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A decade ago, critics questioned whether NBC made a costly mistake when the network committed $7.75 billion in 2014 to broadcast the Olympics in America through 2032.

Those doubts are fading as NBC celebrates its highest Winter Olympics viewership in more than a decade.

Data from Nielsen and Adobe Analytics shows NBC drew an average of 24 million viewers during its afternoon block from 2-5 p.m. and evening coverage from 8-11 p.m. through Friday’s Milan Games coverage. This represents a dramatic 94% jump compared to the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

The Milan success continues a positive trend that began with the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, which saw an 82% increase over the Tokyo Games in 2021.

Final viewership statistics covering all 17 days of competition, including Team USA’s thrilling 2-1 overtime hockey victory against Canada on Sunday, will be announced Monday.

“I think that the Paris Games deserve a lot of the credit for rejuvenating that interest and enthusiasm, and some of that momentum continued through to Milan,” NBC Sports President Rick Cordella said from Milan.

NBC’s Olympics president and executive producer Molly Solomon and her production team earned recognition for overhauling the network’s broadcasting strategy following Beijing’s disappointing ratings.

Rather than saving marquee events for evening broadcasts, NBC began streaming competitions live across multiple platforms while transforming primetime programming into a highlight show featuring athlete interviews and expert commentary for audiences who watched events earlier.

“How do we best make sure that we are continuing to tell the story (of athletes) after they leave the venues? I do think that one of the improvements we made from our Paris coverage was to follow the athletes to their after-parties and reunions with their friends and families,” said Solomon, who is overseeing coverage from NBC Sports’ headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut.

“When Alex Ferreira won (the gold medal in men’s halfpipe), we went to the bar where he was celebrating. There was a Team USA celebration for Mikaela Shiffrin, where we were there for the toast, and she talked about not being able to help Breezy Johnson get on the platform.”

“These athletes trusted us to have our cameras there, and I do think it made for even richer storytelling and taking the audience there.”

NBC embraced broadcasting methods long used internationally while responding to American viewers calling for changes. Although the network had offered online streaming for all Olympic events since London 2012, the launch of Peacock in 2020 marked a significant expansion.

By Friday, Americans had streamed 14.8 billion minutes of Milan Olympics content, more than twice the combined total of all previous Winter Games at 6.9 billion minutes.

Increased viewership also reflects improved American athletic performance after disappointing showings in Tokyo and Beijing, both held in isolated, largely empty venues during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thursday’s overtime victory by the U.S. women’s hockey team over Canada, combined with Alysa Liu’s figure skating gold medal, drew 26.7 million viewers across NBC, USA Network, Peacock and other NBCUniversal digital properties.

The women’s hockey championship game alone attracted 5.3 million viewers on USA Network and Peacock, setting a new record for women’s hockey television audience. Viewership peaked at 7.7 million during overtime when Megan Keller scored the winning goal.

“It was truly a golden hour. We popped between control rooms, and you just never know what’s going to happen,” Solomon said. “The energy in our control rooms on site, we couldn’t believe the confluence of drama and excitement, but that really is what the Olympics is about. It’s unpredictable, thrilling, and it just coincided in the golden 64 minutes.”

NBC expects to maintain this positive trajectory for upcoming Games. The 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics will feature comprehensive live coverage throughout each day, while the 2030 Winter Olympics in France’s Alps will use the successful formula developed for Paris and Milan.

The 2032 Brisbane Summer Games present scheduling challenges since most events will occur overnight for American audiences, but the 2034 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics will again provide live coverage in favorable time zones.

NBC secured Olympic broadcasting rights through 2036 after agreeing to a $3 billion deal last year for the 2034 and 2036 Games.

“Paris begets Milan, and Milan will beget LA. I think the Olympics are just unique in many respects,” Cordella said. “The U.S.-Swiss curling match, there are hundreds of thousands of people online streaming. They’re seeking it out and watching these matchups of these athletes; they probably didn’t know about them before the Olympics began. It’s compelling TV, and that’s kind of what the Olympics does.”

Sweden’s women’s curling team has reached new heights after capturing their second Olympic gold medal on Sunday, with team captain Anna Hasselborg declaring the squad is at peak performance following their historic victory in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

The Swedish team edged Switzerland 6-5 in the final match, making Olympic history as the first women’s curling squad to secure three total Olympic medals. This latest gold joins their 2018 Pyeongchang victory and their 2022 Beijing bronze medal.

“Everything we’ve been working for the last four years – we’re going a little bit harder without the hammer, going aggressive, really putting rocks in play – everything just came together this weekend,” Hasselborg explained after the victory.

“Technically, we’re so strong, but I think the key one thing is our team spirit, and the trust we have for each other, and all the fun we’re having…”

“Eight years later (after Pyeongchang), I think this is the strongest we have ever been, mentally, technically, strategically and just that we have believed in each other for the whole way. It’s never been a doubt. It’s just unreal,” the team leader added.

The path to gold wasn’t expected to be easy for Sweden, as they entered the Games without favored status. The team faced significant personal challenges during the previous Olympic cycle, including roster changes and the fact that three players, including Hasselborg, welcomed babies in 2023.

The squad gradually regained their competitive edge leading up to the Games, securing their third European Curling Championships crown in November. Their Olympic performance was dominant, finishing with a strong preliminary round and becoming the first team to advance to the semifinals.

In the semifinals, they defeated Canada, the world’s top-ranked women’s team and two-time world champions, before claiming the gold medal match.

Hasselborg, 36, had previously characterized her team as a “circus” due to their large traveling family group, and she emphasized how meaningful this victory was with her children watching from the stands.

“It’s everything I ever dreamt of. Becoming a mother, it’s not always easy to find that balance and motivation, because becoming a mom is so much more important than everything else,” she reflected.

“But we found that, we found that at the right time. We just found the balance that was perfect… I think they (children) have had a really fun weekend. They were also taken by the moment. They understood there was something big happening.”

“Especially my daughter, who is a little bit older. I’m so proud to be able to show them that anything is possible, with the support of the family. You can do anything,” Hasselborg concluded.

According to a report from The Athletic, the Cleveland Guardians have reached an agreement with veteran first baseman Rhys Hoskins on a minor league contract.

Sources indicate Hoskins would receive a base salary of $1.5 million if he successfully makes Cleveland’s major league roster. The deal remains contingent on the player passing a physical examination, though Hoskins was already present at the team’s spring training facility in Arizona on Sunday.

The veteran slugger will celebrate his 33rd birthday next month and brings significant experience from his time in the National League. Hoskins spent his first six professional seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies before joining the Milwaukee Brewers for the last two campaigns.

His 2023 season was completely wiped out after suffering a torn ACL during spring training preparations. Throughout his major league career, Hoskins has compiled a .238 batting average while launching 186 home runs and driving in 530 runs.

Injuries limited Hoskins to just 90 appearances for Milwaukee last season, as he dealt with both a left thumb UCL sprain and bone bruise. During that abbreviated campaign, he managed a .237 batting average with 12 home runs and 43 RBIs. The Brewers eventually acquired Andrew Vaughn from the Chicago White Sox to handle first base duties.

Golf superstar Tiger Woods has fans buzzing after hinting at a potential return to competitive play at this year’s Masters tournament during a Saturday television appearance.

The legendary golfer, who has claimed five Masters victories and 15 major championships throughout his career, created excitement during his guest commentary stint with Jim Nantz and Trevor Immelman in the CBS broadcast booth. Woods was providing analysis during the third round of the Genesis Invitational, an event he hosts at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California.

The 50-year-old athlete hasn’t played competitively since the 2024 Open Championship, after which he underwent disc replacement surgery in October. He also had surgical treatment for a torn Achilles tendon last March.

During the broadcast, Nantz mentioned that world-ranked golfer Rory McIlroy would be defending his Augusta National title and that top-ranked Scottie Scheffler would also be participating. Nantz then posed the question to Woods: “Anybody else you know who might be playing this year?”

“I know I’ll be there,” Woods responded with a grin. “We’re going to open up The Patch (a local municipal golf course), and Trev and I are going to be part of a great (champions) dinner.”

After Nantz clarified he wasn’t specifically referring to Woods, the golf champion continued his playful exchange.

Immelman then posed a straightforward question to Woods.

“Is there a possibility that you can get out there?” Immelman inquired.

“There is,” Woods confirmed.

When Nantz followed up by asking whether Woods planned to participate in any tournaments prior to the Masters, Woods replied with uncertainty.

“I don’t know,” Woods stated.

Throughout his illustrious career, Woods has secured 82 PGA Tour victories, including Masters wins in 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, and 2019.

The United States men’s hockey team made history Sunday at the Milan Cortina Olympics, claiming the gold medal with a thrilling 2-1 overtime victory over Canada in the championship game.

