Liu’s gold, Gu’s dominance, and the chaos that defined Milan-Cortina 2026

Alysa Liu’s gold, following the ISU’s age-rule changes, highlighted a strong American moment at Milan-Cortina 2026, while Eileen Gu’s three medals cemented her status as a global star representing China. But the Games were also defined by off-ice drama—from curling cheating headlines and a controversial ice-dance result to a high-profile US hockey celebration—showing how the 2026 Olympics blended spectacular sport with appear­ing chaos and national narratives.