🕷️ Crawler Inspector

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1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 170 (from laksa059)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa170.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.npr.org/2026/02/23/nx-s1-5723755/2026-winter-olympics-npr-reporter-reflections\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.npr.org/2026/02/23/nx-s1-5723755/2026-winter-olympics-npr-reporter-reflections\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/02\/23\/nx-s1-5723755\/2026-winter-olympics-npr-reporter-reflections","crawl_time":1776477885,"first_indexed_time":1771863328,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"org,npr!www,\/2026\/02\/23\/nx-s1-5723755\/2026-winter-olympics-npr-reporter-reflections s443","src_root_hash":"156162564976766770","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Winter Olympics reflections from NPR reporters : NPR","meta_descriptions":["NPR's reporters on the ground in Italy reflect on a far-flung, jam-packed Winter Olympics."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"The Olympic cauldron at the Arco della Pace in Milan on Sunday.\nMaja Hitij\/Getty Images\nhide caption\ntoggle caption\nMaja Hitij\/Getty Images\nA global event can feel like a small world\nThese were famously\nspread-out Olympics\n, but to me — who mostly stayed in one city covering one sport — they felt almost immediately like a small world. Soon enough, I had my go-to food spots and preferred transit shortcuts, friendly bits with venue security guards and a hilariously high number of Snoop Dogg near-misses (I finally saw him sitting rinkside with Martha Stewart and Ilia Malinin, worth the wait). Best of all, I got to know many of the other reporters covering figure skating. We spent long, late nights in the trenches: watching the extreme highs and lows of competition, alternately discussing and distracting ourselves as we waited downstairs to talk to athletes. We shared quotes, saved seats and — once — sprinted up multiple flights of stairs just in time for the next skater to take the ice. And it wasn't just at the rink; I ran into multiple compatriots around town, too. I'm so grateful for their friendship and wisdom, whether about the figure skating scoring system or recommendations for salad places (both are trickier than you'd expect).\n— Rachel Treisman\nKaori Sakamoto of Team Japan poses for a selfie with other figure skaters at the Exhibition Gala on Saturday.\nJamie Squire\/Getty Images\nhide caption\ntoggle caption\nJamie Squire\/Getty Images\nMemes have their limits\nI'm used to covering the Olympics from afar, which involves keeping a close eye on whatever or whoever is suddenly trending (\nchocolate muffins\n, \"\npommel horse guy\n,\" a certain\nshirtless torchbearer\n). But on the ground, the meme firewall is pretty strong. For one, we're not hearing TV commentary at live events, and rights restrictions keep us from seeing most of NBC's viral tweets and clips. Plus, many of these events (certainly figure skating) go late into the night in Italy, so I'm asleep when things are starting to take off online — and don't have my usual amount of time to scroll\/research anyway. Don't get me wrong, I've still gotten to enjoy Quinn Hughes'\nblank stares\n, Elmo's escalating\nbeef with Rocco\nand the\nsmooth moves\nof the curling ice master. But it's been interesting to see the internet's reaction as the cherry on top of my viewing experience, rather than the lens for it.\n— Rachel Treisman\nMark Messer, Ice Master of the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, watches as the ice is checked between races last week at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium.\nDean Mouhtaropoulos\/Getty Images\nhide caption\ntoggle caption\nDean Mouhtaropoulos\/Getty Images\nFamily moments meant the most\nMy biggest, kind of unexpected joys during the Winter Games were the moments with family. Elana Meyers Taylor and Kaillie Humphries with their kids at the finish line of the monobob bobsled competition. Mikaela Shiffrin speaking beautifully about her father's death and how these Olympics helped her learn to live with that loss. Seeing young athletes with their parents. Seeing the remarkable number of athletes competing here with their siblings! I also like the fact that these young athletes seem a lot healthier, mentally and physically, than when I first started covering Olympic sports 20 years ago. There's more of an effort to make this fun, more support for their mental health, a lot less (not zero) grinding pressure.\n— Brian Mann\nGold medalist Elana Meyers Taylor of Team USA celebrates with her family after winning the monobob Heat 4 last week at the Cortina Sliding Center.\nJulian Finney\/Getty Images\nhide caption\ntoggle caption\nJulian Finney\/Getty Images\nThe pros and cons of being far-flung \nI spent a lot of time on streetcars, buses, taxis, trains and walking … endless walking … and I have to say it all kind of worked. It was a pain in the butt sometimes. There were days when I thought maybe I wasn't going to make it home. But in the end, Italy managed to string together towns and sports venues spread over more than 8,000 square miles, including some of the most rugged terrain on Earth, and it all kind of held together. I do think there are downsides to a widely dispersed Olympic Games. It's harder to dive into different sports, sampling a little of this and a little of that, when events are three to four hours apart. It's also harder to celebrate (and party) after big wins when you have to catch that last bus to your sleepy little mountain town. But the arrangement also meant tiny villages in the Alps weren't totally overrun with mobs of people. So a lot of my skepticism faded during the Games, especially when buses carried me through high Alpine mountain passes, where the beauty was cinematic.\n— Brian Mann\nJordan Stolz of the U.S. competes in the speedskating 1500 meters last week in Milan.\nDean Mouhtaropoulos\/Getty Images\nhide caption\ntoggle caption\nDean Mouhtaropoulos\/Getty Images\nA new golden age for speedskating\nI knew little about long-track speedskating coming into the Games, and the sport completely won me over. They look so calm, while going so fast! People can dominate the sport at different ages — from 19-year-old\nJilek Metodej\nfrom Czechia, who won the 10000 meters, to mullet king\nJorrit Bergsma\n, 40, who was uncatchable in the mass start. Day after day, Olympic records were smashed, sometimes twice in the same race — surprising the skaters themselves, who didn't expect the ice conditions to be so dialed-in at a temporary rink. The credit goes to the athletes who, with training, refined techniques, nutrition and sports psychology, are getting faster every four years. And promising stars like U.S. skater Jordan Stolz, 21, haven't reached the limits of their potential yet.\n— Pien Huang\nGold medalist Alysa Liu at her free skate competition in Milan, Italy.\nVittorio Zunino Celotto\/Getty Images\nhide caption\ntoggle caption\nVittorio Zunino Celotto\/Getty Images\nThe athletes are all right\n\"Winning isn't all that, and neither is losing. It's just something that happens,\" said\nfigure skater Alysa Liu\n, after earning gold in women's figure skating, \"What matters is the input and the journey.\" Liu's words were the most visible example of what I heard repeatedly from Team USA athletes — pride in themselves for showing up and doing their best that day. Speedskater Erin Jackson was disappointed to miss medaling in the 500 meters by 0.05 seconds, \"but yeah, that's racing,\" she said. \"I can't control podium spots because that's about how everyone else is [skating] … My personal outlook on sports and competing is about performing my personal best.\" It's a perspective that emphasizes resilience and what an individual can control — different from the \"winning is everything\" mentality I recall from watching the Olympics as a '90s kid.\n— Pien Huang\nGold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates her win in women's slalom.\nJulian Finney\/Getty Images\nhide caption\ntoggle caption\nJulian Finney\/Getty Images\nA master class in perseverance \nIt isn't easy to be an elite athlete, especially when your Olympic opportunity only comes around every four years. Something I was blown away by time and again in these Games was the perseverance of athletes — especially women — coming back from a devastating setback. The 41-year-old Lindsey Vonn attracted a lot of headlines and media attention before the Games began because of her genuinely incredible comeback out of retirement and back to the top of the World Cup standings. Her Olympics didn't end the way she had hoped, of course, but she said she doesn't regret it. And neither does Breezy Johnson, the American downhill skier who badly injured her knee just before the 2022 Games and had to sit out, then won the downhill gold this year; or Federica Brignone, the Italian star who suffered a gruesome leg break last year only to turn around and win the super-G and giant slalom golds in front of her friends and family; and of course Shiffrin, whose all-consuming grief from the unexpected death of her father affected her performance in Beijing. \"Everything in life that you do after you lose someone you love is like a new experience. It's like being born again,\" she said after winning the slalom gold.\n— Becky Sullivan\n \nThe U.S. men's hockey team celebrates winning the gold medal match against Canada on Saturday.\nElsa\/Getty Images\nhide caption\ntoggle caption\nElsa\/Getty Images\nAmerican hockey is back on top\nI got to spend the last 10 days of the Olympics watching the U.S. men's and women's hockey teams, and what a blast that was. Canada has always been hockey's top dog, and to watch both of these American teams come away with wins — both with a final score of 2-1 in overtime — was marvelous. Both gold medals show off years of investment in youth development and the casting of a wider net for talent: The men's captain, Auston Matthews, is Mexican American and grew up in Arizona; the women's brightest young star, Laila Edwards, was the first Black woman to compete for the U.S. Olympic hockey team. The return of NHL players to the Olympics paid off with electric, must-watch TV. The success of the PWHL (thanks in no small part to Team USA captain Hilary Knight) means the women's players can pursue a career, and the quality of their game will only improve. American hockey is in a terrific place, and the two Olympic gold medals are proof.\n— Becky Sullivan\n \nThe silver-medal celebration for the U.S. at the men's team cross-country free sprint: Gus Schumacher, left, and Ben Ogden.\nAnne-Christine Poujoulat\/AFP via Getty Images\nhide caption\ntoggle caption\nAnne-Christine Poujoulat\/AFP via Getty Images\nAmerican cross-country skiers have a lot to be proud of\nAs an avid fan of professional cross-country skiing, I love that the sport has so many ways to measure success. Sure, winning races is important and everyone's goal, but measuring athletes solely by where they finish in race results is pretty superficial.\nThat being said, the two silver medals the U.S. men won are a huge, historic accomplishment. They are the best-ever Olympic performance for American men, who have only one other medal, a silver from 1976. Ben Ogden has trained hard for years to get on podiums in an extremely competitive field, dominated lately by the most superlative talent the sport has seen in a generation, and likely ever: Norway's Johannes Klaebo.\nOgden's silver in the individual sprint, followed by another in the team sprint with teammate Gus Schumacher, deserve to be celebrated for the amazing accomplishments they are. They reflect sustained focus and determination.\nJessie Diggins medaling in her third Olympics is a great, unprecedented achievement for an American cross-country skier as well. No one on the team faced more pressure and expectations than Diggins, and she bore up under it with characteristic class. Beyond her many career accomplishments on snow, Diggins has repeatedly emphasized that personal growth, maintaining good mental health and building strong relationships with teammates are what count most. She can retire with pride.