The Milano Cortina 2028 Winter Olympics are at the midway point, and Team USA has firmly established itself as a strong force on the global stage. After the opening ceremony on Friday, Feb. 6, the competition quickly ramped up across Italy’s venues.
The United States sits in third place overall with 14 medals: four gold, seven silver and three bronze. The team is fueled by standout performances, emotional storylines and a few unexpected setbacks.
One of Team USA’s strongest medal contributors comes from the figure skating team, which delivered a historic performance in the Olympic team event. Led by star Ilia Malinin, Team USA clinched the gold medal and successfully defended its Olympic title.
Malinin posted the top men’s free skate score in the team competition to boost the team into securing the necessary points to overcome Japan. The victory highlighted the depth of the U.S. figure skating team and continued the nation’s streak of medaling in every Olympic team figure skating event since the event’s debut in 2014.
However, Malinin’s individual campaign told a completely different story. Entering the men’s singles event as the overwhelming gold-medal favorite, expectations were astronomically high. After a strong short program kept him in medal position, the free skate unraveled.
Multiple jumping errors and falls derailed his routine, dropping him into an unexpected eighth-place finish — one of the most shocking upsets of the Olympic Games so far. Despite the disappointment, his role in the team gold remains a defining highlight for Team USA’s skating success.
The ice dance event also brought podium glory and controversy for the Americans. The duo of Madison Chock and Evan Bates delivered a flawless free dance and received the silver medal.
The result sparked debate after judging score sheets revealed significant discrepancies, including one judge who scored the French team almost eight points higher than any other panelist. The scoring gap fueled backlash from fans and analysts, reigniting conversations about transparency and fairness in Olympic figure skating judging.
On the snowboarding side of the Games, Chloe Kim added another Olympic medal to her decorated résumé. Entering the women’s halfpipe final with hopes of winning a third consecutive gold medal, Kim opened with a strong first run that briefly held the top spot.
However, a late surge from the competition pushed her into second place. Kim ultimately secured the silver medal, reinforcing her status as one of the most dominant athletes in the sport.
Meanwhile, alpine skiing legend Lindsey Vonn delivered one of the most emotional moments of the Olympic Games. Vonn aimed to add to her storied career but saw her run cut short in dramatic fashion. During the women’s downhill event, she crashed after catching a flag, tumbling hard on the course.
She was airlifted from the mountain and later underwent surgery to repair a complex tibia fracture. In a post-surgery message, Vonn reassured fans, urging them not to feel sorry for her and emphasizing that the pursuit of Olympic competition always carries risk. Though her Olympic Games ended early, her determination and resilience once again defined her legacy.
Another major bright spot for Team USA has come from the ice with the women’s ice hockey team, which has looked dominant through the first half of the Olympic Games. The Americans have showcased overwhelming depth, speed and offensive firepower.
They have outscored opponents by wide margins in preliminary matchups, prompting analysts and coaches to point to this roster as possibly the most elite U.S. women’s hockey team ever assembled. Their physicality, puck control and defensive discipline have positioned them as strong gold-medal contenders as the tournament moves on.
Through triumphs and heartbreak alike, Team USA’s performance at the halfway mark reflects both depth and star power. From powerhouse teams on the ice to Kim’s podium finish to Vonn’s injury and Malinin’s upset, the first half of the 2026 Olympic Games has delivered no shortage of drama.
With several events still ahead, the United States remains within reach of climbing the medal standings. Team USA’s mix of veteran leadership and rising talent keeps the door open for an even stronger finish in the days to come.