The Canadian Olympic Foundation proudly injects private philanthropic investment into the Canadian sport system to support Team Canada athletes on their Olympic journeys as they represent their country on the world stage.

The COF granted a total of $7.3M to support the Canadian sport system and Team Canada athletes in the year leading into Milano Cortina 2026. This included investments in:

• Direct-to-athlete bursaries, such as the Great to Gold program, the Murphy Family Awards, the Team Canada Indigenous Awards and the Programme de bourses aux athlètes olympiques du Québec. Investing in athletes directly enables them to cover core expenses associated with high-performance training and competition, including team fees, equipment, additional training and essential needs such as nutrition and cost of living.
• The Next Gen Initiative funds Canadian National Sport Organizations (NSO) to support future Olympic athletes. Each year, the COC and the COF invest in the program, with Sport Canada matching every dollar up to $4M. Of the 206 Team Canada athletes who competed at Milano Cortina 2026, 60% have received Next Gen support since 2017, including medallists Megan Oldham, Courtney Sarault and Brendan MacKay.
• The newly established Team Canada High Performance Fund directs targeted resources to NSO’s high performance priorities, those that directly influence and improve athlete performance, providing immediate resources where it’s needed most. At Milano Cortina, this included new, innovative competition suits for the long track speed skating team, critical investments in athlete recovery strategies, equipment and support for athletes returning from injury.
• Direct support to NSOs for their most urgent needs, ensuring funding flows straight to the programs that deliver the greatest impact for athletes. This includes resources for coaching, team travel to international events, and offsetting team fees.
• The Canadian Olympic Committee to help deliver the most successful Team Canada possible to Milano Cortina 2026.  

Additional bursaries will be granted following Milano Cortina 2026 through the Team Canada Podium Awards, funded by the Malaviya Foundation, which offers $5,000 per medal to recognize and celebrate all Team Canada Olympic and Paralympic medallists.

About the Canadian Olympic Foundation

The Canadian Olympic Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Canadian Olympic Committee, with the joint purpose to transform Canada through the power of sport. Donations to the COF directly benefit Team Canada athletes at all stages of their Olympic journeys, and the high-performance services that support them. When you invest in an athlete’s journey, you provide key resources needed to propel them over the finish line – and inspire a nation. Join Team Canada at olympic.ca/foundation.

QUOTES

“The Great to Gold award lifted a huge weight off my shoulders. I worked very hard last summer to develop new technical skills [in big air]. With this funding, one of the first things I did was travel to Australia to perfect these new maneuvers and bring them to snow in time for the competition season. Having had the time and access to big jumps to master those new skills gave me a competitive edge and overall confidence to boost my performance.” 
– Megan Oldham, two-time Olympian and Olympic Champion, freestyle skiing

“Without the generosity of Canadian donors, I would not have had access to the extra training needed to ensure I was prepared for the Olympic Games, which I believe were valuable to my performance in Livigno. I want to thank those donors for helping to make it possible.”
– Eliot Grondin, three-time Olympic medallist, snowboard cross

“I’m very thankful for the Team Canada Podium Awards. I’m proud of what we achieved at Milano Cortina 2026 and really appreciate the kindness of donors who want to celebrate Team Canada. With the award, I’ll be able to build on this momentum and continue training with access to coaching, competitions, and equipment, without wondering how I’m going to balance sport with everyday life expenses.” 
– Courtney Sarault, four-time Olympic medallist, short-track speed skating

“We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of all Canadian Olympic Foundation donors, each of whom make a tangible impact on Team Canada athletes and sport in Canada. With Canada’s National Sport Organizations facing unprecedented financial strain, it’s amazing to see the private sector step up and help support Team Canada athletes so they can show up at their best and represent Canada on the world stage.”  
– Jacqueline Ryan, CEO of the Canadian Olympic Foundation and Chief Brand and Commercial Officer of the Canadian Olympic Committee

“Team Canada’s success at Milano Cortina 2026 is, in part, a testament to the meaningful impact of donor support. Their generosity empowers athletes and helps to inspire pride across the nation, and we are deeply grateful for their investment and trust.” 
– Perry Dellelce, Board Chair, Canadian Olympic Foundation

Just a few weeks after he became the Olympic champion in the men’s 500m, Steven Dubois won his second straight world title in the distance. He had chosen to focus on the 500m as his sole individual event at the world championships after battling illness since returning home from Milano Cortina 2026, a decision that proved wise.