Jack Hughes delivered the game-winning goal in the extra period, securing America’s third Olympic men’s hockey title and ending a 46-year championship drought that dated back to the legendary “Miracle on Ice” victory in 1980. Remarkably, Sunday’s triumph came exactly 46 years to the day after that iconic upset against the Soviet Union.

The gold medal match served as the final event of the Winter Olympics, providing a dramatic conclusion to the Games with Team USA’s long-awaited return to the top of the Olympic hockey podium.

Minnesota Twins All-Star pitcher Joe Ryan is dealing with lower back inflammation after missing his scheduled spring training appearance on Saturday, the team announced.

The 29-year-old right-hander received an MRI and shared the results with media on Sunday. The injury news comes just two days after the organization revealed that pitcher Pablo Lopez will need Tommy John surgery this week, sidelining him for the entire 2026 season.

“I didn’t do any deep dives and don’t have Twitter. … I’m sorry to scare everyone,” Ryan said when speaking with reporters on Sunday.

Ryan recently signed a $6.2 million deal to avoid going to arbitration this offseason.

During the 2024 campaign, the right-handed pitcher compiled a 13-10 win-loss record along with a personal-best 3.42 earned run average and 194 strikeouts across 31 games, including 30 starts. Last summer marked his debut appearance in the All-Star Game.

MILAN – Team USA’s men’s hockey squad secured Olympic gold Sunday evening, edging out Canada 2-1 in a nail-biting overtime showdown that captivated viewers worldwide.

The dramatic victory in Milan represents the third time American men have claimed hockey’s top Olympic prize, ending a 44-year drought that stretched back to the iconic 1980 Lake Placid games when the underdog U.S. team stunned the hockey world.

Sunday’s championship game required extra time to determine a winner, with the Americans ultimately prevailing in the sudden-death overtime period to deny Canada what would have been their latest addition to an already impressive Olympic hockey legacy.

VERONA, Italy – Several hundred demonstrators filled the streets of Verona on February 22nd, staging a protest just hours before the Winter Olympics closing ceremony was set to begin at the city’s historic Roman arena at 8:30 p.m.

University students and advocacy groups organized the demonstration under the banner “Olympics? No thanks,” expressing opposition to what they describe as an event that harms forests, covers sensitive land with concrete, and worsens social disparities.

“We are here to defend our territory from speculation… and from the impossible cost of attending events,” declared 76-year-old activist Giannina Dal Bosco, pointing out that closing ceremony tickets were priced around 400 euros.

Demonstrators carried signs with messages like “Fewer Games for the few, more homes for everyone.”

Francesca, a 34-year-old who made the 60-kilometer journey from Vicenza, criticized how new Olympic facilities have altered the natural environment. “They built concrete monstrosities like the bobsleigh track, which will serve no purpose,” she stated. “Public money has been wasted that could have been used for hydrogeological safety and housing plans.”

Among the crowd, some participants displayed Palestinian flags and wore keffiyeh scarves as they marched.

The demonstration route took protesters on a two-hour walk outside the security zone, starting at the historic 16th-century Porta Palio and ending at Arsenal Square from the 19th century.

This protest was smaller than an earlier demonstration in Milan that drew nearly 10,000 participants on the Games’ opening day and eventually became violent.

LIVIGNO, Italy – Eileen Gu made Olympic history in spectacular fashion, earning three medals that propelled China past the United States in freestyle skiing dominance at the Milano Cortina Games.

The 22-year-old athlete secured one gold and two silver medals through breathtaking aerial maneuvers in the Italian Alpine resort town, establishing herself as the most accomplished freestyle skier in Olympic history.

Gu, who was born in America but competes for China in honor of her mother’s heritage, entered these games with three previous Olympic medals. Her latest achievements brought China’s freestyle skiing medal total to nine, surpassing America’s count of eight.

The competition showcased unprecedented athleticism, with skiers executing more complex aerial tricks and achieving greater heights than ever witnessed before. Judges evaluate performances based on both technical execution and innovative creativity.

Norway’s Tormod Frostad exemplified this elevated standard in big air competition, earning an exceptional score of 195.5 out of a possible 200 points.

“Year after year we get to see the progression of a sport as the average of everybody rises,” Gu said.

“We all get better, and maybe the people at the top are contributing a little bit more, but everybody is contributing to that growth.”

China’s strength extended beyond Gu’s individual success, particularly in aerials competition. The married duo of Wang Xindi and Xu Mengtao claimed gold medals in their respective women’s and men’s aerial events.

Despite their dominance, China fell short of sweeping all aerial competitions when the United States successfully defended their mixed team aerials championship.

Canadian veteran Mikael Kingsbury provided another highlight, competing in his fourth and final Olympics at age 33. The moguls specialist earned silver in men’s competition and gold in the newly-added dual moguls event, cementing his status as freestyle skiing’s most decorated male athlete with his collection spanning multiple Winter Games.

American Alex Ferreira also completed his medal set, adding halfpipe gold to his previous bronze and silver medals from earlier Olympics.

LIVIGNO, Italy – What should have been purely a moment of triumph turned bittersweet for Olympic champion Eileen Gu on Sunday. The 22-year-old freestyle skier made history by becoming the most successful Olympic athlete in her sport, only to receive devastating news moments later about her grandmother’s passing.

During a press conference following her victory in Livigno, Gu became emotional while speaking about her grandmother, Feng Guozhen, who had been a major source of inspiration throughout her career.

“A lot of people just cruise through life, but she was a steamship,” Gu shared through tears. “This woman commanded life and she grabbed it by the reins and she made it into what she wanted it to be.”

Gu, who was born in America but chose to compete for China in honor of her mother’s and grandmother’s heritage, secured her sixth Olympic medal with Sunday’s women’s halfpipe victory.

The champion reflected on conversations with her grandmother about pursuing professional skiing, including discussions about competing in the Milano Cortina Games.

“I didn’t promise her that I was going to win, but I did promise her that I was going to be brave like she has been brave,” Gu explained.

“And that’s why I keep referring to this theme of betting on myself and being brave and taking risks. It actually goes back to that promise I made my grandma.”

“I’m really happy that I was able to uphold that and hopefully do her proud,” she continued, “but it’s also a really difficult time for me now.”

Winter Olympics organizers are revealing the staggering food consumption numbers from the recent games, showing just how much fuel elite athletes need to compete at the highest level.

According to Andrea Varnier, CEO of the Milano Cortina Games, competitors went through approximately two wheels of Grana Padano cheese daily throughout the competition. Over the entire 16-day event, athletes consumed roughly one ton of the renowned Italian cheese.

The daily food totals were equally impressive: athletes downed about 132 pounds of Grana Padano cheese, 805 pounds of pasta, 10,000 eggs, 8,000 cups of coffee, and 12,000 pizza slices each day. When laid end to end, those pizza slices would stretch nearly 1,800 meters.

Varnier put the scale into perspective with another comparison. “Just to give an idea of the scale, if we stacked all the trays used for each meal every day, they would form a 60-km tower – around 18 times the height of Mount Tofana in Cortina, which is 3,225 metres high,” he explained.

The enormous food requirements reflect the high energy demands of elite athletic competition, Varnier noted. Kitchen staff prepared up to 4,500 meals daily at the Milan Olympic village, with nearly 4,000 more in Cortina and 2,300 in Predazzo. Planning the extensive menus required about twelve months of preparation, according to organizers.

Games chairman Giovanni Malago praised the results of that planning effort. “Apart from the quantity, everyone praised the quality of the food provided,” he stated.

The games proved successful beyond just feeding athletes well. Varnier reported that organizers sold approximately 1.3 million tickets, representing 88% of total available capacity across all competition sessions.

International visitors made up the majority of spectators, with 63% coming from outside Italy while 37% were domestic attendees. German visitors represented the largest foreign contingent at 15%, followed by Americans at 14%, and British and Swiss fans each comprising about 6% of the audience.

Several sports drew particularly strong crowds. “Among the most popular disciplines with spectators was skimo, introduced for the first time at these Olympics in Bormio, which was sold out in both sessions. It was followed by speed skating and short track, both at 95% capacity, figure skating at 93% and ice hockey at 93%,” Varnier reported.

The Olympic cauldrons in Milan and Cortina became major attractions themselves, emerging as some of the most photographed symbols from the 2026 Winter Games. Since February 6, approximately 300,000 people have watched the 88 daily four-minute light and music presentations at Milan’s Arco della Pace.

“It was a great success that energised the city,” Varnier said of the cauldron displays.

The twin cauldrons will present their final performance on Sunday before being temporarily extinguished during closing ceremonies in Verona. After remaining dark for several days, organizers will relight them with updated colors and music for the Paralympic Games running from March 6 through 15.

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy – German bobsledders delivered a spectacular performance at the Winter Olympics, securing gold medals in three team competitions while falling just short of a complete sweep when they narrowly lost the women’s Monobob event.

The impressive showing marked Germany’s second consecutive Olympics where their men’s teams occupied all three medal positions in their respective races – a feat no nation had accomplished before the Beijing Games four years earlier.

