MILAN – Here are some notable quotes from the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics on Feb. 9, 2026:
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“I can’t even believe it, it’s crazy. I’ve been dreaming about this for so long, so it really means a lot to me. It takes so much, honestly, and there’s a lot that people don’t see. I mean, you’re trying these really hard tricks. I’ve been hurt a lot of times.
“I had a concussion two months ago and wasn’t really sure if I’d be able to ski. I’m just so grateful to be here and all the hard work that I put in is paying off.”
— Freestyle skier Megan Oldham after winning a bronze medal for Canada in the women’s slopestyle.
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“It brings you back to being a kid. I have always wanted to play in the NHL, but watching the Olympians was always a special moment as someone who grew up playing a lot of sports.
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“I know how important it is. There is so much to love about it, so anytime you can put on that Canadian jersey, there is so much pride.”
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— Canadian men’s hockey team captain Sidney Crosby on playing in the Olympics.
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“Really good player, definitely an upgrade for their team.”
— USA men’s hockey forward Matthew Tkachuk on his Florida Panthers teammate Sam Bennett replacing an injured Anthony Cirelli — of their rival Tampa Bay Lightning — on the Canadian roster.
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“So much of our life revolves around this event and trying to succeed here. And when you come up a bit short, it stings. We gave it everything we had.”
— Canadian curler Brett Gallant after he and mixed doubles partner Jocelyn Peterman wrapped up a disappointing tournament.
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“I have to be very honest, as a boy that was not necessarily my dream to become a winner at the Olympics.
“I was a skier because I really enjoyed it, thoroughly, and that is still today the most important aspect. And it’s the most important aspect never to lose; the joy of the sport.”
— Swiss skier Franjo von Allmen after winning his second gold medal in his debut Olympics
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“I couldn’t believe it, but I was also so tired. It was hard to feel something. I couldn’t really stand, I couldn’t really see, I couldn’t do anything.
“I knew that if during the race I would feel tired, I wasn’t allowed to feel tired. I told myself, ‘You have 80 years to recover from this, you can feel tired after. You don’t want to live with that regret. You fought so hard for this’.”
— Jutta Leerdam after winning the first gold medal of the Games for the powerhouse Dutch speedskating team in the women’s 1,000 metres.
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“There’s a river that I spent basically my whole summer at, it’s called the Kananaskis River. It’s such a powerful, strong river, so I was kind of taking that as my intention to be that water.
“It’s such a strong river, but it’s so beautiful, and that’s what I was trying to be: strong and beautiful these two days.”
— Canadian luger Embyr-Lee Susko on how she prepared for her Olympic debut
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 9, 2026.
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