Dubois had the advantageous inside starting position in the final after cruising to victory in both his quarterfinal and semifinal. The 28-year-old blasted off the start line and won the gold in 40.153 seconds ahead of Jens van ‘t Wout of the Netherlands and Furkan Akar of Türkiye.

“Honestly, I really don’t know what to say as I wasn’t expecting this at all. I did not expect this after the beginning of the season I had,” said Dubois. “The Olympic Games were a big high for me, but I was brought back down to earth when I got back, getting sick twice since my return. I got here today and the crowd was super hyped. It feels really nice to defend the ‘fastest man in the world’ title in front of them.”

Dubois joined Charles Hamelin and François-Louis Tremblay, who were also twice world champions, as the only Canadians to win multiple world titles in the men’s 500m.

Dubois added another gold medal in the men’s 5000m relay alongside William Dandjinou, Félix Roussel, and Maxime Laoun. It is Canada’s second straight world title in that event. Canada held the lead when Laoun took the final exchange and did everything he could to hold that position. At the finish line, Rim Jong-un of South Korea made one final attempt to get past Laoun, sending the Canadian crashing into the boards. But a video review resulted in a penalty for an arm block, giving Canada the gold medal.

Dubois and Dandjinou also won silver in the mixed relay final with Florence Brunelle and Danaé Blais, matching Canada’s Olympic result. Roussel and Courtney Sarault were also medallists after racing in earlier rounds of the event.

Earlier in the day, Dandjinou had been on the opposite side of a penalty call in the men’s 1000m final when a stretch move at the line was determined to have impeded Rim, costing the Canadian the gold medal.

There was some heartbreak in the final of the women’s 3000m relay. Four-time Olympic medallist Sarault lost an edge during an inside pass attempt by a Chinese competitor with just two laps remaining. Officials deemed there wasn’t enough contact to warrant a penalty, so the quartet of Sarault, Brunelle, Blais, and Kim Boutin finished fourth.

The emotional moment of the weekend came when Boutin appeared in the final race of her illustrious career. Despite placing fifth in the B final of the women’s 500m, the six-time Olympic medallist received a standing ovation from her hometown fans one last time.

Dandjinou, Roussel, and Laoun all reached the final of the men’s 1500m but came away empty handed. Dandjinou was leading when he fell with three laps to go. Roussel then exited a corner too wide, allowing three skaters to squeeze by him. Laoun finished just off the podium in fourth place. Sarault was Canada’s top performer in the women’s 1500m, also finishing fourth.

This concludes the long short track speed skating season in which Canada won five Olympic medals and reached the podium 31 times on the ISU Short Track World Tour to win the men’s (Dandjinou), women’s (Sarault), and team Crystal Globes.

READ: Milano Cortina 2026 officially begins with spectacular and unique Opening Ceremony

Flag bearers Valérie Maltais and Steven Dubois proudly carried the Canadian flag into the historic Arena di Verona during a spectacular Closing Ceremony.

READ: Maltais and Dubois to carry Canada’s flag at Milano Cortina 2026 Closing Ceremony

The celebration took place in Verona, ideally situated between the co-host cities of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. This marks the first time an Olympic Closing Ceremony has been held at a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Under the direction of Alfredo Accatino, the ceremony unfolded as a rich tapestry of music, art, and storytelling, titled “Beauty in Action.” It celebrated the creativity, ingenuity, and passion that define Italy, blending sport, technology, and emotion to showcase not only athletic excellence, but also the nation’s cultural identity.

Time for the show

The first scene began with a tribute to Italian opera. A single lumière illuminated the chandeliers before the camera descended into the area’s underground “devil’s labyrinth,” leading into a film sequence inspired by Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata, featuring appearances from many Italian celebrities, and Juliet on her famous balcony.

A massive chandelier then rose onto the main stage while a flustered stage manager struggled to control the chaos. Large wooden crates revealed iconic opera characters, including Rigoletto, Aida, Figaro, Madama Butterfly, Alfredo and Violetta.

The “Faces of Italy” segment introduced portraits of Italians spanning many generations by the renowned photographer Marco Delogu.

It was then time for the presentation of the Italian flag and the singing of the host nation’s national anthem. The Choir of the Fondazione Arena di Verona performed the national anthem from the Teatro Filarmonico, the second venue for this ceremony, together with jazz trumpeter Paolo Fresu.

After a 12,000 km journey, the Olympic flame arrived and lit the Olympic rings with the “drop of fire,” setting the stage for the parade of flag bearers and athletes, accompanied by performances from Davide Shorty and Margherita Vicario with Calibro 35.

