The 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics are in full swing, and Thursday is a massive day in Milan Cortina:
Jordan Stolz takes silver in men’s 1500m
Jordan Stolz now has a silver medal to add to his two gods, which the 21-year-old phenom already claimed at 500 and 1,000 meters. He was the favorite in Thursday’s 1,500-meter final, but came in second to China’s Zhongyan Ning. Kjeld Nuis took bronze.
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After the 1,500 meters, Stolz has one competition left in his debut Games, Saturday’s mass start event.
Women’s curling advances to semifinals
Team USA women’s curling entered Thursday with a simple task: Win, and you’re in. With a victory over Switzerland, the United States would guarantee itself a spot in the playoffs.
In the end, it wasn’t that simple, but Team USA secured its spot in the semifinals with a narrow 7-6 win over Switzerland that came down to a clutch hammer from Tabitha Peterson in an extra end. After giving up three points in the 10th end and missing on some early shots in the extra end, Peterson needed an expertly-placed shot with the hammer to send the U.S. to the semifinals.
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Women’s figure skating free skate (1 p.m. ET)
This is it. One of the marquee events of the Games will hand out some of the most coveted medals in Olympic competition when the women take the ice for their free skate.
USA entered Tuesday’s short program with dreams of a podium sweep behind “Blade Angels” Alysa Liu, Isabeau Levito and Amber Glenn. But Liu is the only skater of the three in medal position after a third-place finish in the short program.
Levito enters the free skate in eighth place, and Glenn is in 13th after a short rotation on a jump in the short program plummeted her to 13th place, leaving her in tears after her skate.
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Will Liu contend for gold? Will Levito and Glenn recover to get into medal contention?
Women’s ice hockey gold medal game (1:10 p.m. ET)
USA and Canada are squaring off in the gold medal match.
The two teams entered the Games as co-favorites for gold, but Team USA will take the ice Thursday as the clear-cut favorite. Team USA has dominated Olympic competition, scoring five-plus goals in each of its games. And it hasn’t allowed a goal since its first game in group play.
The U.S. enters Thursday’s game with a 31-1 goal differential in six games, a record that includes a 5-0 win over Canada in group play. Gold is the expectation for USA, while Canada will look to deliver a stunning upset to its rival.
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How many medals has Team USA won so far? Check in with our medal tracker for the full breakdown.
Dates: Feb. 6 – Feb. 22
TV channel: NBC
Streaming: Peacock
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for all the news, events and medals from the Milan Cortina Olympics:
Live292 updates
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Thu, February 19, 2026 at 10:56 AM PST
Andy Backstrom
Isabeau Levito is 18 years old and in her first Olympics.
She paid homage to her Milanese roots on Tuesday in the short program, skating to selections from movies starring Milan’s own Sophia Loren.
She earned a score of 70.84 that placed her eighth.
If you missed her Olympic debut, you can watch it here:
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Thu, February 19, 2026 at 10:42 AM PST
Andy Backstrom
Alysa Liu shined during her short program.
The reigning world champion executed a near-flawless program to Laufey’s “Promise,” recording a score of 76.59 that eventually had her third entering the free skate. She has a chance to become the first American to medal in women’s singles in 20 years.
Liu, 20, is a free spirit who took time away from the sport, and she’s been better than ever in her return.
On Tuesday, she balanced her exuberance with a fluid gracefulness in her first skate of the individual event.
Check it out here:
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Thu, February 19, 2026 at 10:26 AM PST
Andy Backstrom
Amber Glenn landed a triple axel. Her short program was right on track until she bailed out of a triple loop.
Missing that element cost her as many as seven points and ultimately dropped her to 13th in the women’s single standings.
But Glenn is still taking part in the free skate, and the three-time defending national champion is gunning for her happy Olympics moment.
“I’m just going to try and have it no matter how the elements go today. I want to remember that I never even thought that I’d get here,” Glenn told NBC on Thursday. “So, that in itself, is an accomplishment — and doing it as my authentic self and standing for what I believe in.
“Even though it has been a treacherous journey, I am here, and I want to enjoy that.”
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Thu, February 19, 2026 at 10:15 AM PST
Andy Backstrom
It’s finally time for the women’s free skate. The skaters with the top-24 scores from the short program advanced to the free skate.
