Tearful podium embraces, parents scanning the stands for their children after medal wins and heartfelt moments from Team Canada’s men’s hockey team have defined the early days of the 2026 Winter Olympics, resonating with Canadians far beyond the medal count.
A victory 15 years in the making left viewers emotional as a Canadian ice dance duo finally mounted the podium, while another athlete’s plea for a homework extension so she could compete offered a glimpse into the balancing act many Olympians navigate behind the scenes.
Below is a roundup of some of the Games’ most heart-warming Canadian highlights so far.
Mikaël Kingsbury’s emotional gold leads to the playing of O Canada
Freestyle moguls legend Mikaël Kingsbury delivered one of the most unforgettable moments of the 2026 Winter Olympics when he captured gold in the debut of dual moguls. It is marked Canada’s first gold medal of these Milan Games, coming on Day 9.
The 33-year-old moguls legend had already won silver earlier in the Olympics, narrowly missing gold after a tiebreaker with Australia’s Cooper Woods.
“I saw a lot of online comments saying Canadians were a bit ‘cursed’ here in Italy,” Kingsbury told CBC Olympics. “I really wanted to break that curse and win that first gold for my country. I do this sport for myself, but I’m very proud to share it with the country I love the most.”
When Kingsbury’s name was announced and the Canadian flag raised, viewers tuning in across the country got goosebumps. The first strains of O Canada resounded at Milano Cortina 2026, and from living rooms to arenas across the globe, Canadians responded with a mix of pride, relief and emotion.
Canadian Olympian born without fingers on left hand claims silver medal
Short-track skater Florence Brunelle is back on the Olympic path at the Milano Cortina Games after stepping away to protect her mental health following a fall four years ago in Beijing.
“I’ve accomplished my dream, and I feel unhappy, so why would I pursue what I’m pursuing? I lost my purpose,” Brunelle said to the Canadian Press.
At 18, Brunelle was the youngest-ever short-track speedskater to make Canada’s Olympic team. She was a multi-time world junior medallist who had rarely experienced failure while racing toward the top of her sport.
“She’s at a really good place,” head coach Marc Gagnon told the Canadian Press in recent reports. “We won’t hide it, four years ago were not good Games for Florence, and it was hard mentally for her. She had big challenges and had to overcome some stuff during the last four years … stuff that will still be challenging for her once we get to the (Milano Cortina) Olympic Games.
Brunelle was one of six Canadian speed skaters who participated in the short track mixed relay, where Canada came home with a silver medal.
The Team Canada skater was born missing three fingers on her left hand, a detail she shared with television cameras ahead of Tuesday’s medal ceremony.
Image courtesy: CBC News
Team Canada’s men’s hockey team bring spirit to the games
A now-viral video from the Winter Olympics captured members of Canada’s men’s hockey team gasping — and potentially holding back some joyful emotions — in the stands while taking in a short-track speed skating event.
The players were taking in the mixed relay when a U.S. skater crashed, allowing the Canadian racer to steer clear of the incident and gain ground — a moment that sparked an animated reaction from the hockey squad as they cheered on their compatriots.
The team’s reaction was described as a mix of relief and pleasure, as an intense Canada-U.S. rivalry continues at the 2026 Games.
The team has also been spotted embracing Milan like tourists, with several players filmed navigating the city’s metro system between events. Dressed in Team Canada gear and towering over fellow passengers, the NHL stars appeared relaxed, drawing smiles and amused looks from commuters as they swapped their usual private transport for public transit.
The lighthearted, down-to-earth moment quickly took off online, reminding viewers that even Olympic superstars are just regular people, as they earned the team a whole new wave of fans in the process.
Canadian Olympic duo has us all in tears
The wait is over for Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier.
After 15 years as partners, the Canadian ice dance duo are now Olympic medallists, earning bronze at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games.
Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Canada react after competing during the ice dancing free skate in figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
In Wednesday’s final flight of the free dance, Gilles and Poirier stepped onto Olympic ice third, following the Italian and British teams, with the arena humming in anticipation, according to reports by Olympic sources. Skating to “Vincent,” a program that has stayed with them since the 2018-19 season, they moved with control and quiet intensity, hitting their elements with precision and ease.
As the final notes faded, the emotion surfaced. Gilles’s face crumpled as she reached for Poirier, both of them visibly overwhelmed with emotions.
“Seeing Paul get super emotional, like that doesn’t happen often,” said Gilles. “But again, that’s what it takes to have an Olympic moment like that.
“We just let it all out and to be able to finish like that we’re just so unbelievably proud of what we’ve accomplished I guess.”
Canadian Olympian goes viral for asking for homework extension
We’ve all had that sinking feeling.
You check your calendar or open your inbox and realize an assignment is overdue. Maybe you were juggling other classes and extracurriculars. Maybe you stayed up too late watching a show or spending time with friends. Either way, you fire off an email to your professor, hoping an extension might still be possible.
Most students, however, aren’t doing that from the Olympic Village. Canadian figure skater Madeline Schizas found herself in exactly that position in Milan after realizing a sociology assignment was due Friday, not Sunday. Yes, during Opening Ceremony weekend. Compared to the usual last-minute excuses, competing at the Olympics is a fairly solid one.
After emailing her professor, Schizas shared the moment with her more than 33,000 Instagram followers. Along with her apology, she included an official press release confirming her Olympic participation, just in case proof was required.
And yes, her professor granted the extension, as the Olympian later shared on social media.