Team Canada, met with cheers and applause from the crowd, took a lap around the arena before finding their seats in the stands.

READ: By the Numbers: Team Canada’s success at Milano Cortina 2026

Next, an acrobatic tribute, “The Beauty of the Challenge,” highlighted athletes’ perseverance, pushing through the last exhausted moments of their events.

A performance by DJ Gabry Ponte honoured the Games’ volunteers, who joined on stage to form the “26” logo, in a lively, flash mob-style display. The ceremony then moved to the official moment of remembrance, a piece of Olympic protocol that began at Rio 2016.

The program also paid tribute to the planet, with Italian dancer étoile Roberto Bolle performing an aerial sequence celebrating water and sunlight, described by organizers as one of the most complex scenes of the entire ceremony.

One of the time-honoured traditions of the Closing Ceremony was the passing of the Olympic flag to the next host of the Winter Games. The cauldrons in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo were extinguished before the Olympic flag was lowered and formally passed to France, host of the French Alps 2030 Olympic Winter Games.

France was then honored with a “new dawn” segment, featuring a reimagined La Marseillaise, the French national anthem. To close, the ceremony came full circle back to opera, with Rigoletto turning the lights back on, figuratively, for a final concert performance. Italian singer-songwriter Achille Lauro closed out the ceremony with a performance of his hit song Incoscienti Giovani.

The Verona Arena, built around 30 A.D., remains one of the best-preserved ancient structures in Europe and the third largest after the Colosseum and the Amphitheatre of Capua. Originally seating about 30,000 spectators, much of the outer ring was damaged by an earthquake in 1117. Today, it seats roughly 15,000 spectators.

The Verona Arena will also serve as the venue for the Opening Ceremony of the Paralympics on March 6.

Without further ado, a quick look at Team Canada’s success at Milano Cortina 2026 by the numbers.

1260 – Degrees of rotation Megan Oldham landed twice to win Olympic gold in women’s ski big air

75 – Team Canada athletes who are heading home with Olympic medals

62 – Top 8 finishes by Team Canada at Milano Cortina 2026

38 – Top 5 finishes by Team Canada at Milano Cortina 2026

28 – Years since a Canadian won an Olympic medal in the men’s 500m in long track speed skating before Laurent Dubreuil won bronze

20 – Career Olympic goals scored by Marie-Philip Poulin, the most ever in women’s hockey

16 – Years since a Canadian won gold in the men’s 500m in short track speed skating before Steven Dubois’ victory

13 – Points scored by Connor McDavid in Milan, the most in a single Olympic tournament with NHL players

12 – Years since a Canadian won an Olympic medal in men’s ski halfpipe before Brendan Mackay’s bronze

8 – Team Canada athletes who were multi medallists at Milano Cortina 2026

6 – Career Olympic medals for short track speed skater Kim Boutin, who won two at Milano Cortina 2026 to tie her as Canada’s most decorated Winter Olympian

5 – Career Olympic medals for Mikaël Kingsbury, the most ever by a male freestyle skier

5 – Straight must-win games won by Team Homan to get into the women’s curling semifinals en route to bronze

4 – Medals won by Courtney Sarault at Milano Cortina 2026, the second most ever by a Canadian at one Olympic Winter Games

4 – Minutes of magical skating by Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier in their free dance to win bronze

3 – Career Olympic medals won by Marc Kennedy, the most by a Canadian curler

2 – Career Olympic gold medals won by Brad Jacobs, the first male curling skip to do so

2 – Consecutive team pursuit gold medals won by Ivanie Blondin, Valérie Maltais, and Isabelle Weidemann

Stephen Gogolev – Figure Skating

Stephen Gogolev’s debut was nothing short of incredible. The 21-year-old showed why he’s one of the brightest stars in figure skating thanks to his performances, first in the team event and then in men’s singles.

In the team event, Gogolev helped Team Canada to get through the qualification round thanks to a third place finish in the men’s short program. Although a medal was out of reach by the time Gogolev got to do his free skate, he still delivered a wonderful performance.

READ: Canada falls short of podium but delivers exceptional performance in team skate

It only served as a preview for his exceptional performance in men’s singles. Gogolev had a career-best score in the free skate, second only to that posted by gold medal winner Mikhail Shaidorov. Gogolev went on to finish fifth – the best Olympic result for Canada in the men’s event since Patrick Chan’s silver at Sochi 2014.

