Winter Olympics Preview
- therookiereporters
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Held in the heart of northern Italy, the 2026 Winter Olympics will begin on the 6th of February. With various different sports and athletes all coming together from around the globe, this year’s tournament is sure to bring the action!
Which Sports Are in the Olympics?
The list of sports at this year’s Olympics is vast, encompassing 16 different sports and 116 medal events, starting with Alpine Skiing and Biathlon. On the ice, we have Ice Hockey, Figure Skating and Short Track Speed Skating, as well as Curling and Speed Skating. In a similar vein, there is also Luge, Skeleton and Bobsleigh. Taking it to the slopes, there's Ski Jumping, Freestyle Skiing, Ski Mountaineering, Cross-Country Skiing, Skijumping, Nordic Combined, and snowboarding! A packed schedule of events means that there’s truly something out there for every sports fan!
How Many Athletes are Competing?
From 92 different countries, around 2900 athletes will take part in the 2026 Olympics. The five biggest teams are Italy with 151 athletes, the USA with 140, Canada with 117, Germany with 103, and Switzerland with 95.
The Mascots - Tina and Milo
The cute little stoat siblings who are this year’s mascots symbolise the two different host cities and the two Olympics. Milo, a name inspired by Milano, is the mascot for the Paralympics. His big sister Tina, whose name comes from Cortina, acts as the mascot for the Olympic Games. According to their backstory, they grew up in the mountains of Italy and have been close since birth. Their characters are designed to represent equality, inclusivity, and diversity; values which are at the heart of the Olympic games. Their design comes from an arts competition which took place across different schools in northern Italy and included art and designs from children aged six to fourteen.
Article written by: Yael Bächler ©Yael Bächler 2025