While Germany’s dominance was undeniable, it came after disappointing results in luge and skeleton events, where the traditional sliding powerhouse managed only three of five possible golds in luge and zero medals in skeleton after previously winning every title in those sports.

The Monobob competition provided the most dramatic moment when Germany’s Laura Nolte held the lead through three runs but stumbled in her final attempt. That opening allowed 41-year-old American Elana Meyers Taylor to claim her first Olympic gold after collecting three silver and two bronze medals across five Olympic appearances. Meyers Taylor edged Nolte by just four hundredths of a second, while defending champion Kaillie Humphries earned bronze for the United States.

Nolte quickly bounced back, successfully defending her Two-Woman title alongside pusher Deborah Levi. Despite holding a commanding lead after three runs, she executed her final run flawlessly this time, winning by half a second over teammate Lisa Buckwitz. Humphries added another bronze medal, bringing her Olympic total to six medals – three earned for Canada and three for the United States.

Germany’s most dominant performance came in the Two-Man event, where they had claimed all podium spots in six of seven World Cup races during the season. Johannes Lochner and Georg Fleischhauer controlled the competition from beginning to end, posting the fastest time in every run and finishing 1.34 seconds ahead of perennial champion Francesco Friedrich and Alexander Schuller. Adam Ammour and Alexander Schaller completed the German sweep with bronze.

The Four-Man competition nearly produced another complete German podium takeover, but Switzerland’s Michael Vogt disrupted those plans with a final-run surge to capture bronze – Switzerland’s first medal in the event in two decades. Lochner claimed his second gold of these Games while Friedrich settled for silver. Thorsten Margis, competing behind Lochner, made Olympic history by earning his fifth medal after previously winning four golds as Friedrich’s pusher.

Some observers argue that Germany’s technological superiority makes them nearly unbeatable in events where teams use their own equipment, unlike the Monobob where identical sleds level the playing field. Friedrich, now the most decorated Olympic bobsled pilot with four golds and two silvers, rejected those criticisms.

“If we look at the start times and we look at the lines that we drive on the ice and at the push, then the others don’t have to talk about our equipment,” Friedrich stated following the Two-Man sweep. “If they push fast, or faster than us, or they drive better than us, and they lose, then they can talk about the material. But until this point arrives, they have a lot of work to do.”

Norway’s Johannes Klaebo achieved unprecedented success on the slopes of Italy, claiming victory in every men’s cross-country skiing competition while a playful canine unexpectedly became an internet sensation during the Milano Cortina Olympics.

The 29-year-old Norwegian athlete made Winter Games history by capturing gold in all six men’s cross-country events, marking the first time any competitor has won six gold medals in a single Winter Olympics. His remarkable performance brings his Olympic career total to 11 gold medals, establishing a new Winter Olympics record and trailing only American swimmer Michael Phelps, who holds 23 golds overall.

French competitor Mathis Desloges, who earned three silver medals, praised the champion’s abilities: “He’s the best skier in the world. I will try to just do the same, maybe one day.”

The athlete known as “King Klaebo” dominated his competition with significant leads in nearly every competition, capturing social media attention when he powered up a challenging final ascent on his skis during one of his defining moments of the Games.

“It’s hard to find the words. It’s unbelievable,” Klaebo expressed following his final competition. “Even though I’ve been nervous at some of the competitions, it still feels really good to race, and I’m always looking forward to going out there, fighting for the medals.”

American men’s cross-country skiing also reached new heights, securing two medals for the first time in five decades and achieving their best-ever Olympic performance, suggesting a potential shift toward greater U.S. competitiveness in the discipline. Ben Ogden earned silver in the men’s classic sprint and added another medal with teammate Gus Schumacher in the team sprint event.

“This era started a while ago, but it’s cool to prove it at the Olympics,” Schumacher commented.

Sweden’s women nearly claimed every gold medal available, falling short only in the women’s relay due to multiple dramatic crashes by Ebba Andersson at the race’s start. Despite the setbacks, the Swedish team recovered to finish second behind Norway, overcoming a deficit of more than one minute and 20 seconds after Andersson lost equipment during a spectacular tumble.

These Olympics introduced the women’s 50km classic race for the first time, generating mixed reactions among competitors. Sweden’s Ebba Andersson dominated this inaugural event, winning by an impressive two minutes and 15 seconds, though silver medalist Heidi Weng criticized the distance as excessive.

American skier Jessie Diggins, competing in her fourth and final Olympics, celebrated the milestone: “I’m so proud to be part of the group doing the first-ever (women’s Olympic Winter Games) 50km. We should have had it all along, but now we finally get it and that’s amazing.”

Diggins placed fifth in the 50km race and earned bronze in the 10km freestyle, though her results fell below expectations after sustaining an injury earlier in the competition.

Beyond Klaebo’s impressive uphill charge, another moment captured global attention when Nazgul, a two-year-old wolfhound, unexpectedly joined the women’s team sprint qualifying round.

Video footage of the dog running alongside two competitors became one of the most cherished highlights of the entire Olympics.

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy – Johannes Lochner of Germany captured his second bobsled gold medal at the Milano-Cortina Olympic Games on Sunday, taking the Four-Man competition in what he announced would be his final competitive race.

The German athlete’s victory marked another dominant performance for Germany’s sliding sports program during these Olympics. Fellow German Francesco Friedrich, the two-time defending champion in this event, finished second to claim silver.

Germany nearly achieved an unprecedented sweep of all three medal positions, but Switzerland’s Michael Vogt managed to edge out German pilot Adam Ammour for the bronze medal on the final run by just four hundredths of a second.

Throughout his career, Lochner has often been overshadowed by Friedrich’s success, earning two Olympic silver medals while competing against his compatriot. However, this season has belonged to Lochner, who maintained his excellent form to achieve this double gold performance.

Lochner’s Four-Man team included Thorsten Margis, who earned his fifth Olympic gold medal, along with Jorn Wenzel and Georg Fleischhauer. Fleischhauer had also served as Lochner’s brakeman during their Two-Man victory earlier in the Games.

“It’s unbelievable that my plan worked out so perfectly with my last run,” Lochner said. “I still can’t believe it, and it will take forever for it to sink in.”

“It’s simply a dream that’s been playing out in my head for two years. That it’s now true – indescribable. This is a moment for eternity,” the German athlete continued. “This is the most perfect ending ever.”

Entering the final day of competition, Lochner held a 0.43-second advantage over Friedrich. Racing first in the rotation, he extended that margin during his third run down the track.

With his competitors unable to mount any serious challenge or make significant mistakes that might have created opportunities, Lochner navigated his final trip down the Cortina course without incident, ultimately winning by a commanding 0.57 seconds.

The victory represented a historic fifth Olympic gold for Margis, making him the most decorated bobsledder in Olympic history after his decision to switch from Friedrich’s crew to join Lochner’s team.

“It’s a little bit difficult to put that in words,” Margis explained. “One and a half years ago, Hansi (Lochner) asked me to come in his sled and we made a plan. It’s quite cool if such a plan works out, and it’s pretty amazing to beat the most successful bobsleigh pilot in the world for our time (Friedrich).”

“I am a little bit overwhelmed with my feelings,” he added.

Friedrich’s silver medal performance was sufficient to secure second place comfortably. His collection of four golds and two silvers from Olympic competition now surpasses Andre Lange’s record, establishing him as the most successful pilot in Olympic bobsled history.

Ammour, the third German pilot, had climbed to third place on Saturday after a disappointing fifth-place finish in his opening run. However, he entered the final run with only a slim lead over his closest pursuers. Early errors during that crucial final descent cost him the medal, allowing Vogt to secure Switzerland’s first medal in this event since they also earned bronze in 2006.

The Winter Olympics welcomed its newest sport this week as ski mountaineering took center stage in Bormio, Italy, marking a historic moment for Milano Cortina’s only fresh addition to the Games program.

Despite challenging weather conditions with heavy snowfall, the competition proceeded without issues and attracted enthusiastic spectators, giving competitors confidence that this debut won’t be the sport’s final Olympic appearance.

European nations demonstrated their strength in the discipline during both Thursday’s individual sprint competitions and Saturday’s team relay event, confirming their continued leadership in ski mountaineering worldwide.

Spain achieved a remarkable milestone when Oriol Cardona Coll captured his nation’s first Winter Olympic gold medal since 1972 in the men’s sprint competition on Thursday.

In the women’s sprint event, Switzerland’s Marianne Fatton upset the favored competitor Emily Harrop from France to claim victory.

Saturday’s mixed relay format featured one male and one female athlete from each country working together. Harrop, perhaps motivated by her earlier defeat, took control early alongside teammate Thibault Anselmet. The French pair maintained their advantage throughout the entire race to secure a decisive win. Switzerland’s Fatton teamed with Jon Kistler for second place, while Spain’s Cardona Coll partnered with Ana Alonso Rodriguez to earn bronze.

