Milano Cortina 2026: Early Summary and What to Watch Next (Olympic Report)
A few days after the glamorous Opening Ceremony at Milan’s San Siro, Milano Cortina 2026 has already delivered drama from the start—set in a unique atmosphere where the city’s bustle meets the Alpine snowscapes. Here, we’ll整理 the flow so far and lay out the key points to watch from a “Japan-first” perspective.
Key early topics: drama in the mountains and on the ice
The first gold medal of the Games came in the men’s alpine downhill. Franjo von Almen (Switzerland) attacked the high-speed course and took gold, while Italy’s Franzoni and Paris split the remaining podium spots. As the mountain venues erupted, Japan found its first medal of the Games in ski jumping—Nozomi Maruyama won bronze in the women’s normal hill, delivering TEAM JAPAN’s first podium finish.
Next came men’s snowboard big air, where Kira Kimura and Ryoma Kimata went one-two. The way Japan’s riders are now landing high-risk tricks on the sport’s biggest stage speaks to an “aerial sense” that’s unquestionably world-class.
On the ice, the figure skating team event became a major talking point. Japan surged late—powered by pairs and women’s singles—and ultimately finished with silver, just one point behind the United States. Even in defeat, the opening phase of the Games left Japan with a clear takeaway: “as a team, we can fight the world on equal terms—or better.”
Japan’s medal status (as of February 9)
As of February 9, Japan’s medal results are as follows (compiled based on the official site and Japanese reporting).
| Medal | Sport | Event | Athlete / Team | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Snowboard | Men’s Big Air | Kira Kimura | Japan’s first gold medal of these Games |
| Silver | Snowboard | Men’s Big Air | Ryoma Kimata | Second place in a Japan one-two finish |
| Silver | Figure Skating | Team Event | Kaori Sakamoto, Yuma Kagiyama, Shun Sato, Riku Miura / Ryuichi Kihara, Utana Yoshida / Masaya Morita | Second place, one point behind the USA |
| Bronze | Ski Jumping | Women’s Normal Hill | Nozomi Maruyama | Japan’s first medal of these Games |
A start of 1 gold, 2 silvers, and 1 bronze is “solid” if you look only at medal count. But when you follow the details, it’s clear Japan is making a statement in aerial snow events and judged ice disciplines.
What to watch next (Japan perspective)
1) Snowboard: Women’s Big Air, Halfpipe, Slopestyle
With momentum from the men’s big air, Japan also has podium contenders in women’s big air and the park disciplines. Finals are often scheduled for early morning to late morning Japan time, so it’s worth planning to “start your day with big tricks.”
2) Ski Jumping: Men’s Normal Hill & Large Hill, Mixed Team
After the women’s normal hill medal, Japan has chances on the men’s side and in the mixed team as well. These events are often held in the evening, making them perfect prime-time viewing for the “one-shot, high-tension” feel ski jumping delivers.
3) Figure Skating individual events: Yuma Kagiyama & Shun Sato, Kaori Sakamoto
The skaters who stood out in the team event remain medal contenders in the individual competitions. In men’s, Malinin may look like the standout, but Kagiyama and Sato still have real chances. In women’s, Sakamoto’s consistency and completeness put her right back at the center of the medal conversation.
4) How to watch “Japan vs the world”
This Japan team isn’t defined by “one standout event,” but by depth—athletes across multiple sports who can trade blows with the very best. If you map out “when TEAM JAPAN appears” in a day’s rhythm—early-morning snow events and evening ice events—your Olympic viewing becomes a lot more fun.
Catch up with highlights
If you can’t watch live, keeping up with official highlight videos is enough to follow the overall flow. Mixing daily highlights with sport-specific digests is also a good way to build your own “Olympic timetable.”
The Games are still in the early phase. “Who becomes the star from here?” “Which new names emerge?” And how far can TEAM JAPAN push its medal count? We’ll keep following the remaining schedule closely.
