2026 Winter Olympics commence in Milan-Cortina
The 2026 Winter Olympics kick off today, as mixed doubles curling becomes the first sport to commence at the Milan-Cortina Games, two days ahead of Friday’s opening ceremony, reports BritPanorama.
British duo Bruce Mouat and Jen Dodds take to the ice at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium this evening, facing Norwegian couple Magnus Nedregotten and Kristin Skaslien. This matchup carries significant weight; the Norwegian pair defeated Mouat and Dodds in the semi-finals at Beijing 2022 with a dramatic final stone.
Mouat and Dodds, friends since childhood, previously clinched the world title in 2021 and finished as runners-up in 2025. Despite their successes on the international stage, an Olympic medal has eluded them after they fell to Sweden in the bronze medal match four years ago.
Britain has dispatched a 53-strong squad to northern Italy, with considerable optimism surrounding their medal chances across multiple disciplines. Among the highlights, Matt Weston is viewed as a strong prospect for gold in the men’s skeleton, having won five out of seven World Cup races this season. His teammate, Marcus Wyatt, secured victory in the remaining two races, generating excitement about a potential British one-two finish in this event on February 13.
The women’s skeleton could also yield medals, as Tabby Stoecker and Amelia Coltman have both secured World Cup podium finishes in the current campaign. In the new mixed team skeleton event at these Games, British athletes are expected to perform well, despite a disappointing outcome at Beijing 2022.
On the snow, 19-year-old Mia Brookes arrives as a top contender in both the women’s big air and slopestyle competitions. The Cheshire rider garnered the overall World Cup title and became the slopestyle world champion in 2023, making her too young to have competed at the previous Winter Olympics. Brookes has recently achieved medal success at the X Games, positioning her as a potential candidate to become Britain’s youngest Winter Olympic medallist in 78 years.
In ice dance, Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson carry Britain’s hopes after securing bronze at the World Championships in Boston, marking the UK’s first figure skating medal there in over four decades. The duo aims to end a longer Olympic medal drought, with no British figure skater having stood on an Olympic podium since Dame Jayne Torvill and Sir Christopher Dean in 1994.
The official opening ceremony is slated for Friday evening at Milan’s iconic San Siro Stadium, featuring performances by American pop star Mariah Carey and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli. Uniquely, this year’s Games will also include ceremonies in Predazzo, Livigno, and Cortina d’Ampezzo, marking a departure from tradition.
The 25th Winter Olympics will see nearly 3,000 athletes from 90 nations competing for 116 medals across 16 sports, with ski mountaineering debuting as the only new discipline. Competition will run through to February 22, culminating in a closing ceremony at the ancient Roman amphitheatre in Verona. As the Games unfold, the evolving dynamics of sport and national pride will be on full display for all to witness.
