2026 Winter Olympics Day 3: Milano Cortina Games Underway with Medal Events Across Multiple Disciplines

The 2026 Winter Olympics are in full swing across Lombardy and Northeast Italy, with Monday, February 9 marking Day 3 of competition at the Milano Cortina Games. Athletes from around the world are competing in a packed schedule that includes skeleton, luge, alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, ski jumping, snowboarding, and Nordic combined events, with 8 of 116 total medal events already completed in the early stages of the two-week Olympic festival. Norway has established an early lead in the medal count with 2 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze medals for a total of 5 medals. The Scandinavian powerhouse has once again demonstrated its winter sports dominance, though host nation Italy is matching their total medal count with 1 gold, 1 silver, and 3 bronze medals across 5 total podium finishes. Japan sits in third place with 1 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze for 3 total medals, while Sweden, Czechia, Switzerland, and the United States have each secured between 1-2 medals in the competition's opening days. The sliding sports take center stage on Day 3, with both skeleton and luge competitions providing thrilling high-speed action down the ice tracks. These technical events require athletes to navigate courses at speeds exceeding 80 miles per hour while maintaining precise control and aerodynamic positioning. The mixed-doubles curling competition also continues, with Team USA facing host nation Italy in what promises to be a closely contested match on the ice sheets. The curling venue has been filled with enthusiastic crowds supporting the Italian team in their quest for Olympic glory on home ice. Alpine skiing remains one of the marquee attractions of the Games, with multiple disciplines scheduled across the mountain venues. Freestyle skiing, ski jumping, snowboarding, and Nordic combined events round out Monday's action-packed schedule, showcasing the incredible diversity of winter sports disciplines. The snowboard parallel giant slalom delivered early drama when Czechia's Zuzana Maděrová claimed a surprise gold medal, while defending champion Ester Ledecká missed out on the podium entirely in an upset result. The 2026 Winter Olympics, which began with selected events on February 4 before the official opening ceremony on February 6, will continue through February 22. With 108 medal events still to be contested, the medal standings remain wide open as nations battle for Olympic supremacy. The Milano Cortina Games represent Italy's return to hosting the Winter Olympics, with competition venues spread across the Alpine regions showcasing the country's world-class winter sports infrastructure and passionate sporting culture. Athletes and fans alike are embracing the opportunity to compete and celebrate on one of the world's biggest sporting stages.