\nA glance at the American cross-country team's medal count only tells a very small part of their Olympian achievements.\n— Eric Whitney","attrs_markdown":"Accessibility links\n\n- [Skip to main content](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/02\/23\/nx-s1-5723755\/2026-winter-olympics-npr-reporter-reflections#mainContent)\n- [Keyboard shortcuts for audio player](https:\/\/help.npr.org\/contact\/s\/article?name=what-are-the-keyboard-shortcuts-for-using-the-npr-org-audio-player)\n\n![]()\n\n****Loading****\n\n- **Hourly News**\n- **Listen Live**\n- **My Playlist**\n\n- Open Navigation Menu\n- [![NPR logo](https:\/\/media.npr.org\/chrome\/npr-logo-2026-animated.gif)](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/)\n- **![Station Logo](https:\/\/branding.npr.org\/logo\/service-logo\/logo-Color-Logo-s305.png)**\n  \n  ![WAMU 88.5 logo](https:\/\/branding.npr.org\/logo\/service-logo\/logo-Color-Logo-s305.png)\n  \n  WAMU 88.5\n  \n  - ******Listen Live****WAMU 88.5 (HD 88.5-1)******\n  - [donate](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/donations\/support)\n  - 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Soon enough, I had my go-to food spots and preferred transit shortcuts, friendly bits with venue security guards and a hilariously high number of Snoop Dogg near-misses (I finally saw him sitting rinkside with Martha Stewart and Ilia Malinin, worth the wait). Best of all, I got to know many of the other reporters covering figure skating. We spent long, late nights in the trenches: watching the extreme highs and lows of competition, alternately discussing and distracting ourselves as we waited downstairs to talk to athletes. We shared quotes, saved seats and — once — sprinted up multiple flights of stairs just in time for the next skater to take the ice. And it wasn't just at the rink; I ran into multiple compatriots around town, too. I'm so grateful for their friendship and wisdom, whether about the figure skating scoring system or recommendations for salad places (both are trickier than you'd expect).  \n*— Rachel Treisman*\n\n![Kaori Sakamoto of Team Japan poses for a selfie with athletes in the Women Single Skating routine during a Figure Skating Exhibition Gala on day fifteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on February 21, 2026 in Milan, Italy.](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5859x3906+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8f%2Ff6%2Fa8342ce7446ebbe75a371f223f49%2Fgettyimages-2262858153.jpg)\n\nKaori Sakamoto of Team Japan poses for a selfie with other figure skaters at the Exhibition Gala on Saturday.  **Jamie Squire\/Getty Images**  ****hide caption****\n\n****toggle caption****\n\nJamie Squire\/Getty Images\n### **Memes have their limits**\nI'm used to covering the Olympics from afar, which involves keeping a close eye on whatever or whoever is suddenly trending ([chocolate muffins](http:\/\/google.com\/search?q=npr+chocolate+muffins&rlz=1C1GCEJ_enUS1023US1023&oq=npr+chocolate+muffins&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQABiABDIHCAIQABiABDIHCAMQABiABDIICAQQABgWGB4yCAgFEAAYFhgeMggIBhAAGBYYHjIICAcQABgWGB4yCAgIEAAYFhgeMggICRAAGBYYHtIBCDE5ODdqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8), \"[pommel horse guy](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2024\/07\/30\/nx-s1-5057146\/pommel-horse-stephen-nedoroscik-olympics),\" a certain [shirtless torchbearer](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2022\/02\/04\/1078207475\/tonga-flag-bearer-pita-taufatofua-volcano-recovery)). But on the ground, the meme firewall is pretty strong. For one, we're not hearing TV commentary at live events, and rights restrictions keep us from seeing most of NBC's viral tweets and clips. Plus, many of these events (certainly figure skating) go late into the night in Italy, so I'm asleep when things are starting to take off online — and don't have my usual amount of time to scroll\/research anyway. Don't get me wrong, I've still gotten to enjoy Quinn Hughes' [blank stares](https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/articles\/quinn-hughes-seeing-ghosts-explained-195606834.html), Elmo's escalating [beef with Rocco](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reels\/DU4UhGejovD\/) and the [smooth moves](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reels\/DU3Rli0CCMh\/) of the curling ice master. But it's been interesting to see the internet's reaction as the cherry on top of my viewing experience, rather than the lens for it.  \n*— Rachel Treisman*\n\n![Mark Messer, Ice Master of the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, looks on as the ice is checked during a break between races on day eleven of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Speed Skating Stadium on February 17, 2026 in Milan, Italy.](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4754x3003+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F35%2F8d%2Fa438c6024bf088339dc54d3894de%2Fgettyimages-2262118483.jpg)\n\nMark Messer, Ice Master of the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, watches as the ice is checked between races last week at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium.  **Dean Mouhtaropoulos\/Getty Images**  ****hide caption****\n\n****toggle caption****\n\nDean Mouhtaropoulos\/Getty Images\n### **Family moments meant the most**\nMy biggest, kind of unexpected joys during the Winter Games were the moments with family. Elana Meyers Taylor and Kaillie Humphries with their kids at the finish line of the monobob bobsled competition. Mikaela Shiffrin speaking beautifully about her father's death and how these Olympics helped her learn to live with that loss. Seeing young athletes with their parents. Seeing the remarkable number of athletes competing here with their siblings! I also like the fact that these young athletes seem a lot healthier, mentally and physically, than when I first started covering Olympic sports 20 years ago. There's more of an effort to make this fun, more support for their mental health, a lot less (not zero) grinding pressure.  \n*— Brian Mann*\n\n![Gold medalist Elana Meyers Taylor of Team United States celebrates with a member of her family after winning the Women's Monobob Bobsleigh Heat 4 on day ten of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Cortina Sliding Center on February 16, 2026 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3883x2588+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F90%2F89%2Fe6b645fb4d16b5d1b3df5646046d%2Fgettyimages-2262011506.jpg)\n\nGold medalist Elana Meyers Taylor of Team USA celebrates with her family after winning the monobob Heat 4 last week at the Cortina Sliding Center.  **Julian Finney\/Getty Images**  ****hide caption****\n\n****toggle caption****\n\nJulian Finney\/Getty Images\n### **The pros and cons of being far-flung**\nI spent a lot of time on streetcars, buses, taxis, trains and walking … endless walking … and I have to say it all kind of worked. It was a pain in the butt sometimes. There were days when I thought maybe I wasn't going to make it home. But in the end, Italy managed to string together towns and sports venues spread over more than 8,000 square miles, including some of the most rugged terrain on Earth, and it all kind of held together. I do think there are downsides to a widely dispersed Olympic Games. It's harder to dive into different sports, sampling a little of this and a little of that, when events are three to four hours apart. It's also harder to celebrate (and party) after big wins when you have to catch that last bus to your sleepy little mountain town. But the arrangement also meant tiny villages in the Alps weren't totally overrun with mobs of people. So a lot of my skepticism faded during the Games, especially when buses carried me through high Alpine mountain passes, where the beauty was cinematic.  \n*— Brian Mann*\n\n![MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 19: Jordan Stolz of Team United States competes during the Speed Skating Men's 1500m on day thirteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Speed Skating Stadium on February 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy.](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4675x3168+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3d%2F6e%2F916e3e0648288a2d6a8f4c83c45e%2Fgettyimages-2262494505.jpg)\n\nJordan Stolz of the U.S. competes in the speedskating 1500 meters last week in Milan.  **Dean Mouhtaropoulos\/Getty Images**  ****hide caption****\n\n****toggle caption****\n\nDean Mouhtaropoulos\/Getty Images\n### **A new golden age for speedskating**\nI knew little about long-track speedskating coming into the Games, and the sport completely won me over. They look so calm, while going so fast! People can dominate the sport at different ages — from 19-year-old [Jilek Metodej](https:\/\/www.olympics.com\/en\/milano-cortina-2026\/results\/athlete-details\/43365) from Czechia, who won the 10000 meters, to mullet king [Jorrit Bergsma](https:\/\/www.olympics.com\/en\/milano-cortina-2026\/results\/athlete-details\/51770), 40, who was uncatchable in the mass start. Day after day, Olympic records were smashed, sometimes twice in the same race — surprising the skaters themselves, who didn't expect the ice conditions to be so dialed-in at a temporary rink. The credit goes to the athletes who, with training, refined techniques, nutrition and sports psychology, are getting faster every four years. And promising stars like U.S. skater Jordan Stolz, 21, haven't reached the limits of their potential yet.  \n*— Pien Huang*\n\n![MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 19: Alysa Liu of Team United States competes in Women's Single Skating - Free Skating on day thirteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on February 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto\/Getty Images)](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3000x2000+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F85%2F84%2F230dbe9d42ad88681fe42caf2c41%2Fgettyimages-2262927824.jpg)\n\nGold medalist Alysa Liu at her free skate competition in Milan, Italy.  **Vittorio Zunino Celotto\/Getty Images**  ****hide caption****\n\n****toggle caption****\n\nVittorio Zunino Celotto\/Getty Images\n### **The athletes are all right**\n\"Winning isn't all that, and neither is losing. It's just something that happens,\" said [figure skater Alysa Liu](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/shorts\/gjBaVfWEmqw), after earning gold in women's figure skating, \"What matters is the input and the journey.\" Liu's words were the most visible example of what I heard repeatedly from Team USA athletes — pride in themselves for showing up and doing their best that day. Speedskater Erin Jackson was disappointed to miss medaling in the 500 meters by 0.05 seconds, \"but yeah, that's racing,\" she said. \"I can't control podium spots because that's about how everyone else is \\[skating\\] … My personal outlook on sports and competing is about performing my personal best.\" It's a perspective that emphasizes resilience and what an individual can control — different from the \"winning is everything\" mentality I recall from watching the Olympics as a '90s kid.  \n*— Pien Huang*\n\n![CORTINA, ITALY - FEBRUARY 18: (EDITOR’S NOTE: This image has been digitally enhanced) Gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin of Team United States celebrates her win following the Women's Slalom Run on day twelve of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre on February 18, 2026 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5313x3529+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F77%2Fc9%2Fb048661541f6a7ae145d0713adc3%2Fgettyimages-2262440104.jpg)\n\nGold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates her win in women's slalom.  **Julian Finney\/Getty Images**  ****hide caption****\n\n****toggle caption****\n\nJulian Finney\/Getty Images\n### **A master class in perseverance**\nIt isn't easy to be an elite athlete, especially when your Olympic opportunity only comes around every four years. Something I was blown away by time and again in these Games was the perseverance of athletes — especially women — coming back from a devastating setback. The 41-year-old Lindsey Vonn attracted a lot of headlines and media attention before the Games began because of her genuinely incredible comeback out of retirement and back to the top of the World Cup standings. Her Olympics didn't end the way she had hoped, of course, but she said she doesn't regret it. And neither does Breezy Johnson, the American downhill skier who badly injured her knee just before the 2022 Games and had to sit out, then won the downhill gold this year; or Federica Brignone, the Italian star who suffered a gruesome leg break last year only to turn around and win the super-G and giant slalom golds in front of her friends and family; and of course Shiffrin, whose all-consuming grief from the unexpected death of her father affected her performance in Beijing. \"Everything in life that you do after you lose someone you love is like a new experience. It's like being born again,\" she said after winning the slalom gold.  \n*— Becky Sullivan*\n\n![MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 22: Players of Team United States celebrate a 2-1 victory against Canada in overtime for the gold medal during the Men's Gold Medal match between Canada and the United States on day 16 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy.](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4603x3069+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9f%2Fb6%2F9ec821b34d3f8cbd923460da1685%2Fgettyimages-2262984384.jpg)\n\nThe U.S. men's hockey team celebrates winning the gold medal match against Canada on Saturday.  **Elsa\/Getty Images**  ****hide caption****\n\n****toggle caption****\n\nElsa\/Getty Images\n### **American hockey is back on top**\nI got to spend the last 10 days of the Olympics watching the U.S. men's and women's hockey teams, and what a blast that was. Canada has always been hockey's top dog, and to watch both of these American teams come away with wins — both with a final score of 2-1 in overtime — was marvelous. Both gold medals show off years of investment in youth development and the casting of a wider net for talent: The men's captain, Auston Matthews, is Mexican American and grew up in Arizona; the women's brightest young star, Laila Edwards, was the first Black woman to compete for the U.S. Olympic hockey team. The return of NHL players to the Olympics paid off with electric, must-watch TV. The success of the PWHL (thanks in no small part to Team USA captain Hilary Knight) means the women's players can pursue a career, and the quality of their game will only improve. American hockey is in a terrific place, and the two Olympic gold medals are proof.  \n*— Becky Sullivan*\n\n![(From L) Silver medallists USA's Gus Schumacher and USA's Ben Ogden celebrate on the podium of the men's team cross country free sprint final event of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium in Lago di Tesero (Val di Fiemme), on February 18, 2026.](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2970x4000+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb5%2F7b%2F4d2587c94317ab2d73c83802c2a6%2Fgettyimages-2261756943.jpg)\n\nThe silver-medal celebration for the U.S. at the men's team cross-country free sprint: Gus Schumacher, left, and Ben Ogden.  **Anne-Christine Poujoulat\/AFP via Getty Images**  ****hide caption****\n\n****toggle caption****\n\nAnne-Christine Poujoulat\/AFP via Getty Images\n### **American cross-country skiers have a lot to be proud of**\nAs an avid fan of professional cross-country skiing, I love that the sport has so many ways to measure success. Sure, winning races is important and everyone's goal, but measuring athletes solely by where they finish in race results is pretty superficial.\n\nSponsor Message\n\nThat being said, the two silver medals the U.S. men won are a huge, historic accomplishment. They are the best-ever Olympic performance for American men, who have only one other medal, a silver from 1976. Ben Ogden has trained hard for years to get on podiums in an extremely competitive field, dominated lately by the most superlative talent the sport has seen in a generation, and likely ever: Norway's Johannes Klaebo.\n\nOgden's silver in the individual sprint, followed by another in the team sprint with teammate Gus Schumacher, deserve to be celebrated for the amazing accomplishments they are. They reflect sustained focus and determination.\n\nJessie Diggins medaling in her third Olympics is a great, unprecedented achievement for an American cross-country skier as well. No one on the team faced more pressure and expectations than Diggins, and she bore up under it with characteristic class. Beyond her many career accomplishments on snow, Diggins has repeatedly emphasized that personal growth, maintaining good mental health and building strong relationships with teammates are what count most. She can retire with pride.\n\nA glance at the American cross-country team's medal count only tells a very small part of their Olympian achievements.  \n*— Eric Whitney*\n\n- [2026 Winter Olympics](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/tags\/735589066\/2026-winter-olympics)\n- [Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/tags\/735589139\/milan-cortina-dampezzo)\n- [Italy](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/tags\/126937512\/italy)\n\n- **Facebook**\n- **Flipboard**\n- **Email**\n\n###### Read & Listen\n- [Home](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/)\n- [News](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/news\/)\n- [Culture](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/culture\/)\n- [Music](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/music\/)\n- [Podcasts & Shows](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/podcasts-and-shows)\n\n###### Connect\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/newsletters\/)\n- [Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/NPR\/)\n- [Instagram](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/npr\/)\n- [Press](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/series\/750003\/press-room\/)\n- [Public Editor](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/publiceditor\/)\n- [Corrections](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/corrections\/)\n- [Transcripts](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/transcripts\/)\n- [Contact & Help](https:\/\/help.npr.org\/contact\/s\/)\n\n###### About NPR\n- [Overview](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/about\/)\n- [Diversity](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/diversity\/)\n- [NPR Network](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/network\/)\n- [Accessibility](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/about-npr\/1136563345\/accessibility)\n- [Ethics](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/ethics\/)\n- [Finances](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/about-npr\/178660742\/public-radio-finances)\n\n###### Get Involved\n- [Support Public Radio](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/support\/)\n- [Sponsor NPR](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/about-npr\/186948703\/corporate-sponsorship)\n- [NPR Careers](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/careers\/)\n- [NPR Shop](https:\/\/shopnpr.org\/)\n- [NPR Extra](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/npr-extra\/)\n\n- [Terms of Use](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/about-npr\/179876898\/terms-of-use)\n- [Privacy](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/about-npr\/179878450\/privacy-policy)\n- [Your Privacy Choices](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/about-npr\/179878450\/privacy-policy#yourchoices)\n- [Text Only](https:\/\/text.npr.org\/)\n- © 2026 npr\n\nSponsor Message\n\nSponsor Message\n\n[Become an NPR sponsor](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/about-npr\/186948703\/corporate-sponsorship)\n\n![NPR Plus logo](https:\/\/prod-eks-static-assets.npr.org\/chrome_svg\/npr-plus\/npr-plus-combo-logo.svg)\n\n##### Exclusive benefits\n\n###### Give a little. 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Based on that information, and with our permission, we and our sponsors can place cookies to enable us or our sponsors to show sponsorship credits and other messages that we think will be relevant to your interests while you are using third-party services.\n\n### Cookie List\nClear\n\n- checkbox label\n  \n  label\n\nApply\n\nCancel\n\nConsent Leg.Interest\n\ncheckbox label\n\nlabel\n\ncheckbox label\n\nlabel\n\ncheckbox label\n\nlabel\n\nReject All\n\nConfirm My Choices\n\n[![Powered by Onetrust](https:\/\/cdn.cookielaw.org\/logos\/static\/powered_by_logo.svg)](https:\/\/www.onetrust.com\/products\/cookie-consent\/)","attrs_readable_markdown":"![The Olympic cauldron.](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5751x3831+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb5%2F63%2F01882802461b90d9c75dca618ba5%2Fgettyimages-2263013371.jpg)\n\nThe Olympic cauldron at the Arco della Pace in Milan on Sunday.  **Maja Hitij\/Getty Images**  ****hide caption****\n\n****toggle caption****\n\nMaja Hitij\/Getty Images\n### A global event can feel like a small world\nThese were famously [spread-out Olympics](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/01\/19\/nx-s1-5621791\/winter-olympics-venues-milan-cortina), but to me — who mostly stayed in one city covering one sport — they felt almost immediately like a small world. Soon enough, I had my go-to food spots and preferred transit shortcuts, friendly bits with venue security guards and a hilariously high number of Snoop Dogg near-misses (I finally saw him sitting rinkside with Martha Stewart and Ilia Malinin, worth the wait). Best of all, I got to know many of the other reporters covering figure skating. We spent long, late nights in the trenches: watching the extreme highs and lows of competition, alternately discussing and distracting ourselves as we waited downstairs to talk to athletes. We shared quotes, saved seats and — once — sprinted up multiple flights of stairs just in time for the next skater to take the ice. And it wasn't just at the rink; I ran into multiple compatriots around town, too. I'm so grateful for their friendship and wisdom, whether about the figure skating scoring system or recommendations for salad places (both are trickier than you'd expect).  \n*— Rachel Treisman*\n\n![Kaori Sakamoto of Team Japan poses for a selfie with athletes in the Women Single Skating routine during a Figure Skating Exhibition Gala on day fifteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on February 21, 2026 in Milan, Italy.](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5859x3906+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8f%2Ff6%2Fa8342ce7446ebbe75a371f223f49%2Fgettyimages-2262858153.jpg)\n\nKaori Sakamoto of Team Japan poses for a selfie with other figure skaters at the Exhibition Gala on Saturday.  **Jamie Squire\/Getty Images**  ****hide caption****\n\n****toggle caption****\n\nJamie Squire\/Getty Images\n### **Memes have their limits**\nI'm used to covering the Olympics from afar, which involves keeping a close eye on whatever or whoever is suddenly trending ([chocolate muffins](http:\/\/google.com\/search?q=npr+chocolate+muffins&rlz=1C1GCEJ_enUS1023US1023&oq=npr+chocolate+muffins&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQABiABDIHCAIQABiABDIHCAMQABiABDIICAQQABgWGB4yCAgFEAAYFhgeMggIBhAAGBYYHjIICAcQABgWGB4yCAgIEAAYFhgeMggICRAAGBYYHtIBCDE5ODdqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8), \"[pommel horse guy](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2024\/07\/30\/nx-s1-5057146\/pommel-horse-stephen-nedoroscik-olympics),\" a certain [shirtless torchbearer](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2022\/02\/04\/1078207475\/tonga-flag-bearer-pita-taufatofua-volcano-recovery)). But on the ground, the meme firewall is pretty strong. For one, we're not hearing TV commentary at live events, and rights restrictions keep us from seeing most of NBC's viral tweets and clips. Plus, many of these events (certainly figure skating) go late into the night in Italy, so I'm asleep when things are starting to take off online — and don't have my usual amount of time to scroll\/research anyway. Don't get me wrong, I've still gotten to enjoy Quinn Hughes' [blank stares](https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/articles\/quinn-hughes-seeing-ghosts-explained-195606834.html), Elmo's escalating [beef with Rocco](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reels\/DU4UhGejovD\/) and the [smooth moves](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reels\/DU3Rli0CCMh\/) of the curling ice master. But it's been interesting to see the internet's reaction as the cherry on top of my viewing experience, rather than the lens for it.  \n*— Rachel Treisman*\n\n![Mark Messer, Ice Master of the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, looks on as the ice is checked during a break between races on day eleven of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Speed Skating Stadium on February 17, 2026 in Milan, Italy.](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4754x3003+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F35%2F8d%2Fa438c6024bf088339dc54d3894de%2Fgettyimages-2262118483.jpg)\n\nMark Messer, Ice Master of the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, watches as the ice is checked between races last week at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium.  **Dean Mouhtaropoulos\/Getty Images**  ****hide caption****\n\n****toggle caption****\n\nDean Mouhtaropoulos\/Getty Images\n### **Family moments meant the most**\nMy biggest, kind of unexpected joys during the Winter Games were the moments with family. Elana Meyers Taylor and Kaillie Humphries with their kids at the finish line of the monobob bobsled competition. Mikaela Shiffrin speaking beautifully about her father's death and how these Olympics helped her learn to live with that loss. Seeing young athletes with their parents. Seeing the remarkable number of athletes competing here with their siblings! I also like the fact that these young athletes seem a lot healthier, mentally and physically, than when I first started covering Olympic sports 20 years ago. There's more of an effort to make this fun, more support for their mental health, a lot less (not zero) grinding pressure.  \n*— Brian Mann*\n\n![Gold medalist Elana Meyers Taylor of Team United States celebrates with a member of her family after winning the Women's Monobob Bobsleigh Heat 4 on day ten of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Cortina Sliding Center on February 16, 2026 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3883x2588+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F90%2F89%2Fe6b645fb4d16b5d1b3df5646046d%2Fgettyimages-2262011506.jpg)\n\nGold medalist Elana Meyers Taylor of Team USA celebrates with her family after winning the monobob Heat 4 last week at the Cortina Sliding Center.  **Julian Finney\/Getty Images**  ****hide caption****\n\n****toggle caption****\n\nJulian Finney\/Getty Images\n### **The pros and cons of being far-flung**\nI spent a lot of time on streetcars, buses, taxis, trains and walking … endless walking … and I have to say it all kind of worked. It was a pain in the butt sometimes. There were days when I thought maybe I wasn't going to make it home. But in the end, Italy managed to string together towns and sports venues spread over more than 8,000 square miles, including some of the most rugged terrain on Earth, and it all kind of held together. I do think there are downsides to a widely dispersed Olympic Games. It's harder to dive into different sports, sampling a little of this and a little of that, when events are three to four hours apart. It's also harder to celebrate (and party) after big wins when you have to catch that last bus to your sleepy little mountain town. But the arrangement also meant tiny villages in the Alps weren't totally overrun with mobs of people. So a lot of my skepticism faded during the Games, especially when buses carried me through high Alpine mountain passes, where the beauty was cinematic.  \n*— Brian Mann*\n\n![MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 19: Jordan Stolz of Team United States competes during the Speed Skating Men's 1500m on day thirteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Speed Skating Stadium on February 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy.](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4675x3168+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3d%2F6e%2F916e3e0648288a2d6a8f4c83c45e%2Fgettyimages-2262494505.jpg)\n\nJordan Stolz of the U.S. competes in the speedskating 1500 meters last week in Milan.  **Dean Mouhtaropoulos\/Getty Images**  ****hide caption****\n\n****toggle caption****\n\nDean Mouhtaropoulos\/Getty Images\n### **A new golden age for speedskating**\nI knew little about long-track speedskating coming into the Games, and the sport completely won me over. They look so calm, while going so fast! People can dominate the sport at different ages — from 19-year-old [Jilek Metodej](https:\/\/www.olympics.com\/en\/milano-cortina-2026\/results\/athlete-details\/43365) from Czechia, who won the 10000 meters, to mullet king [Jorrit Bergsma](https:\/\/www.olympics.com\/en\/milano-cortina-2026\/results\/athlete-details\/51770), 40, who was uncatchable in the mass start. Day after day, Olympic records were smashed, sometimes twice in the same race — surprising the skaters themselves, who didn't expect the ice conditions to be so dialed-in at a temporary rink. The credit goes to the athletes who, with training, refined techniques, nutrition and sports psychology, are getting faster every four years. And promising stars like U.S. skater Jordan Stolz, 21, haven't reached the limits of their potential yet.  \n*— Pien Huang*\n\n![MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 19: Alysa Liu of Team United States competes in Women's Single Skating - Free Skating on day thirteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on February 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto\/Getty Images)](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3000x2000+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F85%2F84%2F230dbe9d42ad88681fe42caf2c41%2Fgettyimages-2262927824.jpg)\n\nGold medalist Alysa Liu at her free skate competition in Milan, Italy.  **Vittorio Zunino Celotto\/Getty Images**  ****hide caption****\n\n****toggle caption****\n\nVittorio Zunino Celotto\/Getty Images\n### **The athletes are all right**\n\"Winning isn't all that, and neither is losing. It's just something that happens,\" said [figure skater Alysa Liu](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/shorts\/gjBaVfWEmqw), after earning gold in women's figure skating, \"What matters is the input and the journey.\" Liu's words were the most visible example of what I heard repeatedly from Team USA athletes — pride in themselves for showing up and doing their best that day. Speedskater Erin Jackson was disappointed to miss medaling in the 500 meters by 0.05 seconds, \"but yeah, that's racing,\" she said. \"I can't control podium spots because that's about how everyone else is \\[skating\\] … My personal outlook on sports and competing is about performing my personal best.\" It's a perspective that emphasizes resilience and what an individual can control — different from the \"winning is everything\" mentality I recall from watching the Olympics as a '90s kid.  \n*— Pien Huang*\n\n![CORTINA, ITALY - FEBRUARY 18: (EDITOR’S NOTE: This image has been digitally enhanced) Gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin of Team United States celebrates her win following the Women's Slalom Run on day twelve of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre on February 18, 2026 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5313x3529+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F77%2Fc9%2Fb048661541f6a7ae145d0713adc3%2Fgettyimages-2262440104.jpg)\n\nGold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates her win in women's slalom.  **Julian Finney\/Getty Images**  ****hide caption****\n\n****toggle caption****\n\nJulian Finney\/Getty Images\n### **A master class in perseverance**\nIt isn't easy to be an elite athlete, especially when your Olympic opportunity only comes around every four years. Something I was blown away by time and again in these Games was the perseverance of athletes — especially women — coming back from a devastating setback. The 41-year-old Lindsey Vonn attracted a lot of headlines and media attention before the Games began because of her genuinely incredible comeback out of retirement and back to the top of the World Cup standings. Her Olympics didn't end the way she had hoped, of course, but she said she doesn't regret it. And neither does Breezy Johnson, the American downhill skier who badly injured her knee just before the 2022 Games and had to sit out, then won the downhill gold this year; or Federica Brignone, the Italian star who suffered a gruesome leg break last year only to turn around and win the super-G and giant slalom golds in front of her friends and family; and of course Shiffrin, whose all-consuming grief from the unexpected death of her father affected her performance in Beijing. \"Everything in life that you do after you lose someone you love is like a new experience. It's like being born again,\" she said after winning the slalom gold.  \n*— Becky Sullivan*\n\n![MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 22: Players of Team United States celebrate a 2-1 victory against Canada in overtime for the gold medal during the Men's Gold Medal match between Canada and the United States on day 16 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy.](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4603x3069+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9f%2Fb6%2F9ec821b34d3f8cbd923460da1685%2Fgettyimages-2262984384.jpg)\n\nThe U.S. men's hockey team celebrates winning the gold medal match against Canada on Saturday.  **Elsa\/Getty Images**  ****hide caption****\n\n****toggle caption****\n\nElsa\/Getty Images\n### **American hockey is back on top**\nI got to spend the last 10 days of the Olympics watching the U.S. men's and women's hockey teams, and what a blast that was. Canada has always been hockey's top dog, and to watch both of these American teams come away with wins — both with a final score of 2-1 in overtime — was marvelous. Both gold medals show off years of investment in youth development and the casting of a wider net for talent: The men's captain, Auston Matthews, is Mexican American and grew up in Arizona; the women's brightest young star, Laila Edwards, was the first Black woman to compete for the U.S. Olympic hockey team. The return of NHL players to the Olympics paid off with electric, must-watch TV. The success of the PWHL (thanks in no small part to Team USA captain Hilary Knight) means the women's players can pursue a career, and the quality of their game will only improve. American hockey is in a terrific place, and the two Olympic gold medals are proof.  \n*— Becky Sullivan*\n\n![(From L) Silver medallists USA's Gus Schumacher and USA's Ben Ogden celebrate on the podium of the men's team cross country free sprint final event of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium in Lago di Tesero (Val di Fiemme), on February 18, 2026.](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2970x4000+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb5%2F7b%2F4d2587c94317ab2d73c83802c2a6%2Fgettyimages-2261756943.jpg)\n\nThe silver-medal celebration for the U.S. at the men's team cross-country free sprint: Gus Schumacher, left, and Ben Ogden.  **Anne-Christine Poujoulat\/AFP via Getty Images**  ****hide caption****\n\n****toggle caption****\n\nAnne-Christine Poujoulat\/AFP via Getty Images\n### **American cross-country skiers have a lot to be proud of**\nAs an avid fan of professional cross-country skiing, I love that the sport has so many ways to measure success. Sure, winning races is important and everyone's goal, but measuring athletes solely by where they finish in race results is pretty superficial.\n\nThat being said, the two silver medals the U.S. men won are a huge, historic accomplishment. They are the best-ever Olympic performance for American men, who have only one other medal, a silver from 1976. Ben Ogden has trained hard for years to get on podiums in an extremely competitive field, dominated lately by the most superlative talent the sport has seen in a generation, and likely ever: Norway's Johannes Klaebo.\n\nOgden's silver in the individual sprint, followed by another in the team sprint with teammate Gus Schumacher, deserve to be celebrated for the amazing accomplishments they are. They reflect sustained focus and determination.\n\nJessie Diggins medaling in her third Olympics is a great, unprecedented achievement for an American cross-country skier as well. No one on the team faced more pressure and expectations than Diggins, and she bore up under it with characteristic class. Beyond her many career accomplishments on snow, Diggins has repeatedly emphasized that personal growth, maintaining good mental health and building strong relationships with teammates are what count most. She can retire with pride.\n\nA glance at the American cross-country team's medal count only tells a very small part of their Olympian achievements.  \n*— Eric Whitney*","meta_canonical":null}

