Let the Games Begin: Milano-Cortina 2026
With the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games just around the corner, fans from Riverdale and across the world are looking forward to the occasion. The Olympic flame will light at the Opening Ceremony on February 6th, its illumination signaling the commencement of the games. Over 3,500 Olympic athletes from 93 countries will gather to compete across sixteen sports.
Beginning March 6th, 600 Paralympic athletes will compete in 79 medal events in six sports. Every four years, the Winter Olympics draws audiences from around the world, including fans from the Riverdale community. The elite athletes competing at the games have trained tirelessly to realize their lifelong dreams. Becoming an Olympic athlete requires strong mental and physical resilience. Director of Athletics Mr. John Pizzi explains that “to get to the Olympic and Paralympic level, it takes drive, passion, commitment, and determination. It’s very inspiring.” This devotion to a sport drives athletes’ careers and pushes them through failure and setbacks. In addition, Olympic and Paralympic athletes proudly represent their countries in their disciplines. “There’s something really special about the pride athletes have for competing for team USA,” Mr. Pizzi emphasizes.
The 2026 Winter Games will thrill audiences with several new events. Ski Mountaineering, an intense aerobic sport consisting of uphill climbing and downhill skiing, will make its Olympic debut, and the Paralympic Games will feature Wheelchair Curling Mixed Doubles. Moreover, National Hockey League players will compete in the Olympics for the first time in 12 years. The Winter Olympics will be in part a continuation of the Four Nations event held last year by the NHL, with teams of players from Canada, Finland, Sweden, and USA. The Final, where Team Canada defeated Team USA, reached 9.3 million viewers, becoming the most-watched non-Olympic hockey game ever in the United States, according to ESPN.
Members of the Riverdale community excitedly await their favorite Winter Olympic sports. A devoted hockey fan, sophomore Jack Deblinger seeks redemption for Team USA: “Hopefully USA will come out on top.” His favorite athlete competing in the event is J.T. Miller from Team USA because “he’s a really gritty player and is working as hard as he can.” In addition, Mr. Pizzi is a “big fan of curling,” who from past experience has found the sport to be “very difficult.” He admires the complexity of curling, widely known as “chess on ice” and finds the strategy fascinating to watch: “there’s a lot of technique that goes into it.” Furthermore, ninth-grader Emer O’Hara looks to rout on Team USA in alpine skiing, an event she follows throughout the season. O’Hara describes skiing as “adventurous” and “not your average sport.” Her favorite skier is Michaela Shiffrin, who influenced her mentality on tough training days: “when I used to race, Shiffrin definitely inspired me to keep going.”
The Winter Paralympic Games will consist of Para Alpine Skiing, Para Biathlon, Para Cross Country Skiing, Para Ice Hockey, and Wheelchair Curling. The Paralympics have been gaining fans steadily, and the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games achieved “record viewership” according to NBC, reaching 15.4 million total viewers.
Make sure to tune in for Milano-Cortina 2026! Andiamo Squadra USA!