Winter Olympics 2026 live updates: U.S. women play hockey, Ilia Malinin skates for first time

Lindsey Vonn today went through her second successful training run on the course that will hold the women's Downhill competition.

Vonn was two seconds faster than during yesterday's run, which came one week after rupturing the ACL in her left knee. Vonn is wearing a brace to protect the knee but has remained undeterred to go through with her medal attempt, at 41 years old.

A little less than half of the competitors made it through their run before it was interrupted due to weather today. At that time, Vonn's time of 1:38.28 was third-fastest out of 21. American teammate Breezy Johnson posted the fastest time.

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A Swiss man won the men's Downhill — just not who most expected.

Marco Odermatt, considered the world's best men's Alpine skier, finished fourth. The race was held on a Bormio course that has been called perhaps the most difficult since Alpine skiing made its Olympic debut 90 years ago today.

Odermatt entered these Olympics in the running to become the first man to win three Alpine skiing gold medals at a single Olympics since 1968.

Franjo von Allmen of Switzerland took the gold instead. It wasn't an enormous upset — he is the reigning world champion.

The 2026 Olympic medal design features two joined halves. One side has an inclined, textured surface, while the other is smooth and reflective. The design, in part, is meant to symbolize the union of the two host cities of these Games, Milan and Cortina, and represent “the soul of victory” and the athletes’ effort and journey to achieve it.

The Italian State Mint and Polygraphic Institute crafted the medals using recycled metal recovered from its own production waste. The medals were cast in induction furnaces powered entirely by renewable energy and packaged with eco-friendly materials and minimal plastics. 

Franjo von Allmen of Switzerland won the men's Downhill gold medal today in 1:51.61, barely denying Italy an early moment atop the podium.

Franjo von Allmen celebrates winning gold on the podium today.  Jeff Pachoud / AFP - Getty Images

As it was, the host nation finished with two medals, with Giovanni Franzoni finishing 0.2 of a second behind von Allmen, and compatriot Dominik Paris 0.5 of a second back to earn bronze.

Kyle Negomir was the top American, finishing 10th.

The women held qualifying in freeski slopestyle this morning with Switzerland’s Mathilde Gremaud putting up the best score across two runs.

Also qualifying to move on are China’s Eileen Gu and American Avery Krumme, who had the fourth-best score in the qualifying round.

The final will be held on Monday afternoon in Milan.

Switzerland’s women’s ice hockey game against Canada can proceed as scheduled tonight.

The game was in question after one confirmed case of norovirus on the Swiss team, but no other players or coaches had shown any symptoms as of this morning. The affected player has also not shown any symptoms since yesterday morning and has been isolated within the Olympic village.

Lisa Ruedi and Lara Stalder of Team Switzerland celebrate victory against Czechia on Friday. Bruce Bennett / Getty Images

Finland’s women’s team has already had one game postponed due to a norovirus outbreak but they are due to play the United States later today.

Madison Chock and Evan Bates, Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea and Alysa Liu highlight the team event for Team USA in rhythm dance, pairs short and women’s short.

This morning, the second family viewed Leonardo da Vinci's famed The Last Supper.

The vice president and second lady plan to have lunch with members of the U.S. delegation

When fog engulfed the Stelvio course and race officials called for a delay in the downhill training action, Keely Cashman transformed into a dance instructor, teaching her Team USA teammates some new moves.

Great Britain prevailed over Canada, 7-5 and Sweden beat Switzerland, 13-7, in the morning's first action. There'll be more curling later this morning.

Bennett, in his third Games, just raced in men's downhill and finished with a time of 1:53.45, placing third out of the three competitors so far.

Bennett competes this morning.  Dimitar Dilkoff / AFP - Getty Images

The first medal event of the 2026 Games is beginning with men's downhill in Alpine. Daniel Hemetsberger from Austria was the first one out, and he finished his first run with a time of 1:44.59.

Bryce Bennett is one of the longest tenured Alpine skiers on the U.S. Ski Team, has two World Cup victories, four world championship appearances and is about to participate at his third Winter Olympics.

Bennett training in Bormio, Italy on Thursday. Dustin Satloff / Getty Images

Bennett is not a medal favorite in Milan Cortina. But the idea of knowing it’s a last time doing something is rare, especially at age 33. It’s an opportunity to reflect and to grow, something Bennett has done throughout his life: in skill on the piste, in height (he puts the 6’7” in “six-seven”) and maturity as a husband and father. 

The mixed doubles are now in the fifth end with Great Britain dominating Canada, 7-2. Sweden has created some distance between themselves and Switzerland and lead 7-5, also in the fifth end.

Sarah Hoefflin of Team Switzerland loses a ski mid-air during the Women’s Freestyle Slopestyle Qualification in Livigno this morning.

Hannah Peters / Getty Images

Curling kicked off competition today with two matches in mixed double round robin play.

Great Britain is leading Canada 3-1 and Switzerland and Sweden are tied 1-1 with both contests in the third end.

The first medal event of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games is the men’s downhill, beginning at 5:30 a.m. ET.

This will be the first chance of these Games to see Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt, who is considered the best men’s alpine skier in the world. Odermatt, who is also expected to compete in the super-G and giant slalom, is looking to become the first man to win three alpine skiing gold medals at a single Games since France’s Jean-Claude Killy in 1968. 

The U.S. has four skiers competing in the men’s downhill: Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Bryce Bennett, Kyle Negomir and Sam Morse. 

The last American man to win a medal in the downhill was Bode Miller, who won bronze at the 2010 Vancouver Games. 

The opening ceremony’s over and the action is picking up! The first medals will be awarded today and we’ll (hopefully) see Team USA again in women’s hockey.

Here’s the guide to what’s on today, all times Eastern. Potential medal events have an asterisk.

4:05 a.m.: curling, mixed doubles round-robin (Great Britain vs. Canada, Switzerland vs. Sweden)

5:30 a.m.: Alpine skiing, men’s downhill*

6:10 a.m.: women’s hockey, pool play (Germany vs. Japan)

7 a.m.: women’s cross-country skiing, 10 kilometers + 10-kilometer skiathlon*

8 a.m.: freestyle skiing, men’s freeski slopestyle qualification 

As Team Brazil was announced during yesterday's opening ceremony, one athlete pulled off an epic backflip that went viral on social media.

Italian actor Sabrina Impacciatore, known for “The White Lotus” and “The Paper,” dances at the opening ceremony, symbolizing traveling through time.