Key Highlights
- The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo ended with a closing ceremony at the Verona Arena.
- Italy set a new record with 30 medals, including 10 golds, from the Games.
- The Olympic flame was extinguished in two separate caldrons for the first time during the ceremony.
- A variety of performances, including dance and aerial ballet, were showcased to celebrate Italian culture.
The Grand Finale: Milan Cortina’s Olympic Legacy
As the sun set on the Milan Cortina Olympics, the 17-day extravaganza came to a close with a poignant farewell. The closing ceremony at Verona Arena was as sprawling and diverse as the Games themselves, with performances that celebrated Italy’s rich cultural tapestry.
The Extinguishing of Flames
Amidst a 2½-hour spectacle, the symbolic act of extinguishing the Olympic flame took center stage. The flames from both Milan and Cortina were put out in separate caldrons for the first time ever, marking an unprecedented moment in Winter Olympics history.
Celebrating Italian Culture
The closing ceremony was a tour de force of Italian heritage, blending centuries-old opera with modern dance. Madama Butterfly and Aida were unpacked from crates hidden within the amphitheater’s tunnels, their performances adding a layer of grandeur to the evening.
Athletic Excellence
Italy’s performance was nothing short of spectacular. With 10 gold medals, six silver, and 14 bronze, Italy broke its previous record of 20 medals from the Lillehammer Games in 1994. Giovanni Malagò praised their “outstanding performance” as it united Italians across the country.
The success didn’t just belong to athletes; the Games themselves set a new standard for future Winter Olympics, with Coventry declaring them a “new kind of winter Games.” The spread-out model, seen in Milan and Cortina, will likely shape how future Olympic venues are chosen.