Kaila Kuhn helps Team USA win record 11th Winter Olympic gold
The mixed aerials victory featuring kaila kuhn, Connor Curran and Chris Lillis delivered Team USA its 11th gold medal at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, the most golds the country has ever won at a single Winter Games. The result came on the penultimate day and reshaped the United States’ standing heading into the final day of competition.
Kaila Kuhn and mixed aerials gold
The American mixed aerials team of Kaila Kuhn, Connor Curran and Chris Lillis repeated as Olympic champions, asserting dominance in a high-risk, judged event. The U. S. went a perfect 6-for-6 across its jumps in the final rounds while other teams suffered mistakes. Switzerland took silver and China finished with bronze. One member originally expected to compete did not participate after reaggravating a knee injury, and the eventual trio stepped up to secure the title.
U. S. medal moments and notable near-misses
The mixed aerials gold pushed the U. S. to 11 total gold medals at these Games, surpassing the previous single-Games high. The day also featured tight outcomes for several American competitors: Jordan Stolz finished fourth in the chaotic long-track mass start and narrowly missed the podium, while Mia Manganello won bronze in the mass start, her first individual Olympic medal and a follow-up to an earlier team-pursuit bronze from eight years ago. On the ice, the U. S. women’s curling team fell 10-7 in the bronze-medal game, leaving them without a first-ever Olympic medal in that event.
Snowstorm forces schedule changes
Bad weather pushed one marquee event into the final day: the women’s freeski halfpipe final was postponed because of a snowstorm and will now take place on Sunday. That delay pauses a high-profile narrative in the event, which includes a controversial contender alongside American freestylers Svea Irving and Kate Gray, who placed eighth and 12th respectively in qualifying. The postponement also means the Olympic program’s final day will include an extra final that had been expected to conclude earlier.
What’s next and forward look
With one day remaining on the schedule, Team USA heads into the final session buoyed by the mixed aerials gold but mindful of narrow outcomes elsewhere. The postponed halfpipe final and a looming men’s hockey gold-medal game will determine how the final medal total finishes; the U. S. is preparing for a weekend showdown in men’s hockey that will affect the overall podium. If weather disruptions persist, additional schedule shuffling is possible and could influence who competes in the last finals. Exhibition events and gala performances are slated to close out the Games, giving athletes who missed individual medals a final showcase opportunity.
Across the program, kaila kuhn’s contribution in mixed aerials stands out as a decisive moment that delivered a historic team milestone for the United States at these Winter Olympics.
