Winter Olympics recap: Japanese pair upstage ‘Blade Angels,’ Germany sweeps 2-man bobsled

By: The Associated Press Posted: 11:00 AM CST Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026 Last Modified: 5:40 PM CST Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026

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CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Ami Nakai and Japanese teammate Kaori Sakamoto upstaged Alysa Liu and the rest of the “Blade Angels” from the U.S. to take the lead after the short program in the women’s figure skating competition at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Tuesday.

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CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Ami Nakai and Japanese teammate Kaori Sakamoto upstaged Alysa Liu and the rest of the “Blade Angels” from the U.S. to take the lead after the short program in the women’s figure skating competition at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Tuesday.

Nakai rode her opening triple axel to a career-best 78.71 points, while Sakamoto was right behind with 77.23 as she chases just about the only gold medal she has yet to win. Liu was third with 76.59, keeping her within range of the top step of the podium.

Things didn’t go quite so well for the rest of the American team.

Team Italy's Michele Malfatti celebrates winning the gold medal in the final of the men's team pursuit speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Isabeau Levito lost a level on her step sequence and wound up eighth with 70.84 points, while three-time reigning U.S. champ Amber Glenn likely had her medal hopes dashed when she doubled up a triple loop, making the jump invalid and worth no points.

Glenn, trying to hold back tears as she stepped off the ice, was in 13th place with 67.39 points.

Mone Chiba gave Japan three women capable of stacking the podium when the women’s free skate on Thursday wraps up the figure skating program at the Winter Games. She scored 74.00 points.

Germany sweep in two-man bobsled

Germany swept the medals in the two-man bobsled race in a show of absolute dominance. It was the second Olympic sweep in bobsled history; the other was by the Germans, also in two-man, at the Beijing Games four years ago.

And leading the way was Johannes Lochner, who got his first gold medal while posting the biggest Olympic two-man winning margin in nearly a half-century. The U.S. was the closest to thwarting the sweep; Frank Del Duca and Josh Williamson were fourth.

Snow postpones women’s slopestyle snowboarding

The Olympic final for women’s snowboarding slopestyle was scrubbed off Tuesday’s schedule due to a heavy snowstorm in Livigno.

The slopestyle final was scheduled to start at 1 p.m. local time, but organizers said it was called off. A new date for the final has not been announced.

Ami Nakai of Japan competes during the women's short program figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

It delays New Zealander Zoi Sadowski-Synnott’s attempt at a repeat. She qualified first on Sunday — an opening round that was moved up a day because of the storms rolling in.

Italian men back on top in speedskating pursuit

Italy’s Davide Ghiotto, Andrea Giovannini and Michele Malfatti beat U.S. world record-holders Casey Dawson, Emery Lehman and Ethan Cepuran by 4 1/2 seconds to win the men’s team pursuit gold medal in speedskating.

Buoyed by raucous cheering from the home crowd at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, the Italian men finished in 3 minutes, 39.20 seconds to give their country its first Olympic title in this event since the 2006 Turin Games.

The United States started the final well and led for the early stages. But the Italians charged ahead over the closing laps, extending their advantage. When it ended, Ghiotto, Giovannini and Malfatti raised their arms and pumped their fists.

Canada collected its second consecutive Winter Games title in women’s team pursuit when Ivanie Blondin, Valerie Maltais and Isabelle Weidemann — the same athletes who won gold four years ago in Beijing — finished in 2:55.81, nearly a full second ahead of runner-up Netherlands.

Late surge lifts France to gold in biathlon relay

France went from last place on the first leg to being first on the final lap to secure the country’s first Olympic gold medal in men’s biathlon relay.

World Cup champion Eric Perrot, skiing the final leg for France, missed two shots in his last standing shooting bout and was only seven seconds ahead of Norway’s Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen as they headed out to ski tracks packed with fresh snow.

Alysa Liu of the United States competes during the women's short program figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Perrot stayed ahead of Christiansen and took his team of Fabien Claude, Emilien Jacquelin and Quentin Fillon Maillet across the line first, in a time of one hour, 19 minutes and 55.2 seconds.

Norway’s Oftebro earns second Nordic combined gold

Norway’s Jens Luraas Oftebro won his second Nordic combined gold medal in a week, taking the large hill ski jump and 10-kilometer ski race. Johannes Lamparter of Austria earned his second silver in Italy and Ilkka Herola of Finland won bronze.

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AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics