MILAN — Another day of high-stakes competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics is in the books, and the drama on the snow and ice is reaching a fever pitch. From a stunning upset in the halfpipe to a dominant start for the U.S. men’s hockey team, Day 6 delivered the kind of emotional roller coaster that only the Olympic Games can provide.
Chloe Kim Takes Silver in Halfpipe Thriller
In one of the most anticipated events of the Games, American superstar Chloe Kim came up just short of a historic third consecutive Olympic gold medal. Kim, who has defined women’s snowboarding for a decade, secured the silver medal in the women’s halfpipe with a strong opening run score of 88.00.
However, the “Queen of the Halfpipe” couldn’t find her usual invincibility in the later rounds. Pushing the technical limits of the sport, Kim experienced falls in her final two runs, leaving the door open for a new challenger. That challenger arrived in the form of South Korea’s Gaon Choi. After struggling with falls in her own first two attempts, the 17-year-old Choi delivered a breathtaking third run to vault past Kim and claim the gold, signaling a changing of the guard in the snowboarding world.
USA Men’s Hockey Dominates Latvia
On the ice, the U.S. Men’s Hockey Team began its quest for gold with a statement victory. Facing off against Latvia in their preliminary opener, Team USA showcased overwhelming depth and speed, cruising to a 5-1 win.
The Americans dominated every facet of the game, outshooting Latvia 48-18. The relentless offensive pressure kept the Latvian goaltender under siege from the opening whistle. With this victory, the U.S. moves to 1-0 in group play and turns its attention to a Saturday clash with Denmark.
2026 Winter Olympics Men Figure Skating: The “Quad God” Leads
While the medals were being handed out in the mountains, the atmosphere at the Milano Ice Skating Arena was electric as the world’s best prepared for the climax of the 2026 Winter Olympics men figure skating competition.
American sensation Ilia Malinin, widely known as the “Quad God,” enters the final phase of the competition with a commanding lead. Following a near-perfect short program earlier this week, Malinin sits at the top of the leaderboard with 108.16 points.
Men’s Singles Standings (Heading into Free Skate)
| Rank | Athlete | Country | Short Program Score |
| 1 | Ilia Malinin | USA | 108.16 |
| 2 | Yuma Kagiyama | JPN | 103.07 |
| 3 | Adam Siao Him Fa | FRA | 102.55 |
| 4 | Daniel Grassl | ITA | 93.46 |
| 5 | Mikhail Shaidorov | KAZ | 92.94 |
Malinin’s performance featured his signature technical brilliance, though he opted to save his historic quadruple Axel for the free skate scheduled for Friday. Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama, the silver medalist from Beijing 2022, remains within striking distance, trailing by just five points after a minor error on his triple Axel.
Emotional Moments and Historic Milestones
The day wasn’t just about the scores. In a touching moment that transcended the competition, U.S. Alpine skier Breezy Johnson got engaged to her boyfriend, Connor Watkins, immediately following her run in the women’s Alpine super-G. Though Johnson suffered a crash and did not finish the race, the proposal provided a silver lining to a difficult day on the slopes.
Meanwhile, Rich Ruohonen etched his name into the record books as the oldest American Winter Olympian in history, taking the ice for the men’s curling team. On the endurance side, Jessie Diggins continued to solidify her status as a legend, fighting through an injury to secure a bronze medal in the 10km interval start freestyle cross-country race.
Updated Olympic Medal Count (After Day 6)
Team USA remains a powerhouse in the overall standings, currently tied for second place as the Games head into the second week.
- Italy: 17 Total (6 Gold, 3 Silver, 8 Bronze)
- Norway: 14 Total (7 Gold, 2 Silver, 5 Bronze)
- United States: 14 Total (4 Gold, 7 Silver, 3 Bronze)
- Austria: 12 Total (3 Gold, 6 Silver, 3 Bronze)
- Japan: 10 Total (2 Gold, 2 Silver, 6 Bronze)
By Alicia Del Gallo, Scooby Axson, Mark Giannotto, and John Leuzzi.
USA TODAY
Updated Feb. 12, 2026, 8:06 p.m. ET
Would you like me to provide a detailed breakdown of the upcoming Men’s Free Skate schedule for Ilia Malinin?
Ilia Malinin short program highlights
This video showcases the “Quad God” Ilia Malinin’s technical mastery during the 2026 Winter Olympics, highlighting the performance that put him in the lead.