The Winter Games have begun in Italy. From the rink to the slopes, a new generation of stars has emerged to chase gold. We'll keep you connected to all of the thrilling moments and top stories as we track the medal race each day of the Games.
The United States is up to seven total medals so far in Italy, and will have several opportunities to add to that count in Day 5 of the2026 Winter Olympics.
Jordan Stoltz will attempt to continue his dominant run throughout speed skating in the 1,000 meters, and the women's double luge will have its first ever gold medal awarded at the Olympics later Wednesday. Madison Chock and Evan Bates are back in action with their final ice dancing event. Oh, and Chloe Kim will hit the halfpipe for the first time, too.
Here are the top five things to watch on Wednesday at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics:
1. Jordan Stoltz looks to defend world record in speed skating
It's time for Jordan Stoltz to take the ice in Italy. The Team USA speed skating star will open with the 1,000 meters on Wednesday, the event in which he already holds the world record. He made his Olympics debut in Beijing four years ago and finished only 14th in the 1,000 meters, though he's widely considered a medal favorite every time he takes the ice in these games.
But the 1,000 meter is his best event. Stoltz has five wins at that distance already this season, and has won 14 races in a row in that distance on the World Cup level. Stoltz will also compete in the 500 meters, 1,500 meters and mass start.
2. Chloe Kim hits the halfpipe
Chloe Kim is ready for her first event in Italy. The top name in the sport will open her quest to become the first person to win three straight gold medals in the halfpipe, starting with qualifying Wednesday. Kim was 17 when she won gold in South Korea in 2018, and she backed it up in Beijing four years ago, too. But Kim is now dealing with a torn labrum, which she suffered during training in Switzerland.
If she can get through qualifying, the final of the women's halfpipe is set for Thursday.
3. U.S. team chasing first ever women's double luge gold
The women's doubles luge was added to the Olympics for the first time this year after more than six decades on the men's side. It'll be up to Chevonne Forgan and Sophia Kirkby to lead the way for the United States.
The duo, who are the only American women's pairing, won bronze at the first ever world championship back in 2022. They've looked good so far, too, with a top five time in five of their six training runs. But it's Austria's Selina Egle and Lara Kipp who are the favorites, as they both lead the World Cup standings and have won three training runs so far.
4. Chock and Bates chasing gold in ice dance
Madison Chock and Evan Bates will enter Wednesday's ice dance free skate in second place, so they'll have to rally a bit in order to pull off the gold medal. They trailed France's Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron by less than half a point after the rhythm dance portion of the competition on Monday.
The married couple are the reigning world champions in the event, and are just days removed from helping the U.S. win a second straight team gold medal. But the individual medal is the last piece they've been chasing after a fourth-place finish in Beijing.
5. Can Ryan Cochran-Siegle medal again in Super-G?
All eyes will be on Ryan Cochran-Siegle when he hits the Super-G on Wednesday. He was the only American Alpine skier to win a medal at the Beijing Olympics when he won silver in the event four years ago.
Advertisement
But competition is stiff for Cochran-Siegle to improve on that finish this time around. Switzerland's Marco Odermatt is the favorite in the event, with already two wins to his name this season. A trio of Austrians have dominated the World Cup season race, too, and Italy's Giovanni Franzoni is a big name to watch.
He has his work cut out for him, but he is the only returning medalist from Beijing. That has to count for something.
Olympics schedule forWednesday, Feb. 11 (Day 5)
Alpine Skiing
5:30 a.m.: Men's final (USA Network)🏅
Biathlon
15-kilometer individual
8:15 a.m.: Women's final (airs at 9:15 a.m. on USA Network)🏅
Curling
Men's round-robin
1:05 p.m. Sweden vs. Italy, Canada vs. Germany, Czechia vs. USA (airs at 5 p.m. on CNBC), China vs. Great Britain
Figure Skating
1:30 p.m.: Finals (USA Network; NBC coverage begins at 2:15 p.m.)🏅
Freestyle Skiing
5 a.m.: Women's qualifying
8:15 a.m.*: Women's final (USA Network)🏅
*Light situation needs to be checked
Hockey
Women's pool play
8:30 a.m.: Finland vs. Canada
Men's pool play
10:40 a.m.: Slovaki vs. Finland (USA Network)
3:10 p.m.: Sweden vs. Italy (USA Network coverage begins at 3:25 p.m.)
Luge
11 a.m.: Women's run 1 (USA Network)
11:50 a.m.: Men's run 1 (USA Network)
12:45 p.m.: Women's run 2 (USA Network; NBC coverage begins at 12:55 p.m.)🏅
6 p.m.: Men's run 2 (USA Network)🏅
Nordic Combined
Normal hill
3 a.m.: Men's ski jump (USA Network coverage begins at 4 a.m.)🏅
7:45 a.m.: Men's 10km cross-country ski (airs at 10 a.m. on USA Network)🏅 | Ogden wins first U.S. medal in 50 years
Snowboarding
4:30 a.m.: Women's qualifying (USA Network coverage begins at 4:45 a.m.)
1:30 p.m.: Men's qualifying (NBC coverage begins at 1:40 p.m.)
Speed Skating
1000 meters
12:30 p.m.: Men's final (airs at 1:15 p.m. on NBC)🏅
