Milano Cortina 2026: A Recap of the Winter Olympics and a Look Ahead to 2030

The 2026 Winter Olympics, officially the XXV Winter Olympic Games and known as Milano Cortina 2026, concluded on February 22nd in Verona, Italy. The Games showcased a variety of sports across Lombardy and Northeast Italy, and marked the debut of ski mountaineering as an Olympic event [1]. The closing ceremony, held at the Verona Arena, symbolically passed the baton to the French Alps, which will host the 2030 Winter Games [2].

France’s Strong Performance

France achieved a remarkable performance at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, securing 23 medals – 8 gold, 9 silver, and 6 bronze. This surpasses their previous best of 15 medals achieved in both Sochi (2014) and PyeongChang (2018) [2]. The French biathlon team was particularly successful, contributing over half of the nation’s medal haul.

Biathlon Dominance

French biathletes secured a total of 13 medals. Individual successes included gold medals for Julia Simon in the individual event, Quentin Fillon Maillet in the sprint, and Océane Michelon in the mass start. The team also excelled, winning gold in the men’s relay, women’s relay, and mixed relay [2].

Other Notable French Achievements

Beyond biathlon, France celebrated victories in other disciplines. Emily Harrop and Thibault Anselmet made history in ski mountaineering, the discipline’s first appearance at the Olympics, winning a mixed relay gold medal after securing silver and bronze in individual events. In figure skating, Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron claimed gold in their first year competing together. Perrine Laffont added a bronze medal in mogul skiing to the French tally [2].

Looking Ahead to 2030

The closing ceremony in Verona included the symbolic handover of the Winter Games flag to representatives of the French Alps, the host region for the 2030 Winter Olympics [2]. With the success of the French team in Milano Cortina, expectations will be high for the home nation in four years.