Team USA delivered an impressive performance as Anna Gibson and Cam Smith climbed to an unexpected fourth-place finish in the relay competition.

The newly minted Olympic medalists expressed strong hopes that their sport will continue appearing in future Games rather than becoming a one-time showcase.

Gibson reported encountering significant enthusiasm for ski mountaineering throughout her Olympic journey. When questioned about her message to officials deciding the sport’s future inclusion, she responded: “I’d say go re-watch the race. That was awesome. And also turn up the volume so you can hear the crowd cheering. I think it speaks enough for itself.”

All ski mountaineering competitions at the Games achieved complete ticket sales, demonstrating strong public interest.

Given France’s success in earning medals across every ski mountaineering event at Milano Cortina, the nation appears unlikely to exclude the sport when hosting the 2030 Winter Olympics.

USA SkiMo’s Head of Sport Sarah Cookler announced in December her intention to advocate for the sport’s presence at the 2034 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. She particularly emphasized including longer individual competitions, which many consider the core of ski mountaineering. The decision to omit these events from Milano Cortina created controversy within the sport’s community.

Olympic champion Cardona Coll remains optimistic about expansion opportunities.

“I think it will grow, this time we are doing the sprint race and mixed relay, hopefully in the next Olympic Games, it’s also going to be the individual race, which is the queen race of ski mountaineering,” he stated.

Swedish cross-country skier Ebba Andersson pulled away from the competition field to capture gold in Sunday’s historic 50-kilometer classic race, marking the first time women have competed at this distance in Olympic history.

The dominant performance in Tesero, Italy, served as sweet redemption for Andersson, who had experienced multiple tumbles during a relay competition that potentially prevented her team from earning gold.

Throughout these Milano-Cortina Games, Andersson has collected three runner-up finishes, including silver medals in both the skiathlon and 10-kilometer freestyle events, plus another second-place result following a strong relay comeback.

“That’s the point with sports. Sometimes you lose and sometimes you win, it’s both ups and downs. You just need to be patient in everything and trust the process, and that’s what I’ve been doing the past week,” she said.

Norway’s Heidi Weng captured the silver medal, crossing the finish line two minutes and 15 seconds after Andersson but maintaining a comfortable four-and-a-half-minute lead over bronze medalist Nadja Kaelin of Switzerland.

During the early stages, Andersson maintained the lead with Weng trailing closely, while other competitors battled for third place. Despite experiencing a minor tumble during an equipment change, Andersson managed to separate herself from Weng, and both athletes maintained secure positions for the race’s final half.

Kaelin made her decisive move during the concluding uphill section, pulling ahead of heavily favored American Jessie Diggins, who entered the competition as the top-ranked athlete.

“I tried until the end not to think about the medal, but then on the last uphill I was thinking, ‘OK, now let’s go for the medal’,” said Kaelin, who also earned silver in the team sprint competition.

Diggins, competing in her final Olympic event, finished fifth after recovering from her own fall during a ski change and collapsed upon reaching the finish line. Kaelin completed the course six minutes and 41 seconds behind Andersson.

Two Swedish medal contenders, Jonna Sundling and Frida Karlsson, withdrew from the competition due to illness, while Norway’s Astrid Oeyre Slind exited early.

“At first, I tried to fight for it, but then I realised that I didn’t have a chance today. I’ve been in this situation before and tried to finish the race, and it just doesn’t (work),” she said.

This competition marked the inaugural time women have raced this distance at Olympic Games. While some athletes embraced the challenge, others questioned whether the distance was excessive, especially with World Cup competition resuming soon.

“It’s too long. But it was good to have family here to support me,” said silver medallist Weng.

American figure skater Alysa Liu achieved an incredible comeback story by capturing Olympic gold in the women’s competition, while her teammate Ilia Malinin experienced a devastating fall from grace during a competition filled with unexpected twists in Milan.

Liu had walked away from competitive skating at age 16 following the 2022 Beijing Olympics, citing exhaustion and burnout. Two years later, the California skater returned to the ice with renewed strength and artistic vision.

The American athlete clinched her victory with a spectacular final performance that included seven flawless triple jumps. As the packed arena erupted in applause, Liu gestured toward the heavens in celebration.

Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto settled for silver in what will be her final Olympic appearance, though Japanese skating showed promise for the future. Seventeen-year-old Ami Nakai earned bronze while 20-year-old Mone Chiba placed fourth, both making impressive Olympic debuts.

The men’s competition told a dramatically different story as Malinin’s performance crumbled before a celebrity-filled audience.

The two-time world champion entered the final skate with a commanding lead, expected by many to claim Olympic gold. His revolutionary jumping ability has redefined the sport, but those skills abandoned him when it mattered most.

Malinin’s signature quadruple Axel – a jump no other competitor has successfully completed in competition – reduced to a simple single rotation. Two additional falls sent him tumbling to eighth place overall.

“I blew it,” Malinin stated directly after his performance.

Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov seized the opportunity to claim the men’s title, appearing shocked as the final results confirmed his unexpected victory.

The 21-year-old American acknowledged that mental exhaustion contributed to his struggles. He revealed receiving support from gymnastics superstar Simone Biles, who attended the men’s final.

Biles overcame her own mental challenges following the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, eventually returning to dominate at the 2024 Paris Games. Malinin hopes to follow a similar path of redemption at the next Winter Olympics in France.

Despite his disappointment, Malinin has shown grace in defeat, supporting his teammates from the audience and delivering a powerful exhibition performance that addressed the pressures of modern athletic fame and social media scrutiny.

The ice dancing competition produced another surprise result, as France’s newly-formed team of Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron upset American veterans Madison Chock and Evan Bates, who had won three world championships.

In pairs skating, Japan’s Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara delivered their career-best performance to win their nation’s first Olympic pairs gold medal with a commanding Gladiator-themed routine.

The 10-day competition began with Liu and Malinin helping Team USA narrowly defeat Japan for their second consecutive Olympic team championship.

The games concluded with Malinin’s exhibition skate, where his signature backflip earned a standing ovation that seemed to acknowledge both his exceptional talent and the immense pressure he had endured.

“I feel like this gala has been so helpful to overcome the stress of everything that happened to me over the last week,” Malinin wrote afterward. “Glad I am able to express myself in such a poetic way.”

The genteel sport of curling is wrestling with a fundamental question about its future after a heated Olympic controversy exposed serious flaws in how the game polices itself.

For generations, curling has operated on an honor system where athletes are trusted to call their own rule violations. But that tradition came under intense scrutiny when Swedish and Canadian teams engaged in a bitter dispute over alleged cheating, complete with profanity and accusations flying on the ice.

Officials found themselves powerless to do much beyond issuing warnings after the heated exchange, highlighting the limitations of the current system. When World Curling attempted to give referees more authority, players immediately pushed back and criticized the training of officials, forcing leadership to quickly reverse course.

World Curling President Beau Welling acknowledged the sport’s governing body was already examining potential changes before the Olympic incident.

“We were in the process of looking at some rules, empowering our umpires. We have highly trained umpires, but their role, pursuant to our rules, is really to help players make decisions,” Welling explained to Reuters.

“The actual power about rules and infractions are with the players. We come from a call-your-own-foul sort of culture, but we increasingly see a need to have more umpires be able to make decisions.”

Welling emphasized that expanding referee authority would represent a fundamental shift that couldn’t happen quickly.

“It’s a change for athletes, who have to be willing to accept decisions,” he noted.

“Umpires have to be confident to make decisions, and we’ve got to make sure that those decisions are accurate. It’s a process for us. If anything, this might have accelerated that process.”

The Olympic controversy reached a boiling point when Canadian player Marc Kennedy, who cursed twice during the dispute, proclaimed that curling’s traditional spirit had died and predicted teams would resort to any tactics necessary for victory.

Despite the turmoil, Welling maintains the sport can evolve while preserving its core values.

“It is a game of honour, integrity, and values. We don’t ever want to lose that,” he stated.

“We still want that to be part of our DNA… We’ve got to hold on to the spirit of curling, but we have to adapt.

“No offence to the NBA, but we don’t want to become like that. Is the spirit of the sport going to be challenged? Yes. Do I think we’re going to have to evolve? Yes. But we all want to keep that.”

While the controversy raised questions about curling’s future, it also delivered an unexpected benefit: unprecedented attention for the typically low-profile sport.

The heated exchanges sparked countless internet memes, intense online discussions, and extensive media coverage worldwide.

“I tend to be in the camp that any publicity is good publicity, to be honest, and this has certainly put a lot more eyeballs on the sport,” Welling observed.

“I’ve got people calling me from the United States that are like, ‘holy smokes, I didn’t realise you guys did that in curling’.

“We’ve also had incredible curling, and the publicity that we’re getting really around the world is just amazing… It’s very exciting, so we’ve been super pleased with the Games.”

