MILAN (AP) 鈥� With 116 medal events over 16 days spread across northern Italy, the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics delivered many unforgettable moments. Here are 10 of the biggest, from heartbreak to triumph.
Lindsey Vonn鈥檚 gut-wrenching crash
U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn鈥檚 Olympic story was supposed to be one of redemption. She came out of retirement at age 41, battled a torn ACL in her left knee days before competition, and was ready to conquer the downhill. Instead she got hooked on a gate 13 seconds into her run,
After receiving treatment for about a week in Italy for a complex tibia fracture, Vonn flew back to the U.S. She鈥檚 had
Her skis did not release during the crash,
Klaebo’s historic gold medal sweep
Heavy is the head that wears the crown, heavy is the neck that wears all of Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo鈥檚 gold medals.
The Norwegian , setting a new record for most golds at a single Winter Olympics.
The previous record was set by American speed skater Eric Heiden with five golds in the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics.
Norway dominated the Olympics overall, with 41. They chalk it up to
The fall of Ilia Malinin
The overwhelming favorite to win gold in men鈥檚 figure skating, Ilia Malinin . The falls sent him tumbling from first place all the way off the podium.
鈥淗onestly, yeah, I was not expecting that,鈥� Malinin said. 鈥淚 felt going into this competition I was so ready. I just felt ready going on that ice. I think maybe that might have been the reason, is I was too confident it was going to go well.鈥�
The joy of Alysa Liu
Alysa Liu won the U.S. its with a joy-filled, near-flawless free skate.
The 20-year-old had walked away from skating before finding her way back again,
鈥淚 think my story is more important than anything to me,鈥� Liu said, 鈥渁nd that鈥檚 what I will hold dear, and this journey has been incredible, and my life has just been 鈥� I have no complaints.鈥�
U.S. politics seep into the Games
American athletes faced and their comfort in representing a country whose policies are increasingly controversial on the world stage.
American freeskier Hunter Hess said he didn鈥檛 back the U.S. president鈥檚 immigration crackdown, prompting Trump to call him a 鈥渓oser.鈥� Chloe Kim, Eileen Gu and Hess鈥� teammates Hess responded during halfpipe qualifying by , saying he stands by his statement and loves the U.S.
U.S. figure skater Amber Glenn also said after saying during a pre-Olympics news conference that the queer community is going through a 鈥渉ard time鈥� amid the political climate under Trump.
Ukrainian skeleton racer’s helmet tribute
when he refused to not use a helmet that honored more than 20 athletes and coaches killed in the Russia-Ukraine war.
The International Olympic Committee said wearing the helmet would break rules against making statements on the field of play. The IOC asked Heraskevych to wear a different helmet in races. It offered concessions, such as wearing a black armband or letting him display the helmet once he was off the ice.
鈥淚 believe, deeply, the (The International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation) and IOC understand that I鈥檓 not violating any rules,鈥� Heraskevych said. 鈥淎lso, I would say (it鈥檚) painful that it really looks like discrimination because many athletes already were expressing themselves.鈥�
Cheating allegations in curling
The seemingly quaint and cordial sport of during the Winter Games. First Canada was accused, then Britain. The main infraction? Double-touching.
After a wild few days with expletives and a brief rule change, tensions simmered and teams and players more or less moved on.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the Olympics,鈥� said Canadian curler Ben Hebert. 鈥淚t鈥檒l be over in two weeks and everyone will go back to covering curling in four years.鈥�
A different kind of cheating
Sturla Holm Laegreid, one of Norway鈥檚 top biathletes, finished third in the 20-kilometer individual race at the Olympics, and then gave one of the most bizarre interviews that quickly went viral.
Laegreid, full of remorse, told Norwegian broadcaster NRK 鈥� and the whole world 鈥�
He later said he regretted airing his personal business But the meme damage had already been done.
North American showdown in hockey
Hockey was always going to be a big deal at the Milan Cortina Olympics. Even before the first puck dropped, there were and excitement about As many had predicted, made the final of both the men’s and women’s tournaments. The both games in overtime.
South America’s first Winter Games medal
While Brazil was reveling in Carnival, Alpine ski racer Lucas Pinheiro Braathen gave the country another reason to celebrate 鈥�
It was the first-ever medal at the Winter Games for any country in South America.
鈥淚鈥檝e tried over and over again to put words into what it is that I鈥檓 feeling,鈥� Pinheiro Braathen said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 simply impossible.鈥�
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