Who were the big winners and losers?
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway dominated the Milan-Cortina Olympics. The 29-year-old cross-country skier won six golds, matching Eric Heiden’s 1980 single-Games record in Lake Placid. With 11 Olympic golds overall, Klaebo became the most successful Winter Olympian ever.
Norway’s Jens Luraas Oftebro took three golds in Nordic combined. Switzerland’s Franjo van Allmen shone in alpine skiing with three gold medals. Among women, Italy’s Federica Brignone thrilled the home crowd with wins in the super-G and giant slalom, while speed skater Federica Lollobrigida claimed two golds for the hosts.
Some favorites saw hopes collapse spectacularly. U.S. figure skater Ilia Malinin, leading into the free skate, fell twice and dropped to eighth. Ski racer Atle Lie McGrath, who began his decisive slalom run in first, made a costly error, crashed out and fled toward the woods in visible distress.
How was the atmosphere?
Many athletes said the Games were well organized but lacked a true Olympic vibe. They cited the long travel distances between venues, which made it hard to follow other events, and complained that in sports like alpine skiing spectators were too far from the action. German skier Linus Strasser summed it up bitterly, saying if that’s the Olympic experience, he was glad it was his last time.
What were the biggest controversies?
Lindsey Vonn’s crash dominated early headlines. The 41-year-old returned hoping to add a second Olympic downhill gold despite a torn ACL sustained before the Games. Seconds into her run she crashed, suffered a complex tibia fracture, and required multiple surgeries.
Another flashpoint involved Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych, who was disqualified after insisting on wearing a helmet adorned with images of more than 20 Ukrainian athletes killed in Russia’s full-scale invasion. The IOC deemed this a political statement prohibited at competition venues, and the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld the ban, sparking debate beyond sports.
How did Germany fare?
The German Olympic Sports Confederation sent a record 185 athletes aiming for a top-three finish on the medal table but fell short. Germany excelled in luge and bobsleigh, but disappointed in biathlon, Nordic combined, and men’s alpine skiing, where it failed to medal.
Ski jumping results were modest overall aside from Philipp Raimund’s surprise gold; the rest of the team returned without medals. Germany’s men’s ice hockey squad, despite star Leon Draisaitl, lost to Slovakia in the quarterfinals.
What can the IOC learn for the next Winter Games?
Long distances between venues will be a recurring issue, including for the 2030 French Games, which plan events across Nice and distant Alpine resorts. To improve atmosphere, the IOC should aim to bring spectators closer to athletes on ski slopes. Clearer, pre-agreed rules on political expressions would also help avoid communication failures like the Heraskevych case.
This article was translated from German.