“It’s definitely a special moment that I will cherish for the rest of my life,” he said.

Maia Schwinghammer – Freestyle Skiing

0.39 points were all that separated Team Canada’s Maïa Schwinghammer and a spot on the podium in the women’s moguls competition at Milano Cortina 2026.

READ: Schwinghammer nearly reaches moguls podium in Olympic debut

The 24-year-old from Saskatoon came into the Olympics as the reigning world bronze medallist in the event and she looked every bit the medal contender. Although she was bumped to fifth in the end, Schwinghammer knows the result is meaningful and the best is yet to come.

“I mean, fifth at the Olympic Games, super finals at the Olympic Games, I’m so proud of the way I was able to handle the nerves. I mean, wow, the Olympics are for real.”

William Dandjinou – Short Track Speed Skating

William Dandjinou came into Milano Cortina 2026 already having a careers’ worth of accolades. The 24-year-old won two Crystal Globes and four world titles before making his Olympic debut.

To the surprise of many, Dandjinou was unable to collect an individual medal. However, he still reached the final in each of the three individual distances he competed in, finishing fourth in the 1000m, and fifth in both the 500m and 1500m.

He also earned his first Olympic medal as part of the mixed relay team made up of himself, Courtney Sarault, Kim Boutin and Félix Roussel that took silver.

Naomi Urness – Freestyle Skiing

21-year-old Naomi Urness went from a virtual unknown to a podium threat in a matter of a few months. The skier, born in Mont-Tremblant Que., had only entered her first FIS World Cup event in February 2025.

She rose to the attention of the freeski world after finding the World Cup podium three times during the fall of 2025, including a big air gold in the final World Cup before the Games.

In her first Olympic Games, she breezed through qualifications and found the top 10 twice, finishing seventh in slopestyle, and sixth in big air. In both events, countrymate Megan Oldham won a medal.

The 21-year-old surely has the potential for many podiums in the near future, and has joined Oldham as one of the many faces of freestyle skiing for Canada.

Young cross-country skiers exceed expectations

The future could not be brighter for Canada’s cross-country skiing team, and the youth movement was on full display, as a cast of first-time Olympians blew away expectations.

On the men’s side, Olympic rookies Xavier McKeever and Tom Stephen joined with Antoine Cyr and Rémi Drolet to finish fifth in the men’s 4×7.5km relay, Canada’s best-ever result in an Olympic cross-country relay. 

McKeever raced alongside Cyr to earn a sixth-place finish in the men’s team sprint. It was a career-best result for the pair in international competition.

Stephen had another top 10 finish as he claimed ninth in the men’s 10km free. The 23-year-old had never cracked the top 20 in an individual event on the FIS World Cup circuit.

On the women’s side, at just 20 years old, Alison Mackie achieved Canada’s best ever Olympic result in a women’s 10km freestyle event. She finished the interval start race in 24:07.1, good for eighth place. 

Mackie and Liliane Gagnon – both first-time Olympians – teamed up to finish sixth in the women’s team sprint free. It’s all sure to make fans eager for what’s to come in the next Olympic Games.

Daryl Watts – Ice Hockey

While Canada’s women’s hockey team was full of veterans, one younger player stood out in particular during Canada’s run to the gold medal game.

26-year-old Daryl Watts briefly retired from hockey after her college career, but luckily for fans of Team Canada, she returned to the game to play professionally four years ago.

She was added to the national team for Canada’s world championship silver in 2025 and then made the Olympic roster. She did not disappoint, notching two goals and six assists in seven games, the most points of any Canadian.

She was also a part of history, assisting on Marie-Philip Poulin’s 19th Olympic goal in a semifinal win over Switzerland, moving Poulin into top spot for goals by at the Olympics.

Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud – Figure Skating

Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud, Canada’s national pairs champions, made their Olympic debut a few days earlier than expected at Milano Cortina 2026.

They stepped in to skate the short program in the team event when 2024 World champions Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps were delayed in arriving because of an injury. The duo delivered the fourth best score in the qualification round to help Canada advance to the final.

In the pairs competition, they improved on their short program, scoring a 74.60 which had them in third place heading into the free skate. While they made a few mistakes in the free skate, it was a huge step up to be part of the final flight in a global competition.

READ: Pairs end with disappointing, but encouraging result for two Canadian finalists

“We’ve had four performances, four very good performances, obviously, and lots to take out of that and we’re super proud of both of us,” said Michaud.

