elana meyers taylor clinches long-awaited gold as Day 10 delivers Olympic drama
Day 10 of the Winter Games in Milan-Cortina brought six gold medals and sweeping storylines: veteran bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor finally reached the top of the Olympic podium, freeski big air crowned new stars, and the women’s hockey bracket set up a marquee U. S. –Canada gold-medal clash Thursday (ET).
Meyers Taylor’s long-awaited gold caps storied career
Elana Meyers Taylor, 41, closed a long Olympic loop when she won the monobob, earning her first Olympic gold after five medals across four previous Games. The victory gives her a sixth career Olympic medal, tying the long-standing mark for the most medals by a female U. S. Winter Olympian. She already stood as the most decorated Black Winter Olympian in history; Monday’s triumph expanded that legacy and added a long-sought Olympic title.
Kallie Humphries completed an impressive day for the United States with a bronze in the same event, helping underline the depth of the American bobsleigh program. The monobob gold for Meyers Taylor came with the sort of emotional resonance reserved for breakthroughs that have been years in the making — a blend of endurance, experience and late-career peak performance.
Big air fireworks and podium shake-ups
In freestyle skiing’s big air, Canadian skier Megan Oldham took gold while Eileen Gu, an American-born athlete competing for China, secured silver. The event showcased the sport’s technical evolution and the fine margins separating victory from the rest of the podium.
The wider program on Day 10 also reflected a mixed bag for high-profile U. S. stars across the Games. Earlier disappointments and misfortunes have punctuated the American story at these Olympics: a high-speed crash that felled one former champion, a shock collapse from a rising figure in men’s figure skating, and renewed Olympic struggles for another marquee skier. Still, several expected contenders delivered podium moments — skiers and skaters who validated pre-Games billing even if the top spot eluded them.
Hockey headlines: Poulin makes history, U. S. awaits rematch
The women’s hockey semifinals produced both a rout and a cliffhanger. The U. S. dispatched Sweden 5-0 in a dominant showing, while Canada survived a dramatic 2-1 battle with heavy underdog Switzerland. Canada’s captain scored both goals and extended an Olympic scoring record in the process, moving past the previous mark to reach 20 career Olympic goals — a milestone that underscores her lasting impact on the sport.
The stage is now set for a widely anticipated gold-medal showdown between the United States and Canada on Thursday (ET). Canada’s captain, who missed an earlier group-stage meeting against the U. S. because of injury, appears poised to return at full strength; the matchup promises a classic rivalry renewed on the biggest stage.
Organizers and fans alike are bracing for another busy day of competition tomorrow. Seven more Olympic titles are scheduled to be awarded, and when two bronze-medal races in the men’s and women’s speedskating team pursuit are included, there will be nine medal events on the docket. As the Games move deeper into their second week, narratives continue to shift — with veteran triumphs, emerging stars and national rivalries all reshaping expectations for the final stretch.
