Whether you are a sports fanatic, or just tune in to the Olympics every two years for the spectacle, the games usher in a wave of excitement for people all across the globe. The Olympics occur every two years, alternating between the Summer Olympics and the Winter Olympics, each consisting of both popular and niche sporting events correlating to the season.
The 2026 Winter Olympic Games took place in Milan and Cortina, Italy. This year marks the first time in the 130 year history of the Olympics that there were two official host cities. The two cities were chosen together to reduce costs, lower the environmental impact and have enough space for participants. This is due to already existing infrastructure, as they did not have to start from scratch like other Olympic host sites have in the past. The emphasis on both cities’ hosting even went as far as incorporating the opening ceremony into this theme, with two simultaneous opening ceremonies occurring, one in each city.
For students, the Olympic Games serve as an opportunity to watch sports that would otherwise not get the amount of attention, viewers and exposure that the Olympics provide. These sports are simply not well known or popular enough to get the same coverage that others get. “I really like the Olympics because it is an opportunity for me to watch and learn about sports that I never get to watch on TV normally, like curling and skiing,” senior Dennis Li said.
Additionally, the Olympic Games provide an opportunity for students to cheer on countries that they support, as athletes representing their country are often great sources of pride for the entire country. Part of living in such a diverse area is that not everyone has the same background in the sense that students here represent multiple counties, not just the United States, creating a sense of friendly competition. “As an Armenian, the Olympics give me a chance to root for Armenian athletes on the world stage. Even though Armenia only sent five athletes this year and none of them got medals, I loved cheering them on from here,” senior Alexander Mirzoian said.
Other people simply enjoy the spectacle of the Olympic Games. The Olympics often have elaborate opening and closing ceremonies, and bring countries together for healthy competition. “I love the Olympics because how often do you see most of the world’s countries come together for something like this, it is just great to see, and always feels special,” senior Wrik Datta said.
Seeing the world’s greatest athletes compete can also be a testament to their hard work and everything they had to go through to get to where they are. “Watching the Olympics honestly inspires me to never give up on my dreams,” Li said.
In terms of actual results, Norway finished the Games with the most medals and gold medals at 41 total medals, including 18 golds, 12 silver, and 11 bronze. The U.S. came in second, with 33 total medals, including 12 golds, 12 silvers, and nine bronze medals. The Netherlands came in third in the medal count with 20 total medals, including 10 golds, seven silvers, and three bronze.