That group includes three Americans, dubbed as the “Blade Angels”: Alysa Liu, Isabeau Levito and Amber Glenn.
Liu has a legit shot at winning the gold medal. A U.S. woman figure skater hasn’t medaled in this event since 2006 when Sasha Cohen took silver.
Here’s the top eight entering the free skate:
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Kaori Sakamoto (Japan): 77.23
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Mone Chiba (Japan): 74.00
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Adeliia Petrosian (AIN): 72.89
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Anastasiia Gubanova (Georgia): 71.77
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Loena Hendrickx (Belgium): 70.93
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Isabeau Levito (USA): 70.84
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Thu, February 19, 2026 at 8:51 AM PST
Chris Cwik
The 21-year-old Stolz won earlier in these Olympics with gold medal performances in the men’s 500m and 1,000m. He added a silver on Thursday in the 1500m finishing 0.77 behind China’s Ning Zhongyan.
Stolz has one competition left in his debut Games, Saturday’s mass start event.
USA’s Jordan Stolz competes in the speed skating men’s 1500m during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Speed Skating Stadium in Milan on February 19, 2026. (Photo by Daniel MUNOZ / AFP via Getty Images)
(DANIEL MUNOZ via Getty Images)
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Thu, February 19, 2026 at 8:39 AM PST
Chris Cwik
Team USA women’s curling entered Thursday with a simple task: Win, and you’re in. With a victory over Switzerland, the United States would guarantee itself a spot in the playoffs.
There were a few other ways things could work out for the Americans, but they didn’t have to worry about those. Team USA secured their spot in the playoffs with a narrow 7-6 win over Switzerland that came down to a clutch hammer from Tabitha Peterson in an extra end.
The U.S. will meet the Swiss again in Friday’s semifinal, the first time they’ve reached the medal round since 2002. Canada will take on Sweden in the other semifinal.
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Thu, February 19, 2026 at 8:30 AM PST
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Thu, February 19, 2026 at 8:18 AM PST
Chris Cwik
A well-placed hammer by Alina Paetz tied things up in the 10th end. Switzerland took three points, sending things to an extra end.
While the Americans lost some momentum in the 10th end, they hold the hammer in the extra end. That could prove a massive advantage.
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Thu, February 19, 2026 at 7:59 AM PST
Chris Cwik
The Americans find themselves in good shape to make the playoffs. Team USA holds a three-point lead heading into the final end vs. Switzerland.
The Americans just need to avoid a collapse to advance. Switzerland does hold the hammer, though, so Team USA can’t breathe comfortably just yet.
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Thu, February 19, 2026 at 7:47 AM PST
Chris Cwik
With Switzerland needing a big end, they came up a little short. Switzerland still managed to take a point in the eighth end, but trail 5-3 entering the ninth end.
Team USA has the hammer in the ninth end and have a chance to potentially put the match out of reach if they can take multiple points in the end.
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Thu, February 19, 2026 at 7:28 AM PST
Sean Leahy
Spain’s Oriol Cardona Coll and Marianne Fatton of Switzerland won the first-ever Olympic gold medals in ski mountaineering on Thursday.
Ski mountaineering, also known as skimo, made its debut at the Milan Cortina Olympics. The sport involves athletes skiing up part of a hill, then taking their skis off to hike up steep climbs — and then skiing down that same hill. There’s more to it, including specialized gear to give skis grip for the climb up. But that’s the gist of it.
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Thu, February 19, 2026 at 7:21 AM PST
Chris Cwik
With seven ends done, Team USA holds a 5-2 lead over Switzerland. The U.S. used the hammer to its advantage in the seventh end, picking up two points with their final shot.
Tabitha Peterson again came up big with the hammer, knocking Switzerland’s stone out of the way to pick up two points. With that performance, Team USA is up three points with three ends remaining.
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Thu, February 19, 2026 at 7:04 AM PST
Chris Cwik
Team USA once again played strong defense against Switzerland in the sixth end. With Switzerland holding the hammer, the Americans needed to hold their opponents to as few points as possible.
They accomplished that feat, limiting Switzerland to just one point in the end. The Americans now lead 3-2 heading into the seventh end, where they hold the hammer. They’ll need to net some points in this end to give themselves more breathing room down the stretch.
