Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics: Day 9 – Shiffrin Wins Gold in Giant Slalom, Norway Extends Medal Lead
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February 21, 2026
Mikaela Shiffrin claimed her 12th Olympic medal — and her second gold of these Games — by winning the women’s giant slalom at Cortina d’Ampezzo on Saturday, Day 9 of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The American superstar overcame a 0.21-second deficit after the first run to edge out Switzerland’s Lara Gut-Behrami by 0.18 seconds, with Italy’s Marta Bassino taking bronze in front of a roaring home crowd.
Norway continued its historic dominance, winning gold and silver in the men’s 4×10 km cross-country relay through Harald Østberg Amundsen and Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, extending their medal tally to 28 (14 gold) — already the most dominant performance by any nation at a single Winter Games since the Soviet Union in 1988.
Saturday’s Major Results
- Alpine Skiing – Women’s Giant Slalom Gold: Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) Silver: Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI) Bronze: Marta Bassino (ITA)
- Cross-Country – Men’s 4×10 km Relay Gold: Norway (Amundsen, Golberg, Valnes, Klæbo) Silver: Sweden Bronze: Finland
- Biathlon – Men’s 4×7.5 km Relay Gold: Norway Silver: France Bronze: Germany
- Speed Skating – Women’s Team Pursuit Gold: Netherlands Silver: Japan Bronze: United States
- Freestyle Skiing – Men’s Halfpipe Gold: David Wise (USA) Silver: Birk Irving (USA) Bronze: Nico Porteous (NZL)
Updated Medal Table (Top 10 after Day 9)
- Norway – 28 (14 gold, 8 silver, 6 bronze)
- United States – 15 (6 gold, 5 silver, 4 bronze)
- Germany – 16 (6 gold, 5 silver, 5 bronze)
- Netherlands – 14 (5 gold, 6 silver, 3 bronze)
- Sweden – 11 (3 gold, 4 silver, 4 bronze)
- Italy – 11 (3 gold, 3 silver, 5 bronze)
- Switzerland – 9 (3 gold, 3 silver, 3 bronze)
- Austria – 9 (3 gold, 2 silver, 4 bronze)
- Japan – 8 (2 gold, 3 silver, 3 bronze)
- France – 8 (1 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze)
Key Moments and Developments
- Shiffrin’s giant slalom gold brings her career Olympic medal count to 12 (7 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze), surpassing Norway’s Marit Bjørgen as the most decorated female Winter Olympian of all time.
- Norway’s relay dominance continued with yet another clean sweep in cross-country, reinforcing their position as the most successful nation in Winter Olympic history.
- Weather delays that plagued the first week have largely subsided, allowing the alpine schedule to catch up without further postponements.
- Organizers report that artificial snow production and strategic snow farming have kept competition surfaces consistent despite warmer-than-average temperatures in the Dolomites.
The Games continue with alpine skiing (men’s giant slalom), biathlon mixed relay, and freestyle skiing events scheduled for Sunday and Monday. Live coverage remains available on global broadcasters and the official Olympics streaming platform.
Norway’s medal avalanche, Shiffrin’s record-breaking run, and strong showings by the United States, Germany, and the Netherlands keep the medal race compelling as the second week progresses. The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics remain on track to deliver one of the most memorable editions in recent history.