Looking toward the 2030 Winter Olympics, Welling expressed optimism about upcoming developments, particularly changes to the world championship structure.

Starting in the 2026-27 season, the annual world tournament will grow from 13 to 18 participating teams, a move Welling believes will boost revenue, increase global interest, and provide more countries with pathways to Olympic qualification.

“It’s really going to make curling even broader … you’re going to have more countries have a more realistic chance to qualify for 2030 than we would have had for 2026,” he concluded.

Following a disappointing performance at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, Canada’s top Olympic official is pressing Prime Minister Mark Carney to significantly increase sports funding if the nation wants to maintain its status as a winter sports powerhouse.

David Shoemaker, head of the Canadian Olympic Committee, made his case during a Sunday press conference after Canada fell short of its medal expectations. The country had set a goal to exceed the 26 medals earned at the 2022 Beijing Olympics but will conclude these Games with a maximum of 21 medals.

“It was just a month ago that Prime Minister (Mark) Carney made international headlines with his inspiring speech at Davos (World Economic Forum),” Shoemaker stated. “In that speech, he talked in large part about ambition, about the strength of Canada at home and the values we can and should project to the world. We realise sport isn’t the answer to all of this government’s many urgent priorities.”

Shoemaker continued his appeal to the Prime Minister, saying: “But to Prime Minister Carney, who addressed Team Canada in a hockey jersey, who called Team Canada athletes as they topped the podium this week, who believes as much as anyone in the power of sport, I would say this: Sport is an integral part of that strength of character and country.”

“Sport represents a set of values that define us. Through sport, we have a real opportunity, if not a responsibility, to be ambitious about how we want to show up as a nation, both on the world stage and in communities across the country,” he added.

The funding crisis has been building for years. Canadian Olympic and Paralympic committees, along with national sports organizations, had requested a $144 million funding increase in Carney’s November 4 budget to compensate for two decades of stagnant support.

However, the federal budget allocated no additional money for sports programs.

“Core funding for national sports organisations has not increased in 20 years,” Shoemaker emphasized. “It needs to. It’s the money these organisations count on to fund operations, athletes, coaches and support staff. They safeguard the pathway from playground to podium.”

The medal shortfall represents a significant decline from Canada’s peak winter Olympic performances. The nation captured a record 29 medals at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games and led in gold medals with 14 during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, finishing third overall with 26 total medals.

Canada’s chef de mission Jennifer Heil warned about the broader implications of the funding freeze. “Flat operational funding to NSOs in an inflationary world is a cut,” she explained. “We’re creating a pay-to-play system in Canada, where wealth and luck are some of the major determining factors as to who gets to stand on a podium.”

Despite the overall disappointment, Canada’s hockey programs showed their traditional strength, with both men’s and women’s teams competing for gold medals. The women’s team fell to their longtime rivals, the United States, in the championship game.

“Those are two of the greatest rivalries in Olympic sport, certainly in the Winter Games,” Shoemaker noted. “We know that people have been trying their best to find jerseys here in Milan and they’re not available. And even back home, stores are sold out.”

Shoemaker believes the enthusiasm for these iconic sporting moments reflects deeper national aspirations beyond athletics. “It goes back to that core message, that this feeling of patriotism, pride in country, the aspiration to do great things on the world stage, to sing ‘O Canada,’” he said.

These Olympics also raised challenging questions about Canada’s international presence, according to Shoemaker. “These Games brought us together, as they always do,” he reflected. “In return, they provided an opportunity to ask ourselves, ‘How do we want to show up on the world stage? What kind of country do we want to represent? Who do we want to be?’”

“In some ways, I think waiting eight days for a gold medal emphasised this point,” he added.

The wait for Canada’s first gold medal became historically significant when Mikael Kingsbury finally broke through on Day 9, marking the nation’s longest drought for an Olympic title since the 1988 Calgary Games.

Looking ahead, Shoemaker expressed determination to continue advocating for increased support. “We see the countries ahead of us,” he concluded. “We aspire to do better. What you’re sensing from us is this collective seriousness that in order to do better we have to continue delivering this message.”

MILAN (AP) — NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman envisioned February 2025’s 4 Nations Face-Off as an appetizer for Olympic hockey when organizers first planned the tournament.

The event exceeded expectations, becoming both a spectacular showcase that spotlighted the sport and a strategic roadmap for Team USA and Canada’s Olympic roster construction. This marked the first international competition featuring the world’s elite players in almost ten years, providing crucial insights that shaped USA Hockey and Hockey Canada’s decisions throughout the past year.

The strategy proved successful as both nations secured spots in Sunday’s gold medal match — a repeat of the 4 Nations championship game. Canada claimed that overtime victory, setting up this highly anticipated rematch. While the Olympics feature multiple competitive teams with no guaranteed outcomes, the final will now put both countries’ roster decisions to the ultimate test.

“We didn’t build our team just to play Canada,” U.S. general manager Bill Guerin said. “We built the best team possible. We feel that we built the best team possible. We did that with us in mind. We’re worried about us, not anybody else.”

Guerin’s management team chose to retain forwards Vincent Trocheck and J.T. Miller for their penalty-killing abilities and defensive skills. Meanwhile, four of America’s top ten league scorers — Jason Robertson, Lane Hutson, Cole Caufield and Alex DeBrincat — didn’t make the Olympic cut.

Team USA prioritized players capable of handling specialized roles while maintaining flexibility across different line combinations, allowing coach Mike Sullivan to adjust throughout the tournament.

“One of the things that we’ve tried to do is cast these guys in roles where they know what the expectations are and the contribution that they can make to help us have success,” Sullivan said.

Canada introduced six fresh faces not present at 4 Nations, with injuries to Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli opening opportunities for Sam Bennett and Seth Jarvis. Among the notable additions is 19-year-old Macklin Celebrini, who has impressed since beginning his NHL rookie season in fall 2024.

“I didn’t even know I was on the radar or even in the conversation,” Celebrini said. “When (GM Doug Armstrong) brought that to my attention, it was a little bit of a push and excitement —- just a little bit more of something that I can look forward to and work to.”

Celebrini has emerged as one of Canada’s standout performers with 10 points, trailing only tournament leader and teammate Connor McDavid’s 13 points.

“He’s got a lot of skill and a lot of confidence,” winger Mitch Marner said. “He’s not afraid of the big moments.”

Another fresh addition, Nick Suzuki, netted the equalizing goal when Canada faced elimination with less than four minutes remaining in their quarterfinal match. Tom Wilson earned a starting position on the right wing alongside Celebrini and McDavid, contributing size, physical play, and even fighting to Canada’s Olympic campaign.

Canada replaced both goaltenders from 4 Nations, selecting Logan Thompson and Darcy Kuemper this time, though coach Jon Cooper had already designated Jordan Binnington as his starter. Cooper made this decision immediately following Binnington’s championship performance at 4 Nations, and the 32-year-old goalie’s stellar play through his first four Olympic starts confirmed that choice.

“You don’t have to be a scout to see what he did in the Stanley Cup (Final), what he did in the 4 Nations, and there’s a massive belief,” Armstrong said. “When players see that time and time again, that’s just a foundation that they know that, ‘OK, when push comes to shove, we have faith in this guy,’ and I think that’s where they are with Binner.”

Team USA has leaned heavily on Connor Hellebuyck, who excelled during 4 Nations and currently holds the NHL MVP award and Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender. Similar to how Binnington knows the American players who will attempt to score against him, Hellebuyck is familiar with Canada’s star-filled roster.

“He’s won a lot of trophies,” winger Jake Guentzel said. “We feel good with him back there.”

MILAN – While American Jordan Stolz arrived at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics as speed skating’s marquee star, it was Italy’s Francesca Lollobrigida who stole the spotlight and ignited passionate celebrations at the home venue.

Lollobrigida, the great-niece of legendary actress Gina Lollobrigida, launched Italy’s medal campaign with a stunning triumph in the women’s 3,000-meter race on her 35th birthday, securing the host country’s opening gold medal of the Games.

A week later, she captured another victory in the 5,000-meter event, making her achievement even more remarkable considering her quick return to elite competition following the birth of her son Tommaso in May 2023.

The Italian success story continued with their men’s team pursuit squad, who shocked the heavily-favored American team in one of the competition’s most surprising outcomes.

Andrea Giovannini’s viral “night-night” celebration – inspired by basketball star Stephen Curry – perfectly embodied the jubilant atmosphere surrounding the Italian team.

However, the competition also delivered crushing disappointment. Joep Wennemars, who held the 2025 world championship title in the 1,000 meters, watched his medal dreams disappear following a crash with China’s Lian Ziwen.

China found their moment of glory when Ning Zhongyan, previously known for close calls, finally broke through with a masterful performance to defeat both Stolz and two-time defending champion Kjeld Nuis in the men’s 1,500-meter final.

