The Great White North in the Land of Pasta: Canada’s Olympic Surge in Milano Cortina

Watch. Cheer. Celebrate.

We’re halfway through the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, and Canada is doing what Canada does best, quietly dominating while the world debates who has the best pasta. As of February 19, Team Canada sits at 14 medals (4 gold, 4 silver, 6 bronze), and we’re not slowing down.

This isn’t just about numbers. This is about 207 athletes who packed their bags, left the comfort of Canadian winters, and decided to show the Italian Alps what real snow sport looks like.

The Golden Moments

Megan Oldham made history. The 23-year-old freestyle skier didn’t just win gold in Big Air, she became the first Canadian woman to ever stand on top of that podium in the event. One jump. One moment. One place in the record books forever.

Then there’s Mikaël Kingsbury, the moguls maestro who refuses to settle. Silver in the traditional moguls. Gold in dual moguls. The Quebecer now has seven Olympic medals to his name, cementing his status as one of Canada’s greatest winter athletes. He makes navigating bumps at 40 km/h look like a Sunday stroll through Mont-Tremblant.

Steven Dubois owned the short track. His wire-to-wire victory in the men’s 500m wasn’t just dominant, it was a statement. That’s his fifth Olympic medal, and he made it look easy.

The Podium Regulars

Courtney Sarault is having the Games of her life. Four medals. Four. The short track speedskater helped anchor Canada’s bronze-medal finish in the women’s 3000m relay, the first time we’ve medaled in that event since Sochi 2014. She’s not just fast. She’s relentless.

Kim Boutin joined her on that relay podium, tying her sixth career Olympic medal. She’s now tied with legends Cindy Klassen and Charles Hamelin as Canada’s most decorated Winter Olympian. Not bad company.

And then there’s the artistry. Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier glided their way to bronze in Ice Dance, bringing elegance and precision back to Canada’s figure skating legacy. It’s been eight years since we medaled in this discipline. They ended the drought with style.

The Team Sports Grind

Curling is doing curling things. The men’s team is riding an eight-game winning streak after dismantling Italy 8-3. The women’s team (Team Homan) squeezed past Italy 8-7 in a nail-biter that had everyone holding their breath through the final end.

And hockey? Well, it’s complicated. The women are battling Team USA for gold: a rivalry that needs no introduction. The men face a tough quarterfinal fight. Either way, the world is watching.

The Bigger Picture

We’ve sent 207 athletes to these Games. That’s 207 stories. 207 sacrifices. 207 reasons to believe that Canada can compete with anyone, anywhere, on any ice or snow.

The goal? Twenty-five medals. If we hit that mark, it’ll be the fifth consecutive Winter Olympics we’ve reached that benchmark. Our record stands at 29 from Pyeongchang 2018. We’re chasing history, but we’re also writing new chapters.

This is what Canadian sport looks like in 2026. Coast to coast to coast representation. Quebec mogul skiers. Ontario speedskaters. Athletes from every corner of this massive country proving that winter isn’t just something we endure: it’s something we dominate.

What’s Next

The Games run through February 22. More medals are coming. More stories will unfold. More moments will make us leap off our couches at 3 a.m. because the time zones don’t care about our sleep schedules.

This is who we are. Polite, determined, and occasionally unstoppable when you put us on ice or snow. The Italians brought the mountains. We brought the grit.

Stay tuned. Keep watching. And maybe, just maybe, keep some champagne on ice.

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