The 2026 Winter Olympics are actually formally over because the torch has been handed from Italy to France, who will host the 2030 Winter Video games throughout the French Alps. The Closing Ceremony, which befell in Verona and was themed “Magnificence in Motion,” showcased Italy’s tradition by way of operatic performances, an aerial ballet and quite a few musical numbers.
Simply because the Opening Ceremony did, Italy pulled out all of the stops in highlighting its many contributions to the world of artwork, dance and theater. Italian ballet star Roberto Bolle carried out an exquisite aerial ballet that was meant to represent the water cycle as he was suspended within the air like a falling water droplet. He beforehand carried out on the Winter Olympics 20 years in the past to kick off the Turin Video games.
In between the various performances, was the parade of athletes, the passing of the Olympic torch and the awarding of the ultimate two Olympic gold medals of the Winter Video games.
Listed below are the highlights and finest moments from the 2026 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony.
Hilary Knight & Evan Bates stroll in as flag bearers
Recent off a successful a gold medal for the U.S. ladies’s hockey crew, Knight was one among two flag bearers for the Individuals. In the course of the gold-medal match, Knight broke the American ladies’s report for profession targets beforehand held by Natalie Darwitz and Katie King. In doing so, she additionally broke the report for many profession Olympic factors in U.S. ladies’s hockey historical past. It was an exciting comeback win for the ladies’s hockey crew, which rallied from a 1-0 deficit in opposition to Canada to win 2-1 in extra time. Knight’s game-tying aim within the third interval stored the Individuals alive to ultimately win in extra time.
Bates gained a gold medal within the determine skating crew occasion with the US, in addition to a silver medal within the ice dance competitors with accomplice, and spouse, Madison Chock. The duo grew to become simply the third American duo to win a silver medal in ice dance, the primary for the reason that 2010 Winter Video games.
Alysa Liu hints at future plans for skating
Ice skating sensation Alysa Liu was readily available for the closing ceremony, simply as joyful as she was the day she gained gold within the ladies’s singles occasion for the US. Liu grew to become the primary American lady to take house gold within the singles occasion since 2002, leaping from third to first after a close to flawless free skate program that went viral on social media.
Liu grew to become a nationwide treasure as her distinctive journey to changing into an Olympic gold medalist spoke to so many individuals. Liu had been competitively skating for the reason that age of 10, and after successful a number of nationwide awards, she introduced her retirement at 16 years previous. Two years later, although, Liu returned to the game, vowing to do it her approach by selecting her personal schedule and adhering to a much less stringent routine that’s typically related to the game. She returned in 2024, and the next 12 months she grew to become a world champion. Now, she’s an Olympic gold medalist and stands on prime of the ice skating world.
On the Closing Ceremony, Liu was requested about her plans in skating for the long run, to which she was enthused about persevering with within the sport.
“I’ve no plans to depart but,” Lu mentioned when requested if she’ll carry out on the 2030 Winter Video games. “I am unable to think about not skating subsequent 12 months.”
Cross-country skiers awarded gold medals
As per custom, the final two gold medals had been awarded on the Closing Ceremony. That distinction goes to the winners of the 50 km traditional mass begin cross nation skiers. The consideration is supposed to spotlight the grueling endurance that it takes to compete within the sport. Marathon runners are given the identical distinction on the Summer time Video games.
Sweden’s Ebba Andersson was awarded her gold medal after beating out Norway’s Heidi Weng by 2 minutes and 15 seconds within the occasion.
On the boys’s aspect, Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo was awarded his sixth gold medal of the Milan Corina Video games. With the 50 km traditional mass begin win, Klaebo set the report for the one winter sport athlete to win six gold medals in a single Winter Olympics. It brings Klaebo’s gold medal whole to 11, which suggests swimmer Michael Phlelps as the one different Olympian to carry extra gold medals than him.
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Oldest Olympic volunteer honored at Closing Ceremony
Set to the catchy 1998 music by Italian music group Eiffel 65, Blue (Da Ba Dee), a efficiency was placed on to honor the over 18,000 volunteers on the Winter Video games. Amongst these volunteers is 88-year-old Mario Gargiulo, who was a volunteer the final time Milan Cortina hosted the Olympics again in 1956.
Teaser for 2028 Summer time Video games in Los Angeles
Whereas the Closing Ceremony centered closely on Italian tradition, and the passing of the Olympic flag to France to host the 2030 Winter Video games, we additionally bought a pleasant desk setter for the subsequent Summer time Olympics in 2028. Held in Los Angeles, the Closing Ceremony broadcast ended with Academy Award-nominated actress and singer Kate Hudson singing a canopy of “California Dreamin'” by The Mamas and the Papas.
As Hudson sang, a montage of assorted American athletes had been featured within the promo video. It was the right video to get everybody hyped for the subsequent Summer time Video games, which can absolutely be a spectacle in La La Land.