The Netherlands showcased their traditional dominance throughout the competition. Jutta Leerdam secured their opening victory in the women’s 1,000 meters, followed by Femke Kok’s triumph in the 500 meters and Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong’s gold in the 1,500 meters.

The Dutch concluded their campaign in style on the final day, with 40-year-old Jorrit Bergsma and Marijke Groenewoud claiming both mass start events, demonstrating their nation’s remarkable depth across all distances.

Despite facing unexpected challenges, Stolz delivered an impressive individual performance, capturing gold medals in both the men’s 500 and 1,000 meters while earning silver in the 1,500 meters.

Other notable performances included Norway’s Sander Eitrem, who justified his world record credentials by winning the men’s 5,000 meters, and Czech teenager Matej Jilek, who enhanced his rising reputation with a victory in the 10,000 meters.

Canada provided another memorable moment by successfully retaining their women’s team pursuit championship.

These thrilling competitions took place on an innovative temporary track built inside a Milan exhibition center – an exceptionally fast surface that produced seven Olympic records before being taken down.

LIVIGNO, Italy – Chinese athlete Eileen Gu has made Olympic history by successfully defending her women’s halfpipe championship at the Winter Games, capturing her sixth Olympic medal to become the most accomplished freestyle skier in Olympic competition.

The 22-year-old athlete claimed gold on Sunday with a score of 94.75, overcoming a disappointing first run by delivering strong performances in her second and third attempts. Fellow Chinese competitor Li Fanghui earned the silver medal, while Britain’s Zoe Atkin took home bronze.

Gu’s latest victory adds to an impressive collection that includes silver medals in big air and slopestyle events at these same games in Livigno. Her medal count also features two gold medals and one silver from the Beijing Olympics held four years earlier on Chinese soil.

This achievement places Gu ahead of Canada’s Mikael Kingsbury at the pinnacle of Olympic freestyle skiing medal winners, breaking their previous tie for the record.

Li secured her silver medal position with a strong second run, then improved her performance to 93.00 points on her final attempt. World champion Atkin, who like Gu was born in America but competes for her parent’s home country, delivered her strongest performance of the competition but fell just short with a score of 92.50.

The competition faced a one-day delay due to heavy snowfall that forced organizers to postpone Saturday’s originally scheduled final at the Italian Alpine venue.

MILAN – Olympic officials are celebrating what they’re calling an extraordinary achievement at the Milano Cortina Winter Games, which wrapped up despite facing numerous construction setbacks and organizational challenges leading up to the international competition.

The winter sports spectacular, which kicked off February 6 with an elaborate opening ceremony at Milan’s San Siro stadium, had been under intense scrutiny for years as organizers struggled with tight construction timelines and venue delays scattered throughout northern Italy.

As the final curtain prepares to drop at Sunday’s closing ceremony in Verona’s arena, both event organizers and International Olympic Committee leadership are expressing relief and satisfaction.

IOC President Kirsty Coventry praised the effort during her remarks to committee members, stating: “They have been fantastic. It could not happen without incredible teamwork… and we had it every step of the way.”

Coventry, who is overseeing her first Olympics since being elected last year, added: “Over the last two weeks we have seen and experienced incredible Games. I have no words really.”

The positive outcome represents a dramatic turnaround from just weeks before the Games began, when organizers were racing against time to finish the Santagiulia ice hockey facility and the controversial new sliding center in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

The sliding center project became a major point of contention during preparations due to its hefty price tag and compressed construction schedule. Italy made the decision in 2023 to proceed with building the new facility, rejecting IOC recommendations to relocate those events to an existing track in another nation.

Italian officials insisted on keeping all Olympic competitions within their borders, adding significant pressure to an already strained organizational effort.

Political tensions also surfaced on opening day, with demonstrators protesting the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement analysts, while Vice President JD Vance faced crowd disapproval when appearing on stadium screens during the ceremony.

The IOC’s pre-Games concerns were evident when Milano Cortina chief Giovanni Malago, himself an IOC member, suffered a stunning defeat in his bid for the Olympic committee’s executive board just before the opening ceremony. An overwhelming 48 members voted against him in an unusual rebuke of a host nation representative.

However, once competition began, most operations proceeded smoothly, catching organizers off guard with their success.

Unlike many Olympic Games that face operational hiccups or atmosphere problems, the Italian event avoided major crises while benefiting from cooperative winter weather that provided spectacular Alpine scenery.

Early worries about transportation between Milan and the mountain venues in the Dolomites quickly subsided, largely because most spectators chose to remain in either the city or mountain locations rather than make the lengthy six-to-seven-hour journey between sites.

The European timing also boosted television audiences across the continent and in North America compared to recent Asian-hosted winter Games. NBC Universal reported selling out all advertising slots a full month before competition started.

The Games received additional momentum from Italy’s strong medal performance, with the host nation capturing 30 medals including 10 golds by Sunday morning, placing them among the top five countries. Domestic interest surged during competition, with several hundred thousand additional tickets sold to bring the total to approximately 1.5 million, up from 1.2 million at the start.

Games chief Malago expressed gratitude to the IOC session, saying: “Thank you for never ceasing to believing in us. For supporting us in the most difficult moments and there were not a few.”

He concluded: “Together we were stronger than any challenge and any adversity.”

ANTERSELVA, Italy – The International Olympic Committee presented its highest honor, the Olympic Order, to International Biathlon Union President Olle Dahlin on Sunday, celebrating his transformative leadership of the winter sport over the past eight years.

The 71-year-old former athlete, who competed in both biathlon and cross-country skiing, received the recognition during the IOC’s closing session, just one day after biathlon concluded its spectacular Olympic run. Dahlin plans to retire from his presidential role before the year ends.

“It has been a fantastic journey, not least this international journey that is being crowned with the Olympic Order, which is perhaps the finest prize in sports in the world. It is a huge honour,” Dahlin shared during an interview at the Antholz-Anterselva Biathlon Centre.

The Swedish leader emphasized how far the sport has progressed under his guidance. “It’s been a tremendous journey in biathlon, it’s now at a top, top level and can be compared to many, if not all, of the world’s biggest sports in terms of the level it is at,” he explained.

“At the Olympics we have seen the development over recent decades on the world stage, the biggest stage that exists. We have top-class stadiums, and our World Cup competition is at a very high level,” Dahlin added.

The recent Olympic competition showcased the sport’s evolution, with massive crowds witnessing intense battles where traditional powerhouses Norway and France claimed multiple medals, though they faced strong challenges from emerging nations.

Nations like Bulgaria and the Czech Republic celebrated bronze medal victories, demonstrating the success of IBU initiatives under Dahlin’s leadership to level the competitive playing field and give smaller countries better opportunities to compete.

The women’s mass start finale exemplified biathlon at its peak, as France’s Oceane Michelon delivered a thrilling final lap performance to overtake Czech Republic’s Tereza Vobornikova for the gold medal, all unfolding before a roaring crowd of enthusiastic spectators.

Dahlin takes particular pride in the IBU’s investment in the Anterselva venue, located in Italy’s biathlon stronghold region, which created an electric atmosphere that captivated fans throughout the competition.

“It’s primarily the atmosphere that has been fantastic. We had the biggest arena at the Olympics with space for 19,000 fans, so we’ve had around 200,000 here in total,” Dahlin noted.

“When people who have never seen biathlon live before come here and experience this, it’s a huge surprise, so it’s been so positive to receive these visitors,” he continued.

Throughout his tenure, Dahlin has championed a data-focused and creative strategy for developing the sport at grassroots levels, with particular emphasis on expanding biathlon’s reach beyond its traditional European base.

“It’s probably easiest to focus on where we already have, but we also see two particular areas where we can focus – North America and Asia – so we’re working with developing the sport there, and also the communication,” he explained.

Attracting new audiences represents a cornerstone of the IBU’s future strategy, leading the organization to significantly expand its internal media and communications operations to connect with potential fans worldwide.

This growing popularity has generated increased revenue streams, providing the IBU with additional resources for further investment in sport development.

“I often say money isn’t everything, but it’s good to have,” Dahlin remarked with a laugh. “Last year we organised a tournament on roller skis in downtown Munich. It cost a lot of money but we had 50,000 fans.”

“We’ve also had more than 100,000 young people test biathlon with laser rifles, so that’s the kind of investment we’re going to make – these things are gaining us more fans, but they are also giving biathlon a future,” he concluded.

Italy will conclude two weeks of Olympic competition on Sunday evening with an elaborate farewell celebration at the historic Verona Arena, the ancient Roman amphitheater that has hosted countless performances over the centuries.

The finale, titled “Beauty in Action,” begins at 8:30 p.m. local time and will showcase renowned Italian ballet star Roberto Bolle while highlighting the nation’s artistic legacy alongside its sporting accomplishments.

Organizers expect a more festive and casual atmosphere compared to the opening ceremonies, now that all medals have been awarded. Italian performer Achille Lauro and DJ/producer Gabry Ponte are set to energize the crowd, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni attending as a special guest.

