China celebrated a historic achievement in speed skating at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, capturing its first-ever Olympic medal in the men’s team pursuit. The Chinese team, consisting of Liu Hanbin, Wu Yu, and Li Wenhao, edged past the Netherlands by a narrow margin, finishing the race in three minutes 41.38 seconds and securing a bronze medal. Ning Zhongyan, a member of the semifinal team, expressed pride in the accomplishment, highlighting its significance in encouraging the entire Chinese speed skating squad.
In the same event, Italy triumphed with a gold medal, achieving a time of 3:39.20, while the United States took home the silver. On the women’s side, Canada defended its Olympic title by defeating the Netherlands, with Japan rounding out the podium in bronze.
The day also featured a dramatic twist in the biathlon, where France claimed its first Olympic gold in the men’s 4×7.5km relay. Despite an initial setback with Fabien Claude’s penalty loop, the French team regrouped to finish with a time of 1:19:55.2. Norway, despite using only six spares, secured silver, finishing 9.8 seconds behind. Sweden completed the podium with a bronze.
Norway continued to dominate the Games, with Jens Luraas Oftebro winning his second gold in Nordic combined events, successfully navigating both the large hill ski jumping and the 10km cross-country race. Adding to Norway’s success, Tormod Frostad clinched gold in the men’s freeski big air, finishing with 195.50 points, and bringing Norway’s gold tally to 14, leading the medal count with an overall 31 medals.
Germany showcased its prowess in the two-man bobsleigh, sweeping the podium with Johannes Lochner and Georg Fleischhauer securing the title with a total time of 3:39.70.
The weather, however, presented challenges, with strong winds and heavy snowfall leading to the postponement of the women’s snowboard slopestyle final and the qualification rounds for freestyle skiing.
As the competition continues, China’s breakthrough achievement highlights the growing strength in winter sports, promising an exciting future for its athletes on the international stage.