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Thu, February 19, 2026 at 7:00 AM PST
Chris Cwik
With the U.S involved in a tight game against Switzerland, Great Britain holds a 4-1 lead over Italy.
Team USA can get into the playoffs if Great Britain loses Italy. There’s still plenty of curling left, but Great Britain holds a decent lead for now. That match is in the sixth end, so there’s time for Italy to mount a comeback.
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Thu, February 19, 2026 at 6:46 AM PST
Chris Cwik
Despite not having the hammer, Team USA still managed a point in the fifth end. A well-placed defensive stone knocked Switzerland’s hammer off course, allowing the Americans to steal a point and increase their lead to 3-1.
It was a crucial end for Team USA considering Switzerland held the hammer. But the Americans played great defense at the end, making it tough for Switzerland to get on the board. The tactic paid off, extending the Americans’ lead by a point.
Team USA leads 3-1 after five ends.
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Thu, February 19, 2026 at 6:23 AM PST
Chris Cwik
If Team USA loses against Switzerland on Thursday, the Americans will hope Great Britain defeats Italy in their match.
With both matches in the fourth end, it’s anyone’s game. Great Britain and Italy are tied 1-1, just like the Americans and Switzerland.
A win by Team USA puts them in the playoffs no matter what. So the Americans will just hope to beat Switzerland and not have to worry about the outcome of Great Britain’s match.
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Thu, February 19, 2026 at 6:11 AM PST
Chris Cwik
In their first end with the hammer, Switzerland managed to take their first points from Team USA. Switzerland pushed the Americans’ stone out of position, taking one point to tie things 1-1.
But it could have been worse for the Americans. Alina Paetz’s hammer was a little short, and didn’t push Team USA’s stone enough to net Switzerland two points in the end. Switzerland had to settle for the point, and Team USA will now look to take the lead back in the fourth end.
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Thu, February 19, 2026 at 5:56 AM PST
Chris Cwik
After a scoreless first end, in which Team USA decided to hold the hammer for another end, the Americans managed to score the first point of the match against Switzerland, picking up a point with the hammer in the second end.
It was a well-placed shot by Tabitha Peterson, who used the hammer to get the stone directly in the center of the house.
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Thu, February 19, 2026 at 3:43 AM PST
Sean Leahy
The Canada men’s hockey captain was not in attendance for a heavily-attended optional practice on Thursday.
“We’re taking this day by day, and we’re not going to put anybody in harm’s way,” said Canada head coach Jon Cooper said of Crosby, who underwent an MRI on Wednesday. “But if he can play, he’s definitely going to. We’ll know more again in 24 hours.”
Crosby was ruled out of Canada’s Olympic quarterfinal win over Czechia early in the third period due to a lower-body injury. The 38-year-old, two-time Olympic gold medalist left in the second period after being hit along the boards by Martin Nečas and Radko Gudas of Czechia. It was a third big hit Crosby took in the period after Gudas and Ondřej Palát connected on checks with the Team Canada captain.
Crosby recovered and took a stride following the Gudas and Nečas hit and was seen shaking his right leg before exiting the ice. After being attended to on Canada’s bench, Crosby limped down the tunnel to the locker room. He did not return to the bench for the rest of the game.
Czech Republic’s #03 Radko Gudas (R) tackles Canada’s #87 Sidney Crosby during the men’s play-off quarter-final ice hockey match between Canada and Czech Republic at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, on February 18, 2026.
(ALEXANDER NEMENOV)
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Thu, February 19, 2026 at 3:35 AM PST
Sean Leahy
After losing to Great Britain 8-7 on Wednesday, a semifinal place is on the line for the U.S. against second-place Switzerland in Thursday’s round-robin finale (8:05 a.m. ET).
Sweden and Switzerland have already qualified for the semifinals, which means there are only two spots available. The U.S. has two paths they can take in order to advance: beat Switzerland or hope Italy defeats Great Britain.
Any tie with South Korea or Canada would go the Americans’ way thanks to victories over both teams.
Should the U.S. lose and Great Britain and Canada wins, the last semifinal place between the U.S., Great Britain and South Korea would be determined by draw shot challenge totals during round-robin play.
USA’s players during the Women’s Curling match against Great Britain at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, on day twelve of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Italy. Picture date: Wednesday February 18, 2026. (Photo by Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images)
(Andrew Milligan – PA Images via Getty Images)