The venue itself carries significant cultural weight – the open-air Roman structure is famous for opera performances and concerts in the northern Italian city that Shakespeare immortalized in “Romeo and Juliet.”

Attendees paid between 950 euros ($1,120) and 2,900 euros for tickets, with favorable weather conditions expected for the outdoor event.

The Winter Games, jointly hosted by Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, have earned praise from new International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry, while Italy’s record-breaking medal performance has boosted national spirits. However, some protesters opposing the Games are anticipated to gather near the Arena on Sunday.

These Olympics followed an innovative format, spreading competitions across northern Italy’s mountainous region. Athletes have responded favorably to the arrangement.

“I would say … to Italy, I think that they did an absolutely fantastic job hosting the Olympics,” said U.S. freestyle skier Christopher Lillis, who commended the facilities, cuisine, and welcoming environment.

“So I want to give a huge shout-out to them, because hosting the Olympics is no easy feat,” added Lillis, who captured gold in the mixed team aerials competition in the mountain resort of Livigno.

Political tensions emerged during the opening ceremony at Milan’s San Siro stadium, where U.S. Vice President JD Vance faced crowd disapproval and the Israeli delegation encountered some negative reactions.

Olympic flames have been burning in both host cities since the Games began on February 6. These will be put out Sunday but will be rekindled for the Paralympic Games running March 6-15.

Italy will officially transfer hosting responsibilities to the French Alps, which will stage the next Winter Olympics in 2030.

MILAN — The stage is set for the ultimate Olympic hockey showdown as Team USA and Canada prepare to battle for gold in Milan.

The North American hockey giants have proven their dominance throughout the tournament, with both nations advancing to what many consider the most anticipated final matchup possible. Team USA secured their spot by defeating Sweden, while Canada mounted a comeback victory over Finland after trailing by two goals in their semifinal clash.

The rivalry between these neighboring countries has been building momentum, particularly following their intense matchups during last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, which demonstrated their status as the world’s premier hockey nations.

“If you’re going to get through to your goal, you’re going to probably have to go through them at some point,” U.S. winger Matthew Tkachuk said. “They’ve had the success in pretty much all the Olympics that NHL players have been going to. Two great teams, and I can only speak for ourselves, we’re just so excited for this opportunity, honored to represent our country and honored to be in this position.”

Canada enters the final as the defending Olympic champion, having captured gold in both 2010 and 2014 when NHL players last competed in the Games. Meanwhile, Team USA is still chasing their first Olympic gold since the legendary 1980 “Miracle on Ice” victory.

The recent 4 Nations tournament showcased the intensity between these rivals, including one memorable game that began with three fights occurring within the first nine seconds. While Olympic rules prohibit fighting, the competitive fire remains evident, as demonstrated when Canada’s Tom Wilson accepted an automatic ejection for dropping his gloves against France.

“There’s no fighting (but) I expect a hard-fought game, the same as it was the last two times we played them,” U.S. forward J.T. Miller said.

Canada may face a significant challenge with captain Sidney Crosby’s status uncertain after he sustained what appeared to be a right knee injury during their quarterfinal victory over Czechia. Crosby was unable to participate in the semifinal against Finland.

Team USA appears to have better health heading into the championship game. Forward Tage Thompson, who shares the team lead with three goals, briefly left the semifinal after blocking a shot but is anticipated to be ready for the gold medal contest.

For many players, this represents a career-defining moment that will be remembered long after their playing days end.

“Everybody that’s playing is going to be 50 years old one day, not playing in the NHL anymore and playing thousands of games hopefully, and you’re going to remember start to finish a handful of games,” Tkachuk said. “This is probably one of them.”

Third-ranked Duke delivered a statement victory Saturday night, defeating the nation’s number one team Michigan 68-63 in a highly anticipated neutral-site battle in Washington D.C.

Cameron Boozer paced the Blue Devils’ attack with 18 points while controlling the glass with a game-leading 10 rebounds. Duke (25-2) received strong support from Isaiah Evans who contributed 14 points, followed by Caleb Foster with 12 and Patrick Ngongba II adding 11. Boozer also facilitated the offense effectively, dishing out a game-high seven assists as the Blue Devils dominated the rebounding battle 41-28.

For Michigan (25-2), Yaxel Lendeborg provided the offensive spark with 21 points, including 16 in the opening half. Morez Johnson Jr. chipped in 13 points while Aday Mara was perfect from the floor, converting all four field goal attempts for 10 points despite foul difficulties. However, the Wolverines struggled with their shooting touch, connecting on just 40% of their field goals and managing only 6-of-25 attempts from beyond the arc. The loss snapped Michigan’s 11-game winning streak.

The matchup drew significant attention, with the NCAA Tournament selection committee earlier that day identifying Michigan and Duke as the top two overall seeds in their bracket preview. A crowd of 20,537 witnessed the contest, marking the season’s largest attendance for a neutral-site game.

In other Top 25 action, fourth-ranked Arizona stunned second-ranked Houston 73-66 on the road, with reserve Anthony Dell’Orso matching his season-best 22 points. The victory gave Arizona (25-2, 12-2 Big 12) sole possession of the conference lead while handing Houston (23-4, 11-3) their first home defeat of the season.

Fifth-ranked UConn bounced back from a recent setback, defeating Villanova 73-63 in Philadelphia. Alex Karaban scored eight of his 12 points after halftime as the Huskies (25-3, 15-2 Big East) received balanced scoring from all five starters.

In a major upset, 23rd-ranked BYU knocked off sixth-ranked Iowa State 79-69 behind AJ Dybantsa’s outstanding performance of 29 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. The Cougars improved to 11-2 at home in Provo, Utah.

Unranked Cincinnati delivered the day’s biggest shock, routing eighth-ranked Kansas 84-68 in Lawrence. Moustapha Thiam led the Bearcats with 28 points and eight rebounds in what became the most lopsided loss to an unranked opponent during Bill Self’s 23-year tenure with the Jayhawks.

Ninth-ranked Nebraska got back on track with an 87-64 victory over Penn State, powered by Pryce Sandfort’s career-high 33 points. Sandfort connected on a personal-best eight three-pointers, extending his school record for threes in a season to 98.

UCLA provided the day’s most dramatic finish, with Donovan Dent driving the length of the court for a game-winning layup as time expired in overtime to defeat 10th-ranked Illinois 95-94. Dent finished with 14 points and a career-high 15 assists for the Bruins.

Other notable results included 11th-ranked Gonzaga holding off Pacific 71-62 behind Graham Ike’s 20 points, which extended his streak of 20-point games to nine consecutive contests, breaking a school record. Twelfth-ranked Florida continued their hot streak with a 94-75 victory over Ole Miss for their seventh straight win, while 13th-ranked Texas Tech bounced back from adversity to rout Kansas State 100-72.

Fourteenth-ranked Virginia extended their winning streak to eight games with an 86-83 victory over Miami, sealed by Chance Mallory’s three free throws with 3.6 seconds remaining. Sixteenth-ranked North Carolina got 19 points from Henri Veesaar in his return to defeat Syracuse 77-64.

Seventeenth-ranked St. John’s continued their impressive run, extending their winning streak to 13 games with an 81-52 domination of Creighton. The Red Storm now lead the Big East Conference and are riding their longest winning streak since 1985.

In upset victories by unranked teams, Tennessee knocked off 19th-ranked Vanderbilt 69-65 behind 17 points from Ja’Kobi Gillespie, while 20th-ranked Arkansas overcame an early deficit to defeat Missouri 94-86.

Twenty-first-ranked Louisville bounced back from a difficult loss earlier in the week, defeating Georgia Tech 87-70 in a dominant home performance. Finally, 25th-ranked Alabama completed the day’s action with a 90-83 victory over LSU, extending their winning streak to six games.

Despite struggling with his shot all night long, Jalen Green delivered when it mattered most, drilling a three-pointer as time expired to give the Phoenix Suns a thrilling 113-110 double-overtime victory over the Orlando Magic on Saturday night.

Green’s heroics capped off a remarkable performance from Grayson Allen, who returned from a four-game injury absence to pour in 27 points for the home team. The Suns also dealt with the loss of Dillon Brooks during the contest but managed to pull through in dramatic fashion.

The clutch three-pointer marked Green’s first career game-winning shot, making up for what had been a difficult evening from the field where he connected on just 6 of 26 attempts. Green took control in the final moments, netting Phoenix’s last six points including a driving left-handed layup that put the Suns ahead 110-107 with 33.9 seconds remaining. When Orlando’s Jevon Carter answered with a three-pointer to tie the game, Green responded immediately with his buzzer-beating heroics.

Collin Gillespie contributed 19 points for Phoenix, which played without All-Star Devon Booker. The star guard will miss at least seven days due to a hip injury he suffered during Thursday’s defeat.

