LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — A generation ago, the sight of an Olympic halfpipe podium drenched in red, white and blue was as common as fresh powder on the mountain — a fitting and expected celebration for a sport born and raised in the United States.

Japan's Yuto Totsuka had a stunning second run to claim men's snowboarding halfpipe gold on Friday at the Milan/Cortina Winter Games. The World Cup leader fell in his third and final run, but that didn't matter because the 95 points from his previous effort secured him his maiden Olympic medal.

The Olympic Team Event came down to the final skater on Sunday. In front of a packed house inside the Milano Ice Skating arena, the United States narrowly defeated Japan for its second consecutive team gold.

In what turned out to be a shocking finish to the men's free skate finals, USA's Ilia Malinin failed to medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics after falling twice during his routine. Malinin was overcome with emotions after what was a catastrophic routine filled with errors, but took the loss in stride saying he'll use this as a learning opportunity.

Japanese snowboarder Yuto Totsuka won a gripping men's halfpipe final on Friday, shattering Australian snowboard veteran Scotty James's dreams of an elusive gold medal in his fifth Winter Games.

The preliminary round is over. It’s time to play for a medal in women’s hockey at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games.

LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — That ever-growing bench of Japanese snowboarders runs deep. Jumps very high, too. The country that has steadily been asserting mastery over the halfpipe took that show to the Winter Olympics big air contest Saturday night,

The 2026 Winter Olympics are in full swing in Milan, Italy, and the Olympic medal count as of the end of the day on Friday, Feb. 13, has revealed that two countries are neck-and-neck for the top spot. Neither of those countries is the United States, either, but the United States is No. 3 in the standings, as of Friday.

Ilia Malinin, the 21-year-old American who won back-to-back World Championships entering this Olympics, entered the free skate portion first in the competition. However, he struggled during the free skate, falling multiple times and ultimately finishing 15th in that portion en route to eighth overall.