U.S. historic firsts at 2026 Winter Olympics: Records, stats

Though the Olympics have a rich history, there is always room for breakthroughs to pop each cycle. For the United States, a number of historic firsts and new records came to fruition at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The United States can savor many milestones at the close of the Milan Cortina Winter Games. From Alpine skiing to curling, check out notable historic firsts and records for the U.S. during the 2026 Winter Games below:

U.S. firsts

Bobsled

• Elana Meyers Taylor, 41, became the oldest American ever to win an individual gold medal, winning the women’s monobob event.

Curling

• Rich Ruohonen, 54, became the oldest American to compete in a Winter Olympics. He participated in a men’s curling round-robin match against Switzerland.

Mixed Doubles

Freestyle Skiing

Women’s Dual Moguls

Women’s Moguls

• Jaelin Kauf and Elizabeth Lemley scored gold and silver in the Women’s Individual Moguls, marking the first time the United States has placed first and second in men’s or women’s moguls at a single Olympics.

Men’s Big Air

Ice hockey

Women’s

• In its quarterfinal game against Italy, Team USA scored six goals and continued its streak of scoring at least five goals in each of the first 5 games of this tournament. This feat marks the longest streak of 5-plus goals in a single tournament in USA women’s Olympic history. The streak was further extended with a 5-0 win over Sweden in the semifinals.

• Team USA defenseman Caroline Harvey notched her ninth point in the USA-Italy quarterfinal game. This accomplishment marked the most points in a single Olympic tournament by a defenseman in USA women’s history.

• During the USA-Canada game, Laila Edwards, the first Black woman to make the USA Olympic roster, became the first Black woman to score a goal for the USA in the Olympics. It was also Team USA’s first time shutting out Canada at the Olympics and their largest win over Canada in Olympic history.

Men’s

• The U.S. men’s team set the longest streak of scoring 5-plus goals per game in the NHL player Olympic hockey era.

• Quinn Hughes became the first American player to record a 6-game point streak during a single Olympics featuring NHL players.

Cross-Country Skiing

Women’s 10km

Men’s Individual Sprint

Snowboarding

Women’s Halfpipe

• Out of the five snowboarders who have attempted a three-peat in a single event in Olympic history, Chloe Kim became the first to medal in the three-peat attempt. She won silver.

Alpine Skiing

Women’s team combined

• Team USA women Jacqueline Wiles and Paula Moltzan won the first bronze medal in this event, as it made its official debut at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

Women’s downhill

• The first Team USA medal and gold medal came courtesy of Breezy Johnson. The victory also marked her first career Olympic medal and the narrowest margin of victory between gold and silver medalists in the event’s women Olympic history.

Figure Skating

Mixed Team

Records

Medal Count

Team USA finished the 2026 Games with 12 gold medals, breaking their Winter Olympics record.

Speedskating

• Men’s 500m, Jordan Stolz, OR, 33.77

• Men’s 1000m, Jordan Stolz, OR, 1:06.28

Figure Skating

Ice dance: Madison Chock and Evan Bates tied the USA record for most figure skating medals at the Olympics, with three.

Ice Hockey

Hilary Knight notched 33 career Olympic points, setting the record for the most in USA Olympic history. She also secured 15 Olympic goals, also setting the Team USA Olympic record. With a gold medal in the 2026 Games, Knight is now the winningest American Olympian in the Ice Hockey discipline.

The Team USA women set the women’s Olympic record for most consecutive shutouts with 5.

Goalie Aerin Frankel set the record for most shoutout wins by any woman in a single Olympics with 3.

With assists in all 6 games, Quinn Hughes set the record for longest assist streak by American player at an Olympics with NHL participation. He set the longest points streak for an American player along with matching the record for most points by a defenseman in a single Olympics.

Zach Werenski tied the record for most assists in a single Olympic game (with NHL participation) by a Team USA player with 3.

Connor Hellebuyck set a new Olympic record for the most saves by a goalie in a single Men’s gold medal match with 41.

Bobsled

By winning the Women’s Monobob, Elana Meyers Taylor extended her record for the most Olympic medals by any American male or female bobsledder. Her 6th medal is tied for the most medals at the Winter Olympics by any American woman.

Alpine Skiing

Mikaela Shiffrin won her 3rd Olympic gold medal in the Women’s Slalom, the most Olympic alpine gold medals won by any American skier.

Curling

With their 6th win, the Team USA women’s curling team tied the record for most wins in Round-Robin play for the US.

For more updates and information, check out the ESPN Olympics hub page.