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Boilerpipe Text	The Olympic cauldron at the Arco della Pace in Milan on Sunday. Maja Hitij/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Maja Hitij/Getty Images A global event can feel like a small world These were famously spread-out Olympics , but to me — who mostly stayed in one city covering one sport — they felt almost immediately like a small world. Soon enough, I had my go-to food spots and preferred transit shortcuts, friendly bits with venue security guards and a hilariously high number of Snoop Dogg near-misses (I finally saw him sitting rinkside with Martha Stewart and Ilia Malinin, worth the wait). Best of all, I got to know many of the other reporters covering figure skating. We spent long, late nights in the trenches: watching the extreme highs and lows of competition, alternately discussing and distracting ourselves as we waited downstairs to talk to athletes. We shared quotes, saved seats and — once — sprinted up multiple flights of stairs just in time for the next skater to take the ice. And it wasn't just at the rink; I ran into multiple compatriots around town, too. I'm so grateful for their friendship and wisdom, whether about the figure skating scoring system or recommendations for salad places (both are trickier than you'd expect). — Rachel Treisman Kaori Sakamoto of Team Japan poses for a selfie with other figure skaters at the Exhibition Gala on Saturday. Jamie Squire/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Jamie Squire/Getty Images Memes have their limits I'm used to covering the Olympics from afar, which involves keeping a close eye on whatever or whoever is suddenly trending ( chocolate muffins , " pommel horse guy ," a certain shirtless torchbearer ). But on the ground, the meme firewall is pretty strong. For one, we're not hearing TV commentary at live events, and rights restrictions keep us from seeing most of NBC's viral tweets and clips. Plus, many of these events (certainly figure skating) go late into the night in Italy, so I'm asleep when things are starting to take off online — and don't have my usual amount of time to scroll/research anyway. Don't get me wrong, I've still gotten to enjoy Quinn Hughes' blank stares , Elmo's escalating beef with Rocco and the smooth moves of the curling ice master. But it's been interesting to see the internet's reaction as the cherry on top of my viewing experience, rather than the lens for it. — Rachel Treisman Mark Messer, Ice Master of the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, watches as the ice is checked between races last week at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium. Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Family moments meant the most My biggest, kind of unexpected joys during the Winter Games were the moments with family. Elana Meyers Taylor and Kaillie Humphries with their kids at the finish line of the monobob bobsled competition. Mikaela Shiffrin speaking beautifully about her father's death and how these Olympics helped her learn to live with that loss. Seeing young athletes with their parents. Seeing the remarkable number of athletes competing here with their siblings! I also like the fact that these young athletes seem a lot healthier, mentally and physically, than when I first started covering Olympic sports 20 years ago. There's more of an effort to make this fun, more support for their mental health, a lot less (not zero) grinding pressure. — Brian Mann Gold medalist Elana Meyers Taylor of Team USA celebrates with her family after winning the monobob Heat 4 last week at the Cortina Sliding Center. Julian Finney/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Julian Finney/Getty Images The pros and cons of being far-flung I spent a lot of time on streetcars, buses, taxis, trains and walking … endless walking … and I have to say it all kind of worked. It was a pain in the butt sometimes. There were days when I thought maybe I wasn't going to make it home. But in the end, Italy managed to string together towns and sports venues spread over more than 8,000 square miles, including some of the most rugged terrain on Earth, and it all kind of held together. I do think there are downsides to a widely dispersed Olympic Games. It's harder to dive into different sports, sampling a little of this and a little of that, when events are three to four hours apart. It's also harder to celebrate (and party) after big wins when you have to catch that last bus to your sleepy little mountain town. But the arrangement also meant tiny villages in the Alps weren't totally overrun with mobs of people. So a lot of my skepticism faded during the Games, especially when buses carried me through high Alpine mountain passes, where the beauty was cinematic. — Brian Mann Jordan Stolz of the U.S. competes in the speedskating 1500 meters last week in Milan. Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images A new golden age for speedskating I knew little about long-track speedskating coming into the Games, and the sport completely won me over. They look so calm, while going so fast! People can dominate the sport at different ages — from 19-year-old Jilek Metodej from Czechia, who won the 10000 meters, to mullet king Jorrit Bergsma , 40, who was uncatchable in the mass start. Day after day, Olympic records were smashed, sometimes twice in the same race — surprising the skaters themselves, who didn't expect the ice conditions to be so dialed-in at a temporary rink. The credit goes to the athletes who, with training, refined techniques, nutrition and sports psychology, are getting faster every four years. And promising stars like U.S. skater Jordan Stolz, 21, haven't reached the limits of their potential yet. — Pien Huang Gold medalist Alysa Liu at her free skate competition in Milan, Italy. Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images The athletes are all right "Winning isn't all that, and neither is losing. It's just something that happens," said figure skater Alysa Liu , after earning gold in women's figure skating, "What matters is the input and the journey." Liu's words were the most visible example of what I heard repeatedly from Team USA athletes — pride in themselves for showing up and doing their best that day. Speedskater Erin Jackson was disappointed to miss medaling in the 500 meters by 0.05 seconds, "but yeah, that's racing," she said. "I can't control podium spots because that's about how everyone else is [skating] … My personal outlook on sports and competing is about performing my personal best." It's a perspective that emphasizes resilience and what an individual can control — different from the "winning is everything" mentality I recall from watching the Olympics as a '90s kid. — Pien Huang Gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates her win in women's slalom. Julian Finney/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Julian Finney/Getty Images A master class in perseverance It isn't easy to be an elite athlete, especially when your Olympic opportunity only comes around every four years. Something I was blown away by time and again in these Games was the perseverance of athletes — especially women — coming back from a devastating setback. The 41-year-old Lindsey Vonn attracted a lot of headlines and media attention before the Games began because of her genuinely incredible comeback out of retirement and back to the top of the World Cup standings. Her Olympics didn't end the way she had hoped, of course, but she said she doesn't regret it. And neither does Breezy Johnson, the American downhill skier who badly injured her knee just before the 2022 Games and had to sit out, then won the downhill gold this year; or Federica Brignone, the Italian star who suffered a gruesome leg break last year only to turn around and win the super-G and giant slalom golds in front of her friends and family; and of course Shiffrin, whose all-consuming grief from the unexpected death of her father affected her performance in Beijing. "Everything in life that you do after you lose someone you love is like a new experience. It's like being born again," she said after winning the slalom gold. — Becky Sullivan The U.S. men's hockey team celebrates winning the gold medal match against Canada on Saturday. Elsa/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Elsa/Getty Images American hockey is back on top I got to spend the last 10 days of the Olympics watching the U.S. men's and women's hockey teams, and what a blast that was. Canada has always been hockey's top dog, and to watch both of these American teams come away with wins — both with a final score of 2-1 in overtime — was marvelous. Both gold medals show off years of investment in youth development and the casting of a wider net for talent: The men's captain, Auston Matthews, is Mexican American and grew up in Arizona; the women's brightest young star, Laila Edwards, was the first Black woman to compete for the U.S. Olympic hockey team. The return of NHL players to the Olympics paid off with electric, must-watch TV. The success of the PWHL (thanks in no small part to Team USA captain Hilary Knight) means the women's players can pursue a career, and the quality of their game will only improve. American hockey is in a terrific place, and the two Olympic gold medals are proof. — Becky Sullivan The silver-medal celebration for the U.S. at the men's team cross-country free sprint: Gus Schumacher, left, and Ben Ogden. Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP via Getty Images American cross-country skiers have a lot to be proud of As an avid fan of professional cross-country skiing, I love that the sport has so many ways to measure success. Sure, winning races is important and everyone's goal, but measuring athletes solely by where they finish in race results is pretty superficial. That being said, the two silver medals the U.S. men won are a huge, historic accomplishment. They are the best-ever Olympic performance for American men, who have only one other medal, a silver from 1976. Ben Ogden has trained hard for years to get on podiums in an extremely competitive field, dominated lately by the most superlative talent the sport has seen in a generation, and likely ever: Norway's Johannes Klaebo. Ogden's silver in the individual sprint, followed by another in the team sprint with teammate Gus Schumacher, deserve to be celebrated for the amazing accomplishments they are. They reflect sustained focus and determination. Jessie Diggins medaling in her third Olympics is a great, unprecedented achievement for an American cross-country skier as well. No one on the team faced more pressure and expectations than Diggins, and she bore up under it with characteristic class. Beyond her many career accomplishments on snow, Diggins has repeatedly emphasized that personal growth, maintaining good mental health and building strong relationships with teammates are what count most. She can retire with pride. A glance at the American cross-country team's medal count only tells a very small part of their Olympian achievements. — Eric Whitney
