The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics and Paralympics delivered one of the most exciting Games with outstanding competition and several broken records.

A total of 740 medals were awarded to Olympic athletes over 19 days of competition, while 352 medals were awarded to Paralympians over 12 days. 

Norway broke its own record for most medals won at a Winter Olympic Games with 41 medals, and the United States finished in second with 33 overall Olympic medals. For the second Games in a row, China topped the medal table at the Paralympics with 44 medals while the United States followed in second, earning 24 medals. 

During the Paralympics, 611 athletes from 55 National Paralympic Committees competed in the Games, breaking the record high 564 athletes who competed at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in PyeongChang. 

For the third Winter Olympic Games in a row, Norway took home the most Olympic medals.

The Norwegian team earned 41 medals, breaking the previous record of 39 they set at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang. They also won the most gold medals with 18, surpassing the record of 16 golds they set four years ago in Beijing. 

Johannes Hoesflat Klaebo led his country with six gold medals across six cross-country skiing events, becoming the first Winter Olympian to win six gold medals in a single Games and setting the record for the most career gold medals won by a Winter Olympian with 11 total. Like Klaebo, Jens Luras Oftebro finished the Games undefeated, winning gold in all three Nordic combined events to become the second athlete to do so after Finland's Samppa Lajunen in 2002.

Norway dominated cross-country skiing, claiming 14 medals, and also won 11 medals in biathlon. 

China followed up its success in Beijing by topping the medal table once more with 44 total medals, including 15 gold, the most of any other NPC. 

Of their many medals, the Chinese achieved a sweep of the podium in men's cross-country skiing in the 20km standing event, with Wang Chenyang, Huang Lingxin, and Liu Xiabin claiming gold, silver, and bronze respectively. 

China dominated biathlon events, claiming eight golds, five silvers, and two bronze medals. Biathlete Jiayun Cai claimed China's first gold at these Paralympics in men's sprint standing, winning two additional golds in men's individual standing and men's sprint pursuit standing for six career Paralympic medals. 

Yang Jinqiao and Wang Meng made history after winning gold in the inaugural wheelchair curling mixed doubles event. The pair defeated Korean duo Baek Hyejin and Lee Yongsuk 9-7 for Yang's first Paralympic gold and Wang's second. 

The United States finished second in the total medal count at the Olympic Games with 33 medals, as well as second in total golds with 12 to Norway's 18.

Freestyle skiing led the way, with Americans athletes earning eight medals, including three gold. Jordan Stolz and Alysa Liu tied for the most gold medals won by American athletes, with Stolz claiming victories in the men's 500m 1000m and 1500m races in speed skating while Liu won gold in women's singles and the figure skating team event.

The United States women's hockey team avenged their 2022 loss to Canada, winning their third overall Olympic gold medal since the event's introduction in 1998, and then the men's hockey team defeated Canada to win their first Olympic gold medal since 1980.

The United States Paralympic team improved on its fifth-place finish in the final medal standings in Beijing, taking second with 24 medals. Six American Paralympians earned a spot on the podium for the first time with a total of 28 athletes and two guides earning medals at these Games. 

The U.S. men's sled hockey team won a record fifth consecutive gold medal after defeating Canada 6-2. Eight-time Paralympian Oksana Masters leaves the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games with four gold medals and one bronze, the most decorated American athlete at these Games. 

The Nordic ski team had its best gold-medal showing yet with 10, including defending their gold in the mixed team 4x2.5km relay gold with Masters, Josh Sweeney, Sydney Peterson and Jake Adicoff with guide Reid Goble.