Winter Olympics 2026: Braathen makes history for Brazil as speed skating and curling deliver late drama
Milano Cortina — Day eight of the 2026 Winter Games produced a string of headline moments, led by a historic performance in alpine skiing that put Brazil and South America into the spotlight. The action across the mountain and ice rinks combined landmark breakthroughs with high drama: a chaotic speed skating final, a controversial curling extra end and a late rally in men’s ice hockey.
Historic alpine breakthrough for Brazil and South America
The alpine slopes provided one of the most talked-about scenes of the day when Lucas Pinheiro Braathen produced a performance that delivered a first for Brazil and the wider South American region at these Games. The result marks a visible shift in alpine skiing narratives for the 2026 winter olympics alpine skiing program, underscoring the sport’s growing reach beyond traditional winter-power nations.
The milestone drew immediate attention around the mountain venues as athletes and team officials acknowledged the broader significance: a South American skier standing among the headline protagonists on an Olympic day dominated by European teams. The achievement will raise expectations for athletes from regions historically underrepresented in alpine disciplines as the competition moves into its final phases.
Speed skating chaos, penalties and an emphatic Dutch gold
On the ice, the men’s 1500m speed skating final produced late twists and a contentious penalty. Great Britain’s Niall Treacy had earlier surged through qualification and was set to race in the final scheduled for 4: 42pm ET, but the medal race itself was punctuated by crashes, blocked lines and a lengthy review.
A post-race penalisation removed Treacy’s sixth-place result after officials judged he had caused a collision while changing lanes. The decision extended the delay as teams awaited clarification. In the end, Jens van 'T Wout delivered a commanding gold-medal performance, celebrating with his team and the Dutch flag at the barrier.
Earlier speed-skating action also included an Olympic-record performance in the sprint distances, and American Jordan Stolz added further speed skating silverware to his programme from the oval earlier in the day.
Curling controversy, freeski drama and hockey late-rally
Women’s curling delivered a tense finish as Switzerland edged Canada 8-7 in an extra end. The result came amid heightened scrutiny after a separate row over perceived rule breaches left officials introducing additional spot checks. The match that finished 8-7 saw a late Swiss point seal the win and leave standings tight after five sessions of round-robin play.
On the freeski slope, American-born athlete Eileen Gu recovered from a fall in qualifying to secure a place in the women’s freeski big air final, keeping her medal hopes alive as the aerial events move toward finals.
And on the ice hockey sheet, the U. S. men rallied late to beat Denmark 6-3 in Milan. The Americans trailed for stretches but pulled clear in the third period, with key finishes from their top lines helping seal a crucial preliminary victory.
As the Games head into day nine, nine gold medals will be contested across multiple disciplines. The mix of upsets, disciplinary reviews and breakthrough results underlines how quickly narratives can shift in these Olympics—on the slopes, on the ice and everywhere in between.