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[![Illustration of the Olympic torch.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/800x800+0+0/resize/100/quality/85/format/png/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F09%2Fd4%2Fe235eb934809bb3556bbd8d6dc9e%2Folympics-torch.png)Special Series 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics](https://www.npr.org/series/g-s1-104526/2026-olympics) # What NPR reporters will remember most about these Winter Olympics February 23, 202610:41 AM ET By [Rachel Treisman](https://www.npr.org/people/776048102/rachel-treisman) , [![Headshot of Brian Mann](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2023/08/14/brianmann_sq-c5787f45cc396890af48cc7ca34127efe40cf95f.jpg?s=100&c=85&f=jpeg)](https://www.npr.org/people/935764762/brian-mann) [Brian Mann](https://www.npr.org/people/935764762/brian-mann) , [![Headshot of Becky Sullivan](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2103x2103+0+0/resize/100/quality/85/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4d%2F11%2F980f3f364d858dd8ff0916912682%2Fbecky-sullivan.jpeg)](https://www.npr.org/people/348743421/becky-sullivan) [Becky Sullivan](https://www.npr.org/people/348743421/becky-sullivan) , [![Pien Huang](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2019/06/14/wany4031_sq-0f2697407802c5452e245fbcfdae79c5648c36e3.jpg?s=100&c=85&f=jpeg)](https://www.npr.org/people/729920828/pien-huang) [Pien Huang](https://www.npr.org/people/729920828/pien-huang) ![The Olympic cauldron.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5751x3831+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb5%2F63%2F01882802461b90d9c75dca618ba5%2Fgettyimages-2263013371.jpg) The Olympic cauldron at the Arco della Pace in Milan on Sunday. Maja Hitij/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption** Maja Hitij/Getty Images ### A global event can feel like a small world These were famously [spread-out Olympics](https://www.npr.org/2026/01/19/nx-s1-5621791/winter-olympics-venues-milan-cortina), but to me — who mostly stayed in one city covering one sport — they felt almost immediately like a small world. Soon enough, I had my go-to food spots and preferred transit shortcuts, friendly bits with venue security guards and a hilariously high number of Snoop Dogg near-misses (I finally saw him sitting rinkside with Martha Stewart and Ilia Malinin, worth the wait). Best of all, I got to know many of the other reporters covering figure skating. We spent long, late nights in the trenches: watching the extreme highs and lows of competition, alternately discussing and distracting ourselves as we waited downstairs to talk to athletes. We shared quotes, saved seats and — once — sprinted up multiple flights of stairs just in time for the next skater to take the ice. And it wasn't just at the rink; I ran into multiple compatriots around town, too. I'm so grateful for their friendship and wisdom, whether about the figure skating scoring system or recommendations for salad places (both are trickier than you'd expect). — Rachel Treisman ![Kaori Sakamoto of Team Japan poses for a selfie with athletes in the Women Single Skating routine during a Figure Skating Exhibition Gala on day fifteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on February 21, 2026 in Milan, Italy.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5859x3906+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8f%2Ff6%2Fa8342ce7446ebbe75a371f223f49%2Fgettyimages-2262858153.jpg) Kaori Sakamoto of Team Japan poses for a selfie with other figure skaters at the Exhibition Gala on Saturday. Jamie Squire/Getty Images **hide caption toggle caption Jamie Squire/Getty Images ### Memes have their limits** I'm used to covering the Olympics from afar, which involves keeping a close eye on whatever or whoever is suddenly trending ([chocolate muffins](http://google.com/search?q=npr+chocolate+muffins&rlz=1C1GCEJ_enUS1023US1023&oq=npr+chocolate+muffins&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQABiABDIHCAIQABiABDIHCAMQABiABDIICAQQABgWGB4yCAgFEAAYFhgeMggIBhAAGBYYHjIICAcQABgWGB4yCAgIEAAYFhgeMggICRAAGBYYHtIBCDE5ODdqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8), "[pommel horse guy](https://www.npr.org/2024/07/30/nx-s1-5057146/pommel-horse-stephen-nedoroscik-olympics)," a certain [shirtless torchbearer](https://www.npr.org/2022/02/04/1078207475/tonga-flag-bearer-pita-taufatofua-volcano-recovery)). But on the ground, the meme firewall is pretty strong. For one, we're not hearing TV commentary at live events, and rights restrictions keep us from seeing most of NBC's viral tweets and clips. Plus, many of these events (certainly figure skating) go late into the night in Italy, so I'm asleep when things are starting to take off online — and don't have my usual amount of time to scroll/research anyway. Don't get me wrong, I've still gotten to enjoy Quinn Hughes' [blank stares](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/quinn-hughes-seeing-ghosts-explained-195606834.html), Elmo's escalating [beef with Rocco](https://www.instagram.com/reels/DU4UhGejovD/) and the [smooth moves](https://www.instagram.com/reels/DU3Rli0CCMh/) of the curling ice master. But it's been interesting to see the internet's reaction as the cherry on top of my viewing experience, rather than the lens for it. — Rachel Treisman ![Mark Messer, Ice Master of the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, looks on as the ice is checked during a break between races on day eleven of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Speed Skating Stadium on February 17, 2026 in Milan, Italy.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4754x3003+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F35%2F8d%2Fa438c6024bf088339dc54d3894de%2Fgettyimages-2262118483.jpg) Mark Messer, Ice Master of the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, watches as the ice is checked between races last week at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium. Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images **hide caption toggle caption Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images ### Family moments meant the most** My biggest, kind of unexpected joys during the Winter Games were the moments with family. Elana Meyers Taylor and Kaillie Humphries with their kids at the finish line of the monobob bobsled competition. Mikaela Shiffrin speaking beautifully about her father's death and how these Olympics helped her learn to live with that loss. Seeing young athletes with their parents. Seeing the remarkable number of athletes competing here with their siblings! I also like the fact that these young athletes seem a lot healthier, mentally and physically, than when I first started covering Olympic sports 20 years ago. There's more of an effort to make this fun, more support for their mental health, a lot less (not zero) grinding pressure. — Brian Mann ![Gold medalist Elana Meyers Taylor of Team United States celebrates with a member of her family after winning the Women's Monobob Bobsleigh Heat 4 on day ten of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Cortina Sliding Center on February 16, 2026 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3883x2588+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F90%2F89%2Fe6b645fb4d16b5d1b3df5646046d%2Fgettyimages-2262011506.jpg) Gold medalist Elana Meyers Taylor of Team USA celebrates with her family after winning the monobob Heat 4 last week at the Cortina Sliding Center. Julian Finney/Getty Images **hide caption toggle caption Julian Finney/Getty Images ### The pros and cons of being far-flung** I spent a lot of time on streetcars, buses, taxis, trains and walking … endless walking … and I have to say it all kind of worked. It was a pain in the butt sometimes. There were days when I thought maybe I wasn't going to make it home. But in the end, Italy managed to string together towns and sports venues spread over more than 8,000 square miles, including some of the most rugged terrain on Earth, and it all kind of held together. I do think there are downsides to a widely dispersed Olympic Games. It's harder to dive into different sports, sampling a little of this and a little of that, when events are three to four hours apart. It's also harder to celebrate (and party) after big wins when you have to catch that last bus to your sleepy little mountain town. But the arrangement also meant tiny villages in the Alps weren't totally overrun with mobs of people. So a lot of my skepticism faded during the Games, especially when buses carried me through high Alpine mountain passes, where the beauty was cinematic. — Brian Mann ![MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 19: Jordan Stolz of Team United States competes during the Speed Skating Men's 1500m on day thirteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Speed Skating Stadium on February 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4675x3168+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3d%2F6e%2F916e3e0648288a2d6a8f4c83c45e%2Fgettyimages-2262494505.jpg) Jordan Stolz of the U.S. competes in the speedskating 1500 meters last week in Milan. Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images **hide caption toggle caption Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images ### A new golden age for speedskating** I knew little about long-track speedskating coming into the Games, and the sport completely won me over. They look so calm, while going so fast! People can dominate the sport at different ages — from 19-year-old [Jilek Metodej](https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/results/athlete-details/43365) from Czechia, who won the 10000 meters, to mullet king [Jorrit Bergsma](https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/results/athlete-details/51770), 40, who was uncatchable in the mass start. Day after day, Olympic records were smashed, sometimes twice in the same race — surprising the skaters themselves, who didn't expect the ice conditions to be so dialed-in at a temporary rink. The credit goes to the athletes who, with training, refined techniques, nutrition and sports psychology, are getting faster every four years. And promising stars like U.S. skater Jordan Stolz, 21, haven't reached the limits of their potential yet. — Pien Huang ![MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 19: Alysa Liu of Team United States competes in Women's Single Skating - Free Skating on day thirteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on February 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F85%2F84%2F230dbe9d42ad88681fe42caf2c41%2Fgettyimages-2262927824.jpg) Gold medalist Alysa Liu at her free skate competition in Milan, Italy. Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images **hide caption toggle caption Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images ### The athletes are all right** "Winning isn't all that, and neither is losing. It's just something that happens," said [figure skater Alysa Liu](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gjBaVfWEmqw), after earning gold in women's figure skating, "What matters is the input and the journey." Liu's words were the most visible example of what I heard repeatedly from Team USA athletes — pride in themselves for showing up and doing their best that day. Speedskater Erin Jackson was disappointed to miss medaling in the 500 meters by 0.05 seconds, "but yeah, that's racing," she said. "I can't control podium spots because that's about how everyone else is \[skating\] … My personal outlook on sports and competing is about performing my personal best." It's a perspective that emphasizes resilience and what an individual can control — different from the "winning is everything" mentality I recall from watching the Olympics as a '90s kid. — Pien Huang ![CORTINA, ITALY - FEBRUARY 18: (EDITOR’S NOTE: This image has been digitally enhanced) Gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin of Team United States celebrates her win following the Women's Slalom Run on day twelve of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre on February 18, 2026 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5313x3529+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F77%2Fc9%2Fb048661541f6a7ae145d0713adc3%2Fgettyimages-2262440104.jpg) Gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates her win in women's slalom. Julian Finney/Getty Images **hide caption toggle caption Julian Finney/Getty Images ### A master class in perseverance** It isn't easy to be an elite athlete, especially when your Olympic opportunity only comes around every four years. Something I was blown away by time and again in these Games was the perseverance of athletes — especially women — coming back from a devastating setback. The 41-year-old Lindsey Vonn attracted a lot of headlines and media attention before the Games began because of her genuinely incredible comeback out of retirement and back to the top of the World Cup standings. Her Olympics didn't end the way she had hoped, of course, but she said she doesn't regret it. And neither does Breezy Johnson, the American downhill skier who badly injured her knee just before the 2022 Games and had to sit out, then won the downhill gold this year; or Federica Brignone, the Italian star who suffered a gruesome leg break last year only to turn around and win the super-G and giant slalom golds in front of her friends and family; and of course Shiffrin, whose all-consuming grief from the unexpected death of her father affected her performance in Beijing. "Everything in life that you do after you lose someone you love is like a new experience. It's like being born again," she said after winning the slalom gold. — Becky Sullivan ![MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 22: Players of Team United States celebrate a 2-1 victory against Canada in overtime for the gold medal during the Men's Gold Medal match between Canada and the United States on day 16 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4603x3069+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9f%2Fb6%2F9ec821b34d3f8cbd923460da1685%2Fgettyimages-2262984384.jpg) The U.S. men's hockey team celebrates winning the gold medal match against Canada on Saturday. Elsa/Getty Images **hide caption toggle caption Elsa/Getty Images ### American hockey is back on top** I got to spend the last 10 days of the Olympics watching the U.S. men's and women's hockey teams, and what a blast that was. Canada has always been hockey's top dog, and to watch both of these American teams come away with wins — both with a final score of 2-1 in overtime — was marvelous. Both gold medals show off years of investment in youth development and the casting of a wider net for talent: The men's captain, Auston Matthews, is Mexican American and grew up in Arizona; the women's brightest young star, Laila Edwards, was the first Black woman to compete for the U.S. Olympic hockey team. The return of NHL players to the Olympics paid off with electric, must-watch TV. The success of the PWHL (thanks in no small part to Team USA captain Hilary Knight) means the women's players can pursue a career, and the quality of their game will only improve. American hockey is in a terrific place, and the two Olympic gold medals are proof. — Becky Sullivan ![(From L) Silver medallists USA's Gus Schumacher and USA's Ben Ogden celebrate on the podium of the men's team cross country free sprint final event of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium in Lago di Tesero (Val di Fiemme), on February 18, 2026.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2970x4000+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb5%2F7b%2F4d2587c94317ab2d73c83802c2a6%2Fgettyimages-2261756943.jpg) The silver-medal celebration for the U.S. at the men's team cross-country free sprint: Gus Schumacher, left, and Ben Ogden. Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP via Getty Images **hide caption toggle caption Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP via Getty Images ### American cross-country skiers have a lot to be proud of** As an avid fan of professional cross-country skiing, I love that the sport has so many ways to measure success. Sure, winning races is important and everyone's goal, but measuring athletes solely by where they finish in race results is pretty superficial. Sponsor Message That being said, the two silver medals the U.S. men won are a huge, historic accomplishment. They are the best-ever Olympic performance for American men, who have only one other medal, a silver from 1976. Ben Ogden has trained hard for years to get on podiums in an extremely competitive field, dominated lately by the most superlative talent the sport has seen in a generation, and likely ever: Norway's Johannes Klaebo. Ogden's silver in the individual sprint, followed by another in the team sprint with teammate Gus Schumacher, deserve to be celebrated for the amazing accomplishments they are. They reflect sustained focus and determination. Jessie Diggins medaling in her third Olympics is a great, unprecedented achievement for an American cross-country skier as well. No one on the team faced more pressure and expectations than Diggins, and she bore up under it with characteristic class. Beyond her many career accomplishments on snow, Diggins has repeatedly emphasized that personal growth, maintaining good mental health and building strong relationships with teammates are what count most. She can retire with pride. A glance at the American cross-country team's medal count only tells a very small part of their Olympian achievements. — Eric Whitney - [2026 Winter Olympics](https://www.npr.org/tags/735589066/2026-winter-olympics) - [Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo](https://www.npr.org/tags/735589139/milan-cortina-dampezzo) - [Italy](https://www.npr.org/tags/126937512/italy) - Facebook - Flipboard - Email ###### Read & Listen - [Home](https://www.npr.org/) - [News](https://www.npr.org/sections/news/) - [Culture](https://www.npr.org/sections/culture/) - [Music](https://www.npr.org/music/) - [Podcasts & Shows](https://www.npr.org/podcasts-and-shows) ###### Connect - [Newsletters](https://www.npr.org/newsletters/) - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/NPR/) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/npr/) - [Press](https://www.npr.org/series/750003/press-room/) - [Public Editor](https://www.npr.org/sections/publiceditor/) - [Corrections](https://www.npr.org/corrections/) - [Transcripts](https://www.npr.org/transcripts/) - [Contact & Help](https://help.npr.org/contact/s/) ###### About NPR - [Overview](https://www.npr.org/about/) - [Diversity](https://www.npr.org/diversity/) - [NPR Network](https://www.npr.org/network/) - [Accessibility](https://www.npr.org/about-npr/1136563345/accessibility) - [Ethics](https://www.npr.org/ethics/) - [Finances](https://www.npr.org/about-npr/178660742/public-radio-finances) ###### Get Involved - [Support Public Radio](https://www.npr.org/support/) - [Sponsor NPR](https://www.npr.org/about-npr/186948703/corporate-sponsorship) - [NPR Careers](https://www.npr.org/careers/) - [NPR Shop](https://shopnpr.org/) - [NPR Extra](https://www.npr.org/sections/npr-extra/) - [Terms of Use](https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179876898/terms-of-use) - [Privacy](https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy) - [Your Privacy Choices](https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy#yourchoices) - [Text Only](https://text.npr.org/) - © 2026 npr Sponsor Message Sponsor Message [Become an NPR sponsor](https://www.npr.org/about-npr/186948703/corporate-sponsorship) ![NPR Plus logo](https://prod-eks-static-assets.npr.org/chrome_svg/npr-plus/npr-plus-combo-logo.svg) ##### Exclusive benefits ###### Give a little. 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Readable Markdown	![The Olympic cauldron.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5751x3831+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb5%2F63%2F01882802461b90d9c75dca618ba5%2Fgettyimages-2263013371.jpg) The Olympic cauldron at the Arco della Pace in Milan on Sunday. Maja Hitij/Getty Images **hide caption toggle caption** Maja Hitij/Getty Images ### A global event can feel like a small world These were famously [spread-out Olympics](https://www.npr.org/2026/01/19/nx-s1-5621791/winter-olympics-venues-milan-cortina), but to me — who mostly stayed in one city covering one sport — they felt almost immediately like a small world. Soon enough, I had my go-to food spots and preferred transit shortcuts, friendly bits with venue security guards and a hilariously high number of Snoop Dogg near-misses (I finally saw him sitting rinkside with Martha Stewart and Ilia Malinin, worth the wait). Best of all, I got to know many of the other reporters covering figure skating. We spent long, late nights in the trenches: watching the extreme highs and lows of competition, alternately discussing and distracting ourselves as we waited downstairs to talk to athletes. We shared quotes, saved seats and — once — sprinted up multiple flights of stairs just in time for the next skater to take the ice. And it wasn't just at the rink; I ran into multiple compatriots around town, too. I'm so grateful for their friendship and wisdom, whether about the figure skating scoring system or recommendations for salad places (both are trickier than you'd expect). — Rachel Treisman ![Kaori Sakamoto of Team Japan poses for a selfie with athletes in the Women Single Skating routine during a Figure Skating Exhibition Gala on day fifteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on February 21, 2026 in Milan, Italy.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5859x3906+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8f%2Ff6%2Fa8342ce7446ebbe75a371f223f49%2Fgettyimages-2262858153.jpg) Kaori Sakamoto of Team Japan poses for a selfie with other figure skaters at the Exhibition Gala on Saturday. Jamie Squire/Getty Images **hide caption toggle caption Jamie Squire/Getty Images ### Memes have their limits** I'm used to covering the Olympics from afar, which involves keeping a close eye on whatever or whoever is suddenly trending ([chocolate muffins](http://google.com/search?q=npr+chocolate+muffins&rlz=1C1GCEJ_enUS1023US1023&oq=npr+chocolate+muffins&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQABiABDIHCAIQABiABDIHCAMQABiABDIICAQQABgWGB4yCAgFEAAYFhgeMggIBhAAGBYYHjIICAcQABgWGB4yCAgIEAAYFhgeMggICRAAGBYYHtIBCDE5ODdqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8), "[pommel horse guy](https://www.npr.org/2024/07/30/nx-s1-5057146/pommel-horse-stephen-nedoroscik-olympics)," a certain [shirtless torchbearer](https://www.npr.org/2022/02/04/1078207475/tonga-flag-bearer-pita-taufatofua-volcano-recovery)). But on the ground, the meme firewall is pretty strong. For one, we're not hearing TV commentary at live events, and rights restrictions keep us from seeing most of NBC's viral tweets and clips. Plus, many of these events (certainly figure skating) go late into the night in Italy, so I'm asleep when things are starting to take off online — and don't have my usual amount of time to scroll/research anyway. Don't get me wrong, I've still gotten to enjoy Quinn Hughes' [blank stares](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/quinn-hughes-seeing-ghosts-explained-195606834.html), Elmo's escalating [beef with Rocco](https://www.instagram.com/reels/DU4UhGejovD/) and the [smooth moves](https://www.instagram.com/reels/DU3Rli0CCMh/) of the curling ice master. But it's been interesting to see the internet's reaction as the cherry on top of my viewing experience, rather than the lens for it. — Rachel Treisman ![Mark Messer, Ice Master of the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, looks on as the ice is checked during a break between races on day eleven of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Speed Skating Stadium on February 17, 2026 in Milan, Italy.