Orlando received strong performances from Desmond Bane, who tallied 34 points before fouling out during overtime, while Paolo Banchero added 26 points and Carter finished with 15.

In other NBA action, the New York Knicks staged a remarkable comeback at home, overcoming an 18-point fourth-quarter deficit to edge Houston 108-106. Jalen Brunson provided the decisive basket with 29.5 seconds remaining.

Houston had seized control by outscoring New York 72-41 over a 24-minute stretch, building a 93-75 advantage on Dorian Finney-Smith’s layup with 10:53 left. However, the Knicks responded with a 33-13 run to close the game, holding the Rockets to 4-of-15 shooting while forcing nine turnovers down the stretch.

The drama continued until the final seconds, as Kevin Durant connected on a three-pointer with 2.4 seconds left to pull Houston within 107-106 after OG Anunoby had extended New York’s lead with two free throws. Durant’s desperation half-court attempt at the buzzer fell short after Landry Shamet split a pair of free throws.

New Orleans dominated Philadelphia 126-111 behind Jordan Poole’s 23 points, with seven Pelicans players reaching double figures. Zion Williamson contributed 21 points, eight assists, six rebounds and three steals, while Saddiq Bey added 20 points. DeAndre Jordan, the former 76er, grabbed 15 rebounds to go with six points and four blocks.

Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 27 points, seven assists and five steals but struggled with his shooting, connecting on just 9 of 23 field goal attempts. Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 25 points for the 76ers, who have now dropped eight of their past nine games while playing without Joel Embiid due to knee and shin issues.

Miami rolled past Memphis 136-120 at home, with Andrew Wiggins leading the way with 28 points and Norman Powell adding 25. The victory improved the Heat to 17-11 in home games and handed the Grizzlies their 11th loss in 14 games. Tyler Herro contributed 14 points and six assists in just his second game back after missing over a month with three fractured ribs.

GG Jackson paced Memphis with a season-high 28 points and nine rebounds off the bench, while Jaylen Wells scored 25 points. The loss dropped the Grizzlies to 9-18 in road contests.

Detroit rolled past Chicago 126-110, with Jalen Duren recording 26 points and 13 rebounds while Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris each scored 18. The Pistons forced 23 turnovers and dominated inside with a 68-38 advantage in paint scoring. The defeat extended Chicago’s losing streak to eight games, a new season-worst that surpassed their previous seven-game skid from late November to early December.

Josh Giddey led the Bulls with 27 points and five three-pointers, while Matas Buzelis, Isaac Okoro and Jalen Smith each contributed 15 points.

Finally, San Antonio extended their season-best winning streak to eight games with a 139-122 victory over Sacramento in Austin, Texas. Victor Wembanyama posted 28 points, 15 rebounds, six assists and four blocks to lead the balanced attack. The loss extended Sacramento’s franchise-record losing streak to 16 consecutive games, with Keegan Murray and DeMar DeRozan each scoring 20 points in the defeat.

The 19th-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers delivered a commanding performance Saturday, overwhelming Oklahoma State 72-40 in Morgantown, West Virginia.

Leading the charge for the Mountaineers was Gia Cooke, who tallied 21 points to pace all scorers. Kierra Wheeler contributed significantly with a double-double performance, recording 18 points and pulling down 10 rebounds in the decisive victory.

West Virginia (22-6, 12-4 Big 12) has been on a strong run lately, capturing five victories in their past six contests. The Mountaineers established control early, taking a 23-12 advantage after the opening period before expanding their lead to 49-23 by the intermission. Cooke was particularly effective in the first half, dropping 16 points while making 6 of 10 field goal attempts and connecting on 4 of 7 three-point shots.

Jordan Harrison provided additional offensive support with 12 points while distributing seven assists and recording five steals. The Mountaineers shot an impressive 50.9% from the field, vastly outperforming Oklahoma State’s 23.1% shooting percentage. The Cowgirls (21-8, 10-6) struggled particularly from long range, converting just 5 of 26 three-point attempts for 19.2%, and managed only five points during the third quarter.

For Oklahoma State, Stailee Heard was the only player to reach double figures, finishing with 13 points and eight rebounds. Micah Gray, who entered the game averaging a team-leading 15.0 points per contest, was held to just three points on 1-of-14 shooting, including 1 of 9 from beyond the arc.

No. 15 Baylor 74, Arizona 60

The Bears mounted a comeback from a 10-point early deficit in Waco, Texas, using a dominant 23-8 second-quarter run to defeat the visiting Wildcats and extend Arizona’s losing streak to five games.

Taliah Scott paced Baylor (23-6, 12-4 Big 12) with 22 points after the Bears fell behind 22-12 following Molly Ladwig’s basket with 1:44 remaining in the opening quarter. Bella Fontleroy dominated the glass with 10 rebounds while Darianna Littlepage-Buggs nearly achieved a double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds. Jana Van Gytenbeek facilitated the offense with eight assists.

Arizona (11-16, 2-14) held a 22-15 lead after the first quarter but was also outscored 20-13 in the third period. Daniah Trammell and reserve Noelani Cornfield each contributed 11 points for the Wildcats. Ladwig added 10 points while Tanyuel Welch led the team with nine rebounds.

Colorado 75, No. 20 Texas Tech 68

The Buffaloes staged a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback in Boulder, Colorado, outscoring the Lady Raiders 22-9 in the final period to secure their fifth straight victory and eighth win in nine games.

Zyanna Walker led Colorado (20-8, 11-5 Big 12) with 18 points while Desiree Wooten provided 16 points off the bench. Logyn Greer chipped in 13 points and Anaelle Dutat recorded 11 points along with a game-high eight rebounds. The Buffaloes capitalized on Texas Tech’s mistakes, converting 18 turnovers into 27 points while holding a commanding 34-18 rebounding edge.

Jalynn Bristow delivered an outstanding performance for the Lady Raiders (24-5, 11-5) with 18 points, five blocks, and three steals in their second loss in three games. Bristow was highly efficient, shooting 5 of 6 from the field and 4 of 5 from three-point range while going perfect at the free-throw line. Snudda Collins contributed 13 points and Bailey Maupin added 12 for Texas Tech.

NEW ALBANY, Ind. — Professional football player Rondale Moore, whose promising NFL career was derailed by consecutive season-ending knee injuries, has died at age 25 in his hometown of New Albany, Indiana, according to local authorities.

Police Chief Todd Bailey confirmed that Moore was discovered deceased in a garage on Saturday, with investigators treating the death as a suspected suicide by gunshot. Floyd County Coroner Matthew Tomlin announced that an autopsy was scheduled for Sunday as the investigation continues.

The wide receiver’s career was marked by devastating setbacks in recent years. Following his trade to the Atlanta Falcons in 2024, Moore suffered a dislocated right knee during training camp and never took the field for the team. After signing with the Minnesota Vikings in 2025, tragedy struck again when he tore his left knee while fielding a punt return in the team’s opening preseason contest. The injury was so severe that Moore’s anguished reaction — striking a medical cart with such force that the sound echoed through the stadium — demonstrated his immediate understanding of the career implications.

Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell released an emotional statement following news of Moore’s death. “I am devastated by the news of Rondale’s death. While Rondale had been a member of the Vikings for a short time, he was someone we came to know well and care about deeply,” O’Connell said. “He was a humble, soft-spoken, and respectful young man who was proud of his Indiana roots. As a player, he was disciplined, dedicated and resilient despite facing adversity multiple times as injuries sidelined him throughout his career. We are all heartbroken by the fact he won’t continue to live out his NFL dream and we won’t all have a chance to watch him flourish.”

The Arizona Cardinals, Moore’s former team, expressed their grief in a public statement, saying they were “devastated and heartbroken.” The organization added, “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with his family, friends, teammates, and everyone who loved him and had the privilege of knowing such a special person.”

Moore’s football journey began in New Albany, located just over the Kentucky border from Louisville. He achieved remarkable success early in his college career, earning first-team All-American honors as a freshman at Purdue University in 2018.

Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm, who coached Moore during his time at Purdue, shared heartfelt memories on social media. “Rondale Moore was a complete joy to coach. The ultimate competitor who wouldn’t back down from any challenge. Rondale had a work ethic unmatched by anyone. A great teammate that would come through in any situation. We all loved Rondale; we loved his smile and his competitive edge that always wanted to please everyone he came in contact,” Brohm wrote.

Selected by Arizona in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Moore accumulated 1,201 receiving yards with three touchdowns and added 249 rushing yards with one score across three seasons. During his rookie year, he handled primary return duties for both kickoffs and punts before injuries forced him away from those responsibilities.

Former Cardinals teammate J.J. Watt expressed his shock and sorrow on social media, writing, “Can’t even begin to fathom or process this. There’s just no way. Way too soon. Way too special. So much left to give. Rest in peace Rondale.”

The Minnesota Vikings confirmed they had reached out to Moore’s family to provide support and condolences during this difficult time.