{"id":492463,"date":"2026-02-22T18:02:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-22T18:02:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/492463\/"},"modified":"2026-02-22T18:02:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T18:02:12","slug":"heartwarming-moments-for-team-canada-at-milano-cortina-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/492463\/","title":{"rendered":"Heartwarming moments for Team Canada at Milano Cortina 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\tDarren Calabrese\/COC<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 22, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Sharing<\/p>\n

Sport is ultimately a proxy for our deepest human emotions\u2014perhaps nowhere more so than at the Olympic Games.<\/p>\n

While those emotions can run the gamut from unbridled elation to inconsolable despair, there\u2019s a special place for those moments we\u2019d call heartwarming.<\/p>\n

Sometimes there\u2019s a medal on the line, sometimes not. But these are the kinds of moments that remind us of the humanity inherent in top-level athletic competition. <\/p>\n

So with Milano Cortina 2026<\/a> coming to a close, here are some heartwarming moments brought to us by Team Canada.<\/p>\n

The King celebrates with the Prince<\/p>\n

Mika\u00ebl Kingsbury<\/a> is the undisputed \u201cKing of Moguls\u201d. And at Milano Cortina 2026, Olympic audiences were introduced to his Prince.<\/p>\n

These were Kingsbury\u2019s fourth Olympic Winter Games, but his first since the birth of son Henrik in August 2024. With a silver in the men\u2019s moguls<\/a> and a gold in the dual moguls<\/a>, the 33-year-old got two opportunities for fresh-off-the-podium family photos. And Henrik learned all about the sweet taste of Olympic medals. <\/p>\n

READ: Parenthood brings perspective for moguls legend Mika\u00ebl Kingsbury<\/a><\/p>\n

\"TeamTeam Canada\u2019s Mikael Kingsbury celebrates with his family after winning a gold medal in the Men\u2019s Dual Moguls Finals at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Italy on Sunday, February 15, 2026. Photo by Darren Calabrese\/COC<\/p>\n

Ted-Jan Bloemen bids farewell<\/p>\n

These Games were also the first chance for long track speed skater Ted-Jan Bloemen<\/a>\u2018s children to see him perform on the Olympic stage. But for his kids\u2014and the rest of Canada\u2014it was also the last.<\/p>\n

The 39-year-old two-time Olympic medallist wasn\u2019t able to add to his hardware haul in 2026. He did, however, have the opportunity to take a goodbye lap after the men\u2019s 10,000m event.<\/p>\n

READ: Team Canada\u2019s Ted-Jan Bloemen closes another chapter on his \u2018life\u2019s work\u2019 <\/a><\/p>\n

\"Ted-JanTeam Canada\u2019s Ted-Jan Bloemen waves to fans after he competes during the Speed Skating Men\u2019s 10000m at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Italy on Friday, February 13, 2026. Photo by Leah Hennel\/COC <\/p>\n

Three cheers for the audience<\/p>\n

Of course, neither Kingsbury, Bloemen nor any other athlete got to celebrate with their families at Beijing 2022<\/a>. With the world still deeply entrenched in pandemic-era restrictions, there were virtually no spectators at those Olympic Games.<\/p>\n

So the Milano Cortina Games have been filled with heartwarming moments of celebration\u2014and consolation\u2014between athletes and their friends, families, and fans. It\u2019s been a wonderful reminder of how much that support can mean.<\/p>\n

\"FamilyFamily of Team Canada\u2019s Megan Oldham reacts as she competes in Big Air Qualifiers at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Italy on Saturday, February 14, 2026. Photo by Mark Blinch\/COC <\/p>\n

Evan Bichon perseveres through heartbreak and loss<\/p>\n

Not every family story at these Games was a happy one, however. Snowboard cross racer Evan Bichon<\/a> was blindsided by the news of his mother\u2019s cancer diagnosis last summer and then her passing in November.<\/p>\n

Despite it all, he found a way to continue his preparations and achieve his dream of reaching the Olympics. \u201cRepresenting Canada on the Olympic stage is something I\u2019ll carry forever,\u201d he said on social media<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you to my team, supporters, family, friends and everyone who believed in me, especially on the hard days. This one meant a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Francis Jobin battles through the pain<\/p>\n

While Bichon\u2019s perseverance is in a category all its own, there were also tales of Canadians battling physical injuries during the Games themselves. Snowboarder Mark McMorris<\/a> and hockey star Marie-Philip Poulin<\/a> famously recovered from injuries sustained during these Olympic Winter Games to continue competing.<\/p>\n

But let\u2019s offer a bit of love here to 27-year-old Olympic newcomer Francis Jobin<\/a>. <\/p>\n

The snowboarder suffered a dislocated shoulder in training, an injury that would sideline us mere mortals for weeks. Despite the injury, he\u2019d go on to finish seventh in the men\u2019s big air final. <\/p>\n

\u2018Never give up. I did my best.\u2019<\/p>\n

That resilient attitude was perhaps best summed up by another Olympic debutante, snowboarder Juliette Pelchat<\/a>.<\/p>\n

After landing her third run in the women\u2019s slopestyle final, the 21-year-old smilingly told the TV cameras: \u201cNever give up. I did my best.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"TeamTeam Canada\u2019s Juliette Pelchat smiles after her third and final run in Women\u2019s Snowboard Slopestyle finals at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Italy on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Photo by Darren Calabrese\/COC <\/p>\n

Getting their flowers<\/p>\n

In figure skating, choosing the right music can mean everything. But this season, some athletes struggled to secure the rights to songs they wanted to use in their performances.<\/p>\n

Canadians Lia Pereira<\/a> and Trennt Michaud<\/a> didn\u2019t just get permission from British music star Jessie Ware to use her song \u201cSay You Love Me\u201d. Ware actually sent the figure skating pair a bouquet of flowers out of gratitude for using her song.<\/p>\n

Pereira and Michaud would produce an outstanding short program<\/a> set to Ware\u2019s song, putting up a personal best score.<\/p>\n

Coincidence? Maybe. A heartwarming moment? Definitely.<\/p>\n

BFFs: Bronze Found, Finally<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been a long road for Rachel Homan<\/a> to reach the Olympic podium. But at Milano Cortina 2026, the Team Canada skip got to celebrate winning bronze<\/a> along with teammates Emma Miskew<\/a>, Tracy Fleury<\/a> and Sarah Wilkes<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\"EmmaTeam Canada\u2019s Emma Miskew, Sarah Wilkes, Rachel and Tracy Fleury celebrate after defeating the United States to win a bronze medal in Women\u2019s Curling at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Italy on Saturday, February 21, 2026. Photo by Candice Ward\/COC <\/p>\n

It was especially meaningful for Homan and Miskew, who have been friends since they were 5 years old. They also shared the disappointment of a sixth-place finish at PyeongChang 2018, when they didn\u2019t even get the chance to play for a medal.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t feel real that we are bringing home a medal for Canada,\u201d said Homan. \u201cIt\u2019s just a really cool feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n

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