USA Strikes Gold Twice on Day 2 of Winter Olympics
USA Strikes Gold Twice on Day 2 of Winter Olympics
Introduction
The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games officially began on February 6, 2026. Nearly 2,900 athletes from more than 90 nations are competing in 116 medal events across 16 winter sports disciplines. The Games are co-hosted by Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, combining modern city venues with classic Alpine mountain settings.
As of February 9, 2026 (morning IST), the United States has collected two gold medals with no silvers or bronzes yet recorded, while Norway leads the overall gold-medal count. Host nation Italy currently holds the highest total medal tally.
ClickUSA News is providing daily recaps, official results, medal table updates, and in-depth analysis throughout the 17-day competition (February 6–22, 2026).
Milano Cortina 2026 Opening Ceremony Highlights
The Opening Ceremony took place February 6 under the official theme “Armonia” (Harmony). The event spanned Milan’s iconic San Siro Stadium and selected venues in Cortina d’Ampezzo. The program featured Italian music, fashion, cinematic tributes to winter sports, and the traditional Parade of Nations followed by the lighting of the Olympic cauldron.
Current Official Medal Table – Winter Olympics 2026
(As of end of competition February 8, 2026 – 13 of 116 events completed)
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norway | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 2 | United States | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 3 | Italy (Host) | 1 | 2 | 6 | 9 |
| 4 | Japan | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 5 | Austria | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | Germany | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 7 | Czechia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | France | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | Sweden | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Switzerland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | South Korea | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Slovenia | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Source: Official Olympics.com / IOC results platform. Table sorted by gold medals, then silver, then bronze.
Key Results & Standout Performances (February 7–8, 2026)
February 7 – Day 1
- First gold of the Games awarded in Men’s Alpine Skiing Downhill to Switzerland’s Franjo von Allmen. Italy secured silver and bronze in front of passionate home crowds.
February 8 – Day 2 – Major USA Moments
- Women’s Alpine Skiing Downhill: American Breezy Johnson won gold with a time of 1:36.10, edging Germany’s Emma Aicher by only 0.04 seconds. Italy’s Sofia Goggia earned bronze. (Lindsey Vonn suffered a crash but is reported stable and out of serious danger.)
- Figure Skating – Team Event: Team USA successfully defended their Olympic title. Ilia Malinin anchored the victory with an outstanding free skate performance (200.03 points, landing five quadruple jumps), securing gold ahead of Japan (silver) and Italy (bronze).
Other Notable Results
- Cross-country skiing men’s skiathlon – Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo claimed his sixth career Olympic gold medal.
- Speed skating men’s 5000m – Norway’s Sander Eitrem set a new Olympic record.
- Speed skating women’s 3000m – Italy’s Francesca Lollobrigida won gold.
- Snowboard parallel giant slalom – Austria’s Benjamin Karl (men) and Czechia’s Zuzana Maderová (women) took gold.
- Biathlon mixed relay – France won the opening biathlon title.
Team USA Early Performance Summary
The United States sits second in the gold-medal standings with two first-place finishes and zero medals of any other color so far — a reflection of delivering peak performances exactly when it matters most in high-profile events. Strong showings are still expected in freestyle skiing, snowboarding, men’s and women’s ice hockey, and individual figure skating disciplines.
What to Watch Next – February 9–10, 2026
- Ice hockey preliminary round matches continue across both men’s and women’s tournaments.
- Additional alpine skiing, speed skating, ski jumping, and freestyle skiing events.
- Individual figure skating events begin in the coming days.
Full daily schedule and live results are available on Olympics.com and through NBC / Peacock in the United States.
How to Watch in the United States
- Television: NBC, USA Network, CNBC
- Streaming: Peacock (live and on-demand coverage)
- Prime-time highlights package airs nightly on NBC.
ClickUSA News will publish daily medal recaps, athlete features, and key moment breakdowns throughout the Games.
Conclusion
Milano Cortina 2026 has started with high drama and exceptional athletic performances. Norway currently leads the gold-medal race, Italy dominates the overall medal count thanks to home advantage, and the United States has already announced its medal intentions with two decisive gold-medal victories on Day 2.
Follow ClickUSA News for trustworthy, up-to-the-minute Winter Olympics 2026 coverage through February 22.
Author: Alex Rivera Senior Olympics & Winter Sports Correspondent Alex Rivera has reported from the last three Olympic Games (Summer & Winter) and specializes in alpine skiing, figure skating, and medal-table analysis.
Last Updated: February 9, 2026 – 08:45 AM IST Primary Sources: Olympics.com official results, IOC press releases, NBC Olympics reporting
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