Six standout moments from the 2026 Winter Olympics

BORMIO – Whether it be Alysa Liu’s sparkling figure skating gold, the Swiss men’s Alpine skiing domination or Lindsey Vonn’s horrific crash, the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics have provided a host of unforgettable moments. AFP Sport looks at six from the Feb 6-22 Games in Italy.

1. Franjo von Allmen (Switzerland)

The 24-year-old Swiss matched Alpine ski legends Toni Sailer of Austria and France’s Jean-Claude Killy as just the third man to win three golds in the sport at the same Winter Games.

Von Allmen won the downhill and super-G races, also pairing up with Tanguy Nef to claim victory in the team combined in Bormio.

The Swiss men’s team were the standout outfit in Italy, winning four of the five golds on offer and eight of the 15 total medals up for grabs.

2. Lindsey Vonn (United States)

Vonn made the headlines for all the wrong reasons after

crashing badly

just seconds into the downhill and breaking her leg.

That she was even racing at all was incredible, given that she suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament just a week before the Games.

One of the most recognisable female faces in global sport, Vonn underwent four operations in Italy before heading back to the US, where she had her left leg pinned back together. Another comeback looks unlikely for the 41-year-old.

3. Johannes Klaebo (Norway)

Six races. Six golds. Norwegian cross-country skier Klaebo achieved a historic Grand Slam.

His six golds in Tesero took his Olympic tally to 11 and the 29-year-old became the first athlete in history to win all six cross-country skiing races at one Games.

Klaebo joined two other athletes to have won all of their events at a single Winter Olympics – US speed skater Eric Heiden, who took five golds at the 1980 Lake Placid Games, and Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjorndalen, who won four in Salt Lake City in 2002.

The only athlete in Winter or Summer Games history with more Olympic titles than Klaebo is American swimmer Michael Phelps, who won 23 golds.

4. Ilia Malinin (US)

Malinin was hot favourite to take gold in the men’s individual event after guiding the US to a second consecutive team gold.

Everything was on track after the “Quad God” took a five-point lead into the men’s free skate following the short programme, but disaster struck and he tumbled to a humiliating eighth spot.

The 21-year-old, who has revolutionised and dominated the sport, said his failure was “definitely mental” after he fell twice in a surprisingly awkward effort.

“On the world’s biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside,” said the two-time world champion, who had been unbeaten for more than two years.

5. Alysa Liu (US)

Liu ended America’s 24-year wait for a women’s individual skating gold with a dynamic free skate featuring seven triples.

After finishing sixth at the Beijing Games four years ago as a 16-year-old, Liu took a two-year break from the sport before returning to claim the world title in 2025.

Liu, like Malinin, also won the team title.

6. Vladyslav Heraskevych (Ukraine)

Skeleton racer Heraskevych refused to ditch a helmet depicting pictures of Ukrainian athletes killed since Russian forces invaded Ukraine in 2022.

He was disqualified, bringing the International Olympic Committee (IOC) into conflict with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Gestures of a political nature during competition are forbidden under the Olympic Charter, the IOC arguing that Heraskevych had failed “to adhere to the IOC athlete expression guidelines”.

Zelensky said the IOC’s decision, made after president Kirsty Coventry travelled to a face-to-face discussion with the racer, played “into the hands of aggressors”. AFP