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Canada has collected multiple podium finishes and built momentum at the Milano‑Cortina Winter Games. Short-track speed skaters combined individual excellence with team depth to win medals. Teams across disciplines, from curling to the women’s hockey squad, registered key victories and advanced through elimination rounds. This summary synthesizes the main highlights, standout performances and upcoming events to watch as Canada pursues further medals.
The campaign reflects resilience and breadth. Emerging competitors and seasoned Olympians have both influenced results. Several athletes recorded career firsts, while others extended long Olympic résumés. Coaching and selection choices proved decisive in relay events and team matchups. The following sections explain the developments that matter and outline immediate prospects.
Short-track: silver medals and relay prospects
On February 10, Canada won silver in the mixed team relay when William Dandjinou, Courtney Sarault, Félix Roussel and Kim Boutin finished behind Italy. The race unfolded as a tactical, high-speed contest. Canada recovered from a deficit in the closing laps. Boutin triggered the comeback and Dandjinou anchored the charge. Italy won gold in 2:39.019; Canada finished in 2:39.258.
The relay medal served as both a milestone and a momentum boost for the Canadian squad. For Sarault it marked her first Olympic medal. For Boutin it added to an already substantial Olympic résumé. The result reinforced Canada’s long-standing strength in short-track speed skating and contributed to the nation’s cumulative Olympic short-track medal total.
Individual events and relay prospects
The mixed relay highlighted Canada’s depth and strategic flexibility across skaters. Relay execution demanded clean exchanges and disciplined positioning. Those elements will matter again in upcoming individual events, where split-second timing decides outcomes.
Canada’s relay performance also has tactical implications for individual races. Skaters who found form in the relay can carry confidence into heats and semifinals. Coaches may adjust lineups and race plans to exploit those gains, particularly in middle-distance events where pacing and overtaking are decisive.
Expect selectors to weigh recent form, recovery and event schedules when finalizing entries. The delegation’s depth gives Canada options across distances and formats, and those choices will shape medal prospects in the remaining programme.
Courtney Sarault took silver in the women’s 1,000-metre race on February 16, finishing narrowly behind the Netherlands’ Xandra Velzeboer. Her time kept her just off the top step. Sarault had already reached the podium in the mixed relay and in shorter distances at these Games, confirming her status as a multi-event threat for Canada.
On the men’s side, William Dandjinou, Steven Dubois and Maxime Laoun advanced through the sprint heats, positioning the team for the upcoming 500-metre quarterfinals and the 5,000-metre relay. The men’s relay quartet — Dandjinou, Dubois, Félix Roussel and Laoun — progressed comfortably to the final and are widely regarded as gold contenders.
Coaches’ lineup decisions shaped how several races unfolded. Order of skaters, handoffs and split management affected gaps and recovery opportunities. Those strategic choices will remain decisive as Canada pursues medals in the remaining programme.
Curling: comeback win and round-robin implications
Canada’s Rachel Homan rink ended a three-game losing run with a 10-5 victory over China’s Wang Rui in round-robin curling. The team fell behind early but overturned the score with a four-point fourth end and consolidated control through the middle ends. A decisive steal in the ninth secured the win and improved Homan’s squad to 2-3 in the round robin, preserving qualification options for the playoff stage.
The match highlighted small margins that shape Olympic curling. A handful of pivotal ends, steady shot-making and momentum swings altered the standings. Homan’s rink produced efficient shot percentages as a unit, but further round-robin matches will determine final seeding and medal prospects.
Other curling notes
Following earlier curling notes, Canadian teams across sports are managing off-ice disputes while keeping attention on competition. Accusations of procedural infractions and debates over double-touch rulings have circulated online and among officials. Yet on the ice, coaches and athletes remain focused on scoring ends and minimizing errors as Canada seeks favourable playoff positioning.
Figure skating, freestyle and hockey: mixed results and medal hopes
Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud delivered a personal-best short program and advanced into the top group for the free skate. Their result positions them to contend for higher placements in the longer segment.
Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps experienced errors in the short program but nonetheless qualified for the free skate. Their performance highlights how recovery from a flawed short can preserve medal chances.
Those outcomes illustrate a broader pattern: a strong short program can generate momentum and reduce pressure before the free skate. Judges and coaches noted technical gains and areas needing cleaner execution as key to converting qualification into podium results.
Judges and coaches noted technical gains and areas needing cleaner execution as key to converting qualification into podium results. In women’s freestyle skiing, Megan Oldham — coming off a slopestyle bronze — qualified first in women’s big air. She finished ahead of defending champion Eileen Gu in qualification, positioning Canada as a strong medal contender. Naomi Urness also advanced to the final, sustaining Canadian hopes for a freestyle podium.
The Canadian women’s hockey team reinforced its medal ambitions with a 10-2 preliminary victory over France. The squad now prepares for a semifinal against Switzerland. The roster blends veteran leadership and younger contributors, and the availability of captain Marie-Philip Poulin remains a storyline that could affect outcomes in the medal rounds.
What to watch next
Focus on execution and consistency in the freestyle finals. Judges will reward amplitude, technical difficulty and clean landings. For Canada’s hockey team, monitor line combinations and special teams play. Injuries or late roster changes, particularly involving key veterans, could alter semifinal dynamics.
Following recent concerns about injuries and last-minute roster changes, the coming sessions will decide how Canada translates qualification into medals.
The short-track relay finals and the remaining individual sprint races present immediate medal opportunities. Split-second positioning and seamless exchanges will determine podium placements.
Round-robin curling matches will settle which teams enter the playoff bracket. Precision in the final ends and tactical shot selection will be decisive.
Freestyle skiing finals and figure skating free programs can reshuffle medal projections. Clean landings and technical consistency will reward athletes who improved during qualifications.
Across disciplines, Canada’s blend of youth and experience offers multiple realistic pathways to increase the medal total at Milano-Cortina. The delegation’s depth and adaptability keep it competitive provided athletes execute under pressure and remain healthy.