Julien Viel – Freestyle Skiing

There is only one King of Moguls, and while Mikaël Kingsbury showed us exactly why he holds that title, Julien Viel made a strong case to being the heir of the throne.

The 24-year-old had a big breakthrough right before the Games, earning his first career World Cup title at the dual moguls in Val St-Côme, Quebec.

Exactly one month later in his Olympic debut, Viel finished in second place in the qualification round of moguls – one spot ahead of Kingsbury.

Viel would go on to finish sixth in the moguls final. The Quebec City native is tracking to be a surefire medal contender in international moguls competition, with the hopes of an Olympic medal on the horizon.

Béatrice Lamarche – Long Track Speed Skating

For years, Canada’s women’s speed skating team has been led by (now) multi-time Olympic medallists Ivanie Blondin, Valérie Maltais, and Isabelle Weidemann. But there’s a bright new light in the sprint events.

Béatrice Lamarche may have been following in her father’s footsteps in becoming an Olympian, but she outperformed him when it came to results. Lamarche finished fifth in the 1000m—Canada’s best Olympic result in that event in 16 years—and seventh in the 500m.

Connor McDavid and Macklin Celebrini, Canada’s leading point producers throughout Milano Cortina 2026, both had breakaways but couldn’t beat United States goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. Devon Toews redirected a pass in front only to be robbed by Hellebuyck’s stick. Nathan MacKinnon had an open net but hit the outside of the post.

Canada carried the play for the second half of the game—which included a lengthy five-on-three power play—with shots ending 42-28 in favour of the Canadians. But it simply wasn’t enough on this day as Jack Hughes scored in overtime to give the United States a 2-1 victory.

READ: Team Canada wins men’s hockey silver at Milano Cortina 2026

“It sucks right now,” said forward Tom Wilson. “We played a really solid game. We had plenty of opportunities to win. It was a great battle, obviously, a great hockey game, and it just sucks. We fell one goal short and can’t bring a gold medal home for our country. Not a good feeling right now.

“Sometimes you play well enough to win and it doesn’t work out that way. So, give them credit. They capitalized at the end and beat us, but you know, it hurts that we played a good game. We executed the game plan and played really well. Hockey is a funny sport. That’s why it’s such a crazy sport. But it sucks.”

This is the first Olympic men’s hockey gold for the Americans since Lake Placid 1980. The United States has been building towards getting back to the top of the podium for some time now, coming very close at Vancouver 2010 when they lost to Canada in overtime. They also lost in overtime to Canada in the championship game of last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, the first best-on-best tournament with National Hockey League players since Sochi 2014. At last year’s IIHF World Championship, the Americans won their first gold medal since 1960.

There have been so many close encounters between Canada and the United States in recent years that it seemed inevitable that, eventually, the Americans would come out with gold in one of them. Unfortunately for Team Canada, that’s just what happened at Milano Cortina 2026. It’s what makes rivalries so great—and Canada vs United States has become one of the best in the sport at all levels.

READ: Team Canada to play for men’s hockey gold at Milano Cortina 2026

In the latest championship bout between the two, Matt Boldy scored six minutes in, cutting through the Canadian defense and beating goaltender Jordan Binnington. The United States was able to generate some other scoring chances, but they were few and far between compared to what Canada was producing. The Canadians tied the game on a Cale Makar goal in the second period, a frame where shots were 19-8 in favour of Canada.

In the third, Canada continued to press offensively, but they just couldn’t find their finish.

“I thought we played with great pace,” said Wilson. “We were dictating all over the ice and we had great legs. We were fast, physical. It’s one of those really fun games to be a part of until the end, obviously.

“I’m proud to be Canadian, proud to represent at the Olympics and proud to have best-on-best back at the Olympics.”

Forward Nick Suzuki, who scored a critical goal in the team’s quarterfinal win over Czechia, felt the team deserved a better result.

“I thought we carried most of the play,” said Suzuki. “They had a pretty good start but we just kept pushing and I thought we were on them. I don’t think they got many opportunities into that overtime.”

READ: Canada advances to men’s hockey semifinals with overtime win over Czechia

One of the keys for the Americans: they were able to keep Canada’s big line of McDavid, Celebrini and MacKinnon off the score sheet, something no other team had been able to do. McDavid, who was Canada’s captain in the final two games due to an injury to Sidney Crosby, led the tournament in scoring with 13 points in six games.

“Pretty well I think,” Crosby said when asked about how McDavid performed as captain. “I think he’s a natural leader. Obviously I feel for the entire group, him included. The way he played, everything that he did. It’s just unfortunate we couldn’t find a way.”

