2026 Winter Olympics: Team USA's Strong Start in Italy

The United States has entered the 2026 Winter Olympics with its largest team ever, consisting of 232 athletes.

Early Gold for Team USA

Breezy Johnson secured the first gold medal for America in women's downhill, marking an impressive start for the U.S. contingent. Following this, U.S. figure skaters also won gold in the team competition, with Ilia Malinin contributing significantly to their success.

Team USA has started strong, securing two gold medals early in the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Milan and Cortina Host the Games

The 2026 Winter Olympics are currently being hosted in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. The initial medal event of the Games, the men's downhill on Saturday, February 7, resulted in a gold medal for Swiss skier Franjo von Allmen.

Team USA's Current Standing

As of the first two days after the opening ceremony, Team USA has already earned two gold medals. The team is also guaranteed at least a silver medal in mixed doubles curling, as they are set to compete against Sweden in the finals.

With two gold medals secured and a silver guaranteed, Team USA is off to a promising start.

A Look Back at the 2022 Winter Games

In the previous 2022 Winter Games, Norway led the medal count with 37 medals, including 16 gold. The Russian Olympic Committee followed with 32 medals, then Germany with 27, and Canada with 26. Team USA finished fifth with 25 medals, comprising nine gold, nine silver, and seven bronze.

Historic Olympic Achievements

Historically, the U.S. holds a dominant position across all Summer and Winter Games. The nation leads the overall medal count with an astonishing 3,103 medals, followed by the former Soviet Union (1,204) and Germany (1,091). The U.S. also boasts the most gold medals all-time, with 1,220.

However, when considering only the Winter Olympics, Norway holds the all-time record with 404 medals. The U.S. ranks second with 330 Winter Olympic medals, while Germany is third with 286.

The U.S. leads the overall medal count across both Summer and Winter Games historically, but Norway reigns supreme in Winter Olympics history.