PNW athletes reflect on wins and losses at the 2026 Winter Olympics

The United States won 33 medals in the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics that concluded Sunday. Four of those medals — two gold and two bronze — came from athletes with ties to the Northwest. KUOW super-fan Paige Browning penned this recap of how our regional athletes fared.

Among their biggest wins, Team USA defeated their rival Canada in a storybook women's hockey game, buoyed by five athletes who play professionally in Seattle, four for the US and one for Canada.

In the gold medal match, the US trailed Canada for much of the tilt, until Captain America, longtime star forward, Hilary Knight, tied the game up late in the third period. Knight also captains Seattle's professional women's hockey team, the Seattle Torrent.

Fan Kate Nutman was one of many who packed bars in Seattle to watch the USA women's game last Wednesday. She got a coveted seat at the Rough & Tumble pub in Ballard.

“I find it fun to find pride in my country,” Nutman said, “despite the fact that we're living in a time that is challenging and difficult to find things to be proud of. I'm a longtime Olympics fan, and I am excited to see the teamwork and camaraderie and something that we can all be proud in.”

Hilary Knight's tying goal sent that game into overtime, and teammate Megan Keller won it with a backhand shot. Knight, who was born and raised in Idaho, set new team USA records in women's hockey, becoming the all-time leading Olympics goal scorer and points leader.

During the games, she also got engaged to her partner, Olympic speed skater Brittany Bowe.

On the men's side, the US also won gold. No Kraken players made that roster, but they had two players on Team Finland, Kaapo Kaako and Eeli Tolvanen, which won the bronze after beating Slovakia.

In speed skating, Federal Way native Corinne Stoddard whipped around the track Friday to win a bronze medal in the Women’s 1500-meter race. That came after she crashed in multiple races.

“Yeah, it was honestly the worst week and a half of my life, which is not normal for someone at the Olympics,” Stoddard said.

She even apologized to her fans at one point but told KING 5 News she finally felt herself by the end.

“This medal just means so much more to me than it would have,” Stoddard said, “because I came from like the depths of hell and came back and was able to skate like myself finally.”

On the snow, former Western Washington University student Breezy Johnson won the first gold medal for team USA in this Olympics. She won the women's downhill in the race Lindsey Vonn crashed in.

Johnson, an Idaho native, also got engaged during the games to her longtime boyfriend. She was beat in the women's team combined race by another Northwest athlete.

Portlander Jacqueline Wiles got the bronze with her teammate Paula Moltzan.

And then there was Skimo. The Olympics launched ski mountaineering for the first time.

Anna Gibson, a former University of Washington track star, represented Team USA on the women's side.

She placed just off the podium but enthusiastically said, “I've got to be the happiest fourth place finisher the Olympics has ever seen. That was the time of my life.”

In curling, Ben Richardson and Luc Violette, who trained at Granite Curling Club of Seattle, competed for the USA. No medal for them, but Richardson made a name for himself on Tiktok. He reviewed every food item in the Olympic Village, including the Nutella dispenser.

“That's good,” Richardson said. “I'm a sucker for Nutella. No complaints. I think it's really good. I'd give it an 8.8 out of 10.”

About a dozen other athletes with ties to the Northwest, from speed skaters to cross-country skiers, gave their all in the Olympics, but came up short of a medal.

The Milano-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games start Friday, March 6.