Nbc Olympics preview: Stolz, U.S. women's curling and Eileen Gu highlights

The Milan Cortina Games are entering their final days, and nb c olympics viewers should watch three headline storylines: Jordan Stolz returns for the mass start seeking another medal after two sprint golds and a 1, 500m silver; the U. S. women play Canada for the Olympic bronze in curling; and Eileen Gu competes in the freestyle skiing halfpipe final in her third event of the meet. Each event carries immediate medal implications for the weekend schedule.

Nbc Olympics: Stolz heads into mass start

Jordan Stolz, 21, has already taken gold in the 500 meters and 1, 000 meters and settled for silver in the 1, 500, leaving the mass start as his final race at these Games. China’s Ning Zhongyan set the Olympic record in the 1, 500 with a time of 1: 41. 98, and Stolz finished 0. 77 seconds behind that mark in the event where he had been a dominant force. The mass start — a 16-lap final where every skater begins together and the first three to cross the line win medals — is less about time and more about positioning and tactics; the event made its Olympic debut in 2018 and often produces chaotic, close finishes. Belgium’s Bart Swings, the Beijing champion who also took silver in PyeongChang, remains a contender in the pack-format race.

U. S. women battle for bronze

The U. S. women’s curling team reached the playoff round for the first time since 2002 but fell short in the semifinal against Switzerland, losing 7-4. Switzerland’s performance was driven largely by Alina Pätz, who played near flawlessly in that match. Switzerland will meet Sweden in the gold-medal game, while the Americans will face Canada for bronze on Saturday. The U. S. has never medaled in Olympic women’s curling since the discipline was added in 1998; their best near-miss in that span came 24 years ago in Salt Lake City when they lost a bronze-medal game to Canada. Notably, the U. S. notched its first-ever Olympic win over a Canadian women’s team earlier in the round-robin, a result the Americans will seek to replicate in the medal match.

Eileen Gu in halfpipe final

Eileen Gu will compete in the women’s freestyle skiing halfpipe final, her third and final event at these Games. The American-born athlete represents China and is 22 years old; she is already a five-time Olympic medalist. While she has not yet won gold at this edition of the meet, she earned silver medals in big air and slopestyle and is aiming for a podium result in the halfpipe — an event she won twice at the previous Winter Games. In qualifying for the halfpipe final, Team USA’s Svea Irving and Kate Gray placed eighth and 12th, respectively; Irving was fifth at the 2025 World Championships and is among the field Gu will face in the final.

Weekend outlook and what to watch

All three storylines point to high-stakes competition across the weekend schedule. Stolz’s sprint victories and his close 1, 500 result highlight his speed advantage, but the mass start’s pack dynamics mean finish positioning will be decisive in the medal outcome. The U. S. curling team has momentum from its round-robin win over Canada but must reverse a recent semifinal setback to secure the program’s first Olympic women’s curling medal. In the halfpipe, Gu’s track record at the prior Games and her two silver finishes here set clear expectations for a podium push.

• Key takeaways: Stolz in mass start; U. S. –Canada bronze curling; Gu in halfpipe final.