race, a surprise competitor joined the game. Somehow, a Czechoslovakian wolfdog named Nazgul happened to stumble into the tail-end of the race, capturing every onlooker’s attention. Seemingly having slipped away from home, the adventurous pup had found his way into the middle of the course, creating an unforgettably viral moment. Viewers couldn’t get enough as he happily chased the skiers toward the finish line, earning cheers from the crowd and even an honorary gold medal from NBC Olympics on Instagram for being “a good boy”.
JOHANNES HØSFLOT KLÆBO WINS 6 GOLD MEDALS
image via @johanneshk
Norwegian cross-country skier, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, crossed all Olympic boundaries, bringing home a spectacular total of six gold medals. Finishing his last race in tears, this accomplishment is no small feat, securing his place in history with the most titles ever won at a single Winter Games. These wins also bring his Olympic gold medal total to eleven, securing him a place as the second-most decorated Olympian behind only the legendary Michael Phelps, who has a whopping 23 gold medals.
A DINNER OF CHAMPIONS
image via @people
In a perfect homage to Italy, the Olympic village menu was serving up pasta, but not just any pasta. Shaped into the iconic Olympic rings, the dish quickly captured massive attention on social media, leaving many people eager to try it for themselves. Sadly, it isn’t available for purchase. Carefully designed by Italian artisans, the limited-edition pasta was produced especially in for this year’s Winter Olympics and only being served in the Olympic dining hall. Though we may never get to try it, the athletes seemed delighted, enjoying the dish through a variety of classic Italian sauces.