McDavid was named the tournament’s most valuable player and best forward. He was also named to the media all-star team along with Celebrini and Makar. It was the first Olympic Games for all three—and for most of Team Canada. Only Crosby and defenseman Drew Doughty had previously appeared in Olympic action.

A number of key contributors for Team Canada at these Games could return for French Alps 2030. While this loss hurts, the Canadians know they’re heading home with some valuable experience gained.

“A lot of learning lessons for me just getting a taste of playing here and being in these big games and playing with these great players,” said Suzuki. “It’s been an honour for me and just trying to soak it all in, but it was a tough one today.”

This was Canada’s best result in Olympic men’s hockey since winning gold at Sochi 2014. Playing without NHLers, they finished sixth at Beijing 2022 and won bronze at PyeongChang 2018.

The last of those was claimed on Sunday as the men’s hockey final closed out the competition. 

Here’s a look at what Team Canada did on Day 16. 

Hockey 

Canada fell 2-1 in overtime to the United States in the men’s hockey gold medal game, capturing silver. Jack Hughes scored 1:41 into overtime to give the Americans their first men’s hockey Olympic gold since Lake Placid 1980.

Cale Makar scored Canada’s lone goal, which came in the second period to make it 1-1. Canada had plenty of great scoring chances throughout the game, throwing just about everything at American goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. Shots ended 42-28 in favour of Canada.

Freestyle Skiing

After being postponed by a day because of adverse weather, the women’s ski halfpipe took place under sunny skies. Amy Fraser laid down a great run in her third trip down the pipe, getting 88.00 points to improve on her first run score of 85.00. But it left her just outside a podium position, as she finished fourth by 4.5 points. 

READ: Fraser just misses halfpipe medal, leaves Milano Cortina with personal best

Beijing 2022 bronze medallist Rachael Karker got 79.50 points for her second run, which put her in seventh place. Two-time Olympic medallist Cassie Sharpe had placed third in the qualification round, but was unable to compete in the final after sustaining a concussion in her second run during that qualification round.

Cross-Country Skiing

In the first ever women’s 50km mass start event at the Olympic Games, Jasmine Drolet was the top Canadian, placing 17th in 2:31:34.1. It was her first ever race over that distance. Sonjaa Schmidt place 25th in 2:34:44.7, Katherine Stewart-Jones was 27th in 2:36:35.1, with Amelia Wells just behind here in 28th in 2:36:47.9.

“I started out really fast and was a bit worried,” said Drolet. “I was really nervous before the race started, but as the race went on, I just kind of skied into it and decided to ski at my own pace and my own rhythm up the hills. It ended up getting better and better.”

Bobsleigh

Taylor Austin and his crew of Keaton Bruggeling, Mike Evelyn O’Higgins, and Shaq Murray-Lawrence finished 14th in the four-man event with a four heat combined time of 3:40.29. 

Jay Dearborn and his crew of Yohan Eskrick-Parkinson, Luka Stoikos, and Mark Zanette just made the cut for the fourth and final heat, finishing 20th in 3:41.16.

While those emotions can run the gamut from unbridled elation to inconsolable despair, there’s a special place for those moments we’d call heartwarming.

Sometimes there’s a medal on the line, sometimes not. But these are the kinds of moments that remind us of the humanity inherent in top-level athletic competition.

So with Milano Cortina 2026 coming to a close, here are some heartwarming moments brought to us by Team Canada.

The King celebrates with the Prince

Mikaël Kingsbury is the undisputed “King of Moguls”. And at Milano Cortina 2026, Olympic audiences were introduced to his Prince.

These were Kingsbury’s fourth Olympic Winter Games, but his first since the birth of son Henrik in August 2024. With a silver in the men’s moguls and a gold in the dual moguls, the 33-year-old got two opportunities for fresh-off-the-podium family photos. And Henrik learned all about the sweet taste of Olympic medals.

READ: Parenthood brings perspective for moguls legend Mikaël Kingsbury

Ted-Jan Bloemen bids farewell

These Games were also the first chance for long track speed skater Ted-Jan Bloemen‘s children to see him perform on the Olympic stage. But for his kids—and the rest of Canada—it was also the last.

The 39-year-old two-time Olympic medallist wasn’t able to add to his hardware haul in 2026. He did, however, have the opportunity to take a goodbye lap after the men’s 10,000m event.