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4754x3003+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F35%2F8d%2Fa438c6024bf088339dc54d3894de%2Fgettyimages-2262118483.jpg) Mark Messer, Ice Master of the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, watches as the ice is checked between races last week at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium. Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images **hide caption toggle caption Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images ### Family moments meant the most** My biggest, kind of unexpected joys during the Winter Games were the moments with family. Elana Meyers Taylor and Kaillie Humphries with their kids at the finish line of the monobob bobsled competition. Mikaela Shiffrin speaking beautifully about her father's death and how these Olympics helped her learn to live with that loss. Seeing young athletes with their parents. Seeing the remarkable number of athletes competing here with their siblings! I also like the fact that these young athletes seem a lot healthier, mentally and physically, than when I first started covering Olympic sports 20 years ago. There's more of an effort to make this fun, more support for their mental health, a lot less (not zero) grinding pressure. — Brian Mann ![Gold medalist Elana Meyers Taylor of Team United States celebrates with a member of her family after winning the Women's Monobob Bobsleigh Heat 4 on day ten of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Cortina Sliding Center on February 16, 2026 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3883x2588+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F90%2F89%2Fe6b645fb4d16b5d1b3df5646046d%2Fgettyimages-2262011506.jpg) Gold medalist Elana Meyers Taylor of Team USA celebrates with her family after winning the monobob Heat 4 last week at the Cortina Sliding Center. Julian Finney/Getty Images **hide caption toggle caption Julian Finney/Getty Images ### The pros and cons of being far-flung** I spent a lot of time on streetcars, buses, taxis, trains and walking … endless walking … and I have to say it all kind of worked. It was a pain in the butt sometimes. There were days when I thought maybe I wasn't going to make it home. But in the end, Italy managed to string together towns and sports venues spread over more than 8,000 square miles, including some of the most rugged terrain on Earth, and it all kind of held together. I do think there are downsides to a widely dispersed Olympic Games. It's harder to dive into different sports, sampling a little of this and a little of that, when events are three to four hours apart. It's also harder to celebrate (and party) after big wins when you have to catch that last bus to your sleepy little mountain town. But the arrangement also meant tiny villages in the Alps weren't totally overrun with mobs of people. So a lot of my skepticism faded during the Games, especially when buses carried me through high Alpine mountain passes, where the beauty was cinematic. — Brian Mann ![MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 19: Jordan Stolz of Team United States competes during the Speed Skating Men's 1500m on day thirteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Speed Skating Stadium on February 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4675x3168+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3d%2F6e%2F916e3e0648288a2d6a8f4c83c45e%2Fgettyimages-2262494505.jpg) Jordan Stolz of the U.S. competes in the speedskating 1500 meters last week in Milan. Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images **hide caption toggle caption Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images ### A new golden age for speedskating** I knew little about long-track speedskating coming into the Games, and the sport completely won me over. They look so calm, while going so fast! People can dominate the sport at different ages — from 19-year-old [Jilek Metodej](https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/results/athlete-details/43365) from Czechia, who won the 10000 meters, to mullet king [Jorrit Bergsma](https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/results/athlete-details/51770), 40, who was uncatchable in the mass start. Day after day, Olympic records were smashed, sometimes twice in the same race — surprising the skaters themselves, who didn't expect the ice conditions to be so dialed-in at a temporary rink. The credit goes to the athletes who, with training, refined techniques, nutrition and sports psychology, are getting faster every four years. And promising stars like U.S. skater Jordan Stolz, 21, haven't reached the limits of their potential yet. — Pien Huang ![MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 19: Alysa Liu of Team United States competes in Women's Single Skating - Free Skating on day thirteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on February 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F85%2F84%2F230dbe9d42ad88681fe42caf2c41%2Fgettyimages-2262927824.jpg) Gold medalist Alysa Liu at her free skate competition in Milan, Italy. Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images **hide caption toggle caption Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images ### The athletes are all right** "Winning isn't all that, and neither is losing. It's just something that happens," said [figure skater Alysa Liu](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gjBaVfWEmqw), after earning gold in women's figure skating, "What matters is the input and the journey." Liu's words were the most visible example of what I heard repeatedly from Team USA athletes — pride in themselves for showing up and doing their best that day. Speedskater Erin Jackson was disappointed to miss medaling in the 500 meters by 0.05 seconds, "but yeah, that's racing," she said. "I can't control podium spots because that's about how everyone else is \[skating\] … My personal outlook on sports and competing is about performing my personal best." It's a perspective that emphasizes resilience and what an individual can control — different from the "winning is everything" mentality I recall from watching the Olympics as a '90s kid. — Pien Huang ![CORTINA, ITALY - FEBRUARY 18: (EDITOR’S NOTE: This image has been digitally enhanced) Gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin of Team United States celebrates her win following the Women's Slalom Run on day twelve of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre on February 18, 2026 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5313x3529+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F77%2Fc9%2Fb048661541f6a7ae145d0713adc3%2Fgettyimages-2262440104.jpg) Gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates her win in women's slalom. Julian Finney/Getty Images **hide caption toggle caption Julian Finney/Getty Images ### A master class in perseverance** It isn't easy to be an elite athlete, especially when your Olympic opportunity only comes around every four years. Something I was blown away by time and again in these Games was the perseverance of athletes — especially women — coming back from a devastating setback. The 41-year-old Lindsey Vonn attracted a lot of headlines and media attention before the Games began because of her genuinely incredible comeback out of retirement and back to the top of the World Cup standings. Her Olympics didn't end the way she had hoped, of course, but she said she doesn't regret it. And neither does Breezy Johnson, the American downhill skier who badly injured her knee just before the 2022 Games and had to sit out, then won the downhill gold this year; or Federica Brignone, the Italian star who suffered a gruesome leg break last year only to turn around and win the super-G and giant slalom golds in front of her friends and family; and of course Shiffrin, whose all-consuming grief from the unexpected death of her father affected her performance in Beijing. "Everything in life that you do after you lose someone you love is like a new experience. It's like being born again," she said after winning the slalom gold. — Becky Sullivan ![MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 22: Players of Team United States celebrate a 2-1 victory against Canada in overtime for the gold medal during the Men's Gold Medal match between Canada and the United States on day 16 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4603x3069+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9f%2Fb6%2F9ec821b34d3f8cbd923460da1685%2Fgettyimages-2262984384.jpg) The U.S. men's hockey team celebrates winning the gold medal match against Canada on Saturday. Elsa/Getty Images **hide caption toggle caption Elsa/Getty Images ### American hockey is back on top** I got to spend the last 10 days of the Olympics watching the U.S. men's and women's hockey teams, and what a blast that was. Canada has always been hockey's top dog, and to watch both of these American teams come away with wins — both with a final score of 2-1 in overtime — was marvelous. Both gold medals show off years of investment in youth development and the casting of a wider net for talent: The men's captain, Auston Matthews, is Mexican American and grew up in Arizona; the women's brightest young star, Laila Edwards, was the first Black woman to compete for the U.S. Olympic hockey team. The return of NHL players to the Olympics paid off with electric, must-watch TV. The success of the PWHL (thanks in no small part to Team USA captain Hilary Knight) means the women's players can pursue a career, and the quality of their game will only improve. American hockey is in a terrific place, and the two Olympic gold medals are proof. — Becky Sullivan ![(From L) Silver medallists USA's Gus Schumacher and USA's Ben Ogden celebrate on the podium of the men's team cross country free sprint final event of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium in Lago di Tesero (Val di Fiemme), on February 18, 2026.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2970x4000+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb5%2F7b%2F4d2587c94317ab2d73c83802c2a6%2Fgettyimages-2261756943.jpg) The silver-medal celebration for the U.S. at the men's team cross-country free sprint: Gus Schumacher, left, and Ben Ogden. Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP via Getty Images **hide caption toggle caption Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP via Getty Images ### American cross-country skiers have a lot to be proud of** As an avid fan of professional cross-country skiing, I love that the sport has so many ways to measure success. Sure, winning races is important and everyone's goal, but measuring athletes solely by where they finish in race results is pretty superficial. That being said, the two silver medals the U.S. men won are a huge, historic accomplishment. They are the best-ever Olympic performance for American men, who have only one other medal, a silver from 1976. Ben Ogden has trained hard for years to get on podiums in an extremely competitive field, dominated lately by the most superlative talent the sport has seen in a generation, and likely ever: Norway's Johannes Klaebo. Ogden's silver in the individual sprint, followed by another in the team sprint with teammate Gus Schumacher, deserve to be celebrated for the amazing accomplishments they are. They reflect sustained focus and determination. Jessie Diggins medaling in her third Olympics is a great, unprecedented achievement for an American cross-country skier as well. No one on the team faced more pressure and expectations than Diggins, and she bore up under it with characteristic class. Beyond her many career accomplishments on snow, Diggins has repeatedly emphasized that personal growth, maintaining good mental health and building strong relationships with teammates are what count most. She can retire with pride. A glance at the American cross-country team's medal count only tells a very small part of their Olympian achievements. — Eric Whitney
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