Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics Closes After 17 Days of Competition

The 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics, a 17-day "festival of snow and ice," concluded with its closing ceremony.

Approximately 2,900 athletes from 92 National Olympic Committees, who competed across six Olympic Villages and four clusters, celebrated the grand finale at the Verona Arena in Italy on February 22 local time. Athletes bid farewell while looking forward to the 2030 French Alps Winter Olympics in four years.

South Korea, which dispatched a delegation of 130 members including 71 athletes, finished 13th in the overall medal standings with three gold, four silver, and three bronze medals.

While the team achieved its goal of three gold medals, it fell short of reaching the top 10 in overall rankings.

However, Korea achieved significant success in sports diplomacy. Kim Jae-youl, President of the International Skating Union (ISU), was elected to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board, which leads the organization's decision-making. Bobsled legend Won Yun-jong topped the IOC Athletes' Commission election, securing an eight-year term and giving Korea two IOC members once again.

The closing ceremony opened with the story of "La Traviata," one of Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi's masterpieces.

Opening footage showed recreations of operas previously performed at Verona Arena, accompanied by orchestral music. Performers then took the stage beneath a massive chandelier.

Characters from opera classics including "Rigoletto," "Aida," "The Marriage of Figaro," and "Madama Butterfly" marked the ceremony's beginning, celebrating the conclusion of the Olympic festival.

The Italian flag was raised as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and IOC President Kirsty Coventry entered to greet the audience.

The Olympic flame that illuminated Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo arrived at Verona Arena, carried by former Italian national team athletes who won gold together in the men's cross-country skiing relay at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics. The flame was transferred to a structure shaped like the Olympic rings, lighting up the venue.

National delegations including South Korea then entered the arena.

Short track speed skaters Choi Min-jung (Seongnam City Hall) and Hwang Dae-heon (Gangwon Provincial Office), who announced their Olympic retirement, served as flag bearers.

Following the welcome performance, a medal ceremony was held for the women's cross-country 50km mass start, the final event of the Games.

After a program honoring volunteers, the two newly elected IOC Athletes' Commission members were introduced.

Won Yun-jong, who topped the vote among 11 candidates to join the IOC, stood proudly on stage.

Estonian biathlete Johanna Talihärm, who finished second, also received applause.

The ceremony's atmosphere intensified as the theme from "Madama Butterfly" filled the arena.

The Olympic flag was handed over to the French Alps, the next host, and the French flag was raised, marking the promise of four years hence.

A performance prepared by the 2030 French Alps Winter Olympics Organizing Committee followed, along with a video introducing the Alps.

After closing speeches by Giovanni Malagò, President of the Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics Organizing Committee, and IOC President Coventry, the two Olympic flames were extinguished, bringing the 17-day competition to a close.