READ: Team Canada’s Ted-Jan Bloemen closes another chapter on his ‘life’s work’

Three cheers for the audience

Of course, neither Kingsbury, Bloemen nor any other athlete got to celebrate with their families at Beijing 2022. With the world still deeply entrenched in pandemic-era restrictions, there were virtually no spectators at those Olympic Games.

So the Milano Cortina Games have been filled with heartwarming moments of celebration—and consolation—between athletes and their friends, families, and fans. It’s been a wonderful reminder of how much that support can mean.

Evan Bichon perseveres through heartbreak and loss

Not every family story at these Games was a happy one, however. Snowboard cross racer Evan Bichon was blindsided by the news of his mother’s cancer diagnosis last summer and then her passing in November.

Despite it all, he found a way to continue his preparations and achieve his dream of reaching the Olympics. “Representing Canada on the Olympic stage is something I’ll carry forever,” he said on social media.

“Thank you to my team, supporters, family, friends and everyone who believed in me, especially on the hard days. This one meant a lot.”

Francis Jobin battles through the pain

While Bichon’s perseverance is in a category all its own, there were also tales of Canadians battling physical injuries during the Games themselves. Snowboarder Mark McMorris and hockey star Marie-Philip Poulin famously recovered from injuries sustained during these Olympic Winter Games to continue competing.

But let’s offer a bit of love here to 27-year-old Olympic newcomer Francis Jobin.

The snowboarder suffered a dislocated shoulder in training, an injury that would sideline us mere mortals for weeks. Despite the injury, he’d go on to finish seventh in the men’s big air final.

‘Never give up. I did my best.’

That resilient attitude was perhaps best summed up by another Olympic debutante, snowboarder Juliette Pelchat.

After landing her third run in the women’s slopestyle final, the 21-year-old smilingly told the TV cameras: “Never give up. I did my best.”

Getting their flowers

In figure skating, choosing the right music can mean everything. But this season, some athletes struggled to secure the rights to songs they wanted to use in their performances.

Canadians Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud didn’t just get permission from British music star Jessie Ware to use her song “Say You Love Me”. Ware actually sent the figure skating pair a bouquet of flowers out of gratitude for using her song.

Pereira and Michaud would produce an outstanding short program set to Ware’s song, putting up a personal best score.

Coincidence? Maybe. A heartwarming moment? Definitely.

BFFs: Bronze Found, Finally

It’s been a long road for Rachel Homan to reach the Olympic podium. But at Milano Cortina 2026, the Team Canada skip got to celebrate winning bronze along with teammates Emma Miskew, Tracy Fleury and Sarah Wilkes.

It was especially meaningful for Homan and Miskew, who have been friends since they were 5 years old. They also shared the disappointment of a sixth-place finish at PyeongChang 2018, when they didn’t even get the chance to play for a medal.

“It doesn’t feel real that we are bringing home a medal for Canada,” said Homan. “It’s just a really cool feeling.”

Canada fell 2-1 in overtime to the United States in the championship game on Sunday at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. It’s the first medal for Canada in men’s hockey since winning bronze at PyeongChang 2018.

Canada has now won 17 medals in Olympic men’s hockey, the most of any nation. This was the country’s best result since winning gold at Sochi 2014, which was the last tournament to include National Hockey League players.

READ: Team Canada to play for men’s hockey gold at Milano Cortina 2026

Both teams entered the gold medal game with 5-0 records. Canada defeated Czechia, Switzerland and France in the preliminary round, earning the No. 1 seed for the tournament’s playoff stage. In the quarterfinals, Canada trailed Czechia late in the third period and forced overtime with a Nick Suzuki goal that came with 3:27 remaining in regulation time. Mitch Marner scored in overtime to send Canada to the semifinals.

In the semis, Canada trailed Finland 2-0 in the second period but rallied for three unanswered goals to earn the win and a spot in the gold medal game. Nathan MacKinnon netted the game-winner on a power play with 35.2 seconds left in the third period.

The United States, meanwhile, defeated Latvia, Denmark and Germany in the preliminary round but needed overtime to beat Sweden in the quarterfinals. In the semis, the US easily defeated Slovakia to advance to the gold medal game–their first since Vancouver 2010.

In that Vancouver 2010 championship game, Canada defeated the United States 3-2 on the strength of an overtime goal from Sidney Crosby. The three-time Olympian was not in Canada’s lineup for Sunday’s gold medal game after suffering an injury in the quarterfinals. In place of Crosby, Sam Bennett was once again inserted into the lineup while Connor McDavid was Canada’s captain. Defenseman Josh Morrissey remained out.

READ: Canada advances to men’s hockey semifinals with overtime win over Czechia

Matt Boldy opened the scoring six minutes into the first period, ending the early momentum Canada had built with some physical play. Boldy split through the Canadian defense and slid the puck past Jordan Binnington to give the Americans an early 1-0 lead.

The United States went to the game’s first power play with 2:57 remaining in the first but the Canadian penalty kill was able to hold them to just one shot. Shots were 8-8 in the opening frame.

Canada had a strong start to the second period, carrying the play in the offensive zone and forcing American goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to make a couple of quality stops. Near the midway mark of the period, McDavid had a breakaway but couldn’t jam the puck past the pad of Hellebuyck.

Canada went to the power play at 9:27 and then Charlie McAvoy hooked up Cale Makar, making it a five-on-three advantage for 93 seconds. The Americans produced a strong penalty kill, not allowing the Canadians to get quality looks.

At even strength, the Canadians continued to press in the offensive zone. With 1:44 remaining in the period, Canada broke through when Makar skated into the circle and wired a wrist shot over Hellebuyck’s pad to make it 1-1.

READ: Team Canada stays undefeated with blowout win over France

Brock Faber nearly restored the United States’ lead late in the frame, firing a point shot that went off two posts but stayed out.

Devon Toews had a great chance to put Canada in the lead early in the third when he redirected a pass in front only to be denied by the paddle of Hellebuyck. A few minutes later, Macklin Celebrini had a breakaway but was stopped as well.

Near the midway point of the third, Canada’s top line nearly converted when Celebrini found MacKinnon at the side of the net, only to fire a shot off the outside of the post.

The United States went to a four-minute power play with 6:34 remaining when Bennett hit Jack Hughes with a high stick. But with 3:23 left in the period, Hughes took a high sticking penalty himself, creating some four-on-four play for 49 seconds and then a Canadian power play. Canada generated some chances on the abbreviated man advantage but could not connect.

In three-on-three overtime, Hughes scored just 1:41 in, capturing the United States the gold medal. It’s the first men’s hockey gold medal for the Americans since Lake Placid 1980.

In Saturday’s bronze medal game, Finland defeated Slovakia 6-1.

The 30-year-old delivered two great runs on Sunday in the women’s freeski halfpipe final. She scored an 85.00 in her first run, positioning her in second place at the time, and bested that run with an 88.00 in her final run.

Unfortunately for Fraser, it was 4.5 points shy of the podium, and she will leave her second Olympic Games with a fourth place finish.

“That’s some of my best skiing,” she said. “I think there’s always room for improvement, clearly, being [a few] points shy of the podium, but whatever.”

The women’s ski halfpipe final was initially scheduled to take place on Saturday, but inclement weather pushed it back an extra day. On Sunday, conditions were perfect at Livigno Snow Park.

“Yesterday was, like, absolutely miserable,” Fraser said. “This is the kind of halfpipe I always want to be skiing in the sun and no wind.”

Fraser ranked seventh in the qualifying round on Thursday. In the final round, she delivered one of the best runs of her career, nailing each of her five tricks.

“I’m pretty proud of myself for doing that run a bunch of times. It’s super hard and, yeah, I don’t know. I’m shocked I did it.”

Fraser finished eighth in halfpipe in Beijing 2022 where she made her Olympic debut.

The top spot on the podium went to Eileen Gu of China who defended her Olympic halfpipe title, and collected her third medal of these Games. China’s Fanghui Li took silver, while Britain’s Zoe Atkins claimed bronze.

Canada’s other finalist Rachael Karker finished in seventh place. She was the defending bronze medallist after her podium in Beijing 2022.

Karker delivered the third best score (79.50) of the second run, and looked to be in good condition to improve on that in the third run, but went down on her opening trick of the final round.

“Quite sore, but I’ll be alright,” she said.

Fraser had been dealing with a knee injury heading into the final. She said the heavy landings were taking a toll on her physically.

“I’m very proud. I did everything I could with what I had today.”

Both Fraser and Karker felt the team spirit of the freestyle skiing team in their post-run interviews. The skiers expressed their support of Brendan Mackay, Karker’s fiance, who took home bronze in the men’s competition on Friday.

“I am so unbelievably proud of Brendan,” said Fraser. “He absolutely crushed it. I think he should have been higher on the podium, but I mean that’s probably my bias.”

“I think we have a pretty strong team.”