Mikaela Shiffrin is scheduled to race women’s slalom today at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, with Run 2 set up as her clearest medal path on the alpine program. Later, the USA men’s hockey team faces Sweden in a quarterfinal, a win-or-go-home test that can flip a tournament in one night.
This page keeps the day simple: a clean rundown of the key events, a plain-English slalom explainer, and what to watch next across the Olympic schedule.
“We update this page as official results are confirmed.”
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Covering Olympics news and explainers for UK, US, and Canada readers.
The latest on Mikaela Shiffrin and Team USA hockey (what we know so far)
- Shiffrin is on the women’s slalom schedule, with Run 2 listed for later this morning, results pending.
- Women’s slalom is decided by combined time from Run 1 plus Run 2, so the final standings come only after Run 2.
- The USA men’s hockey team is scheduled to play Sweden in a quarterfinal later today, results pending.
- Today’s Olympic slate also includes curling sessions, cross-country team sprint finals, men’s snowboard slopestyle, the women’s biathlon relay, and short track finals.
- Short track includes championship races (finals) later today, with results pending.
- For confirmed outcomes, verify results on the official Olympics Schedule and Results page.
Today’s medal moments to circle
Asterisks below mean the event ends with medals awarded (gold, silver, bronze).
- Women’s slalom Run 2 (medals awarded after the second run).
- Women’s and men’s cross-country team sprint finals.
- Men’s snowboard slopestyle final.
- Women’s biathlon 4x6km relay.
- Short track men’s 500m final and short track women’s 3,000m relay.
Why Shiffrin’s women’s slalom run matters today
Slalom is the sport’s tightest rope walk. Skiers attack a steep hill while snapping turns through closely spaced gates. The margin for error is small, and the margins on the clock are often smaller.
For Shiffrin, that’s why this race draws so much attention. She’s widely known as one of the top slalom skiers of her era, and slalom has long been the discipline most associated with her strengths: quick feet, sharp timing, and repeated precision under pressure. That history raises expectations, but it doesn’t guarantee anything on a course that can punish a single late move.
Run 2 adds its own kind of stress. The second run often comes after the course has been skied and scraped. Ruts can form, the surface can change, and athletes must adjust quickly. In other words, the hill doesn’t stay still just because the rules do.
If a quick refresher helps, the official Olympic athlete profile is a reliable hub for bio details and event listings, including Shiffrin’s page on Olympics.com athlete coverage.
What usually decides an Olympic slalom podium
A slalom run can look chaotic to casual viewers, but a few basics explain most of the results.
First, line and rhythm matter more than raw bravery. The fastest skiers link turns like a metronome, staying early to each gate so the skis keep running downhill.
Next, missed gates end the run. Even a small mistake can turn into a DNF, which is essentially an automatic exit from the results.
Course wear plays a big role too. Ruts and changing snow can grab a ski edge, especially on the second run, so athletes must choose when to push and when to stay clean.
Start order pressure is real. A skier who goes later may face a rougher track, while an early starter can set a tone and force others to chase.
Finally, slalom is a sport of tiny gaps. Hundredths of a second can separate medal positions, so one late turn can erase a lead.
Quick explainer: How Olympic women’s slalom works (in simple terms)
Slalom has two runs on the same day. Everyone races Run 1, then races Run 2. The winner is the skier with the lowest combined time across both runs.
The key idea is simple: there’s no “best single run” prize. A great first run helps, but it doesn’t finish the job. Meanwhile, a skier who’s behind after Run 1 can still climb if Run 2 is strong and clean.
Missing a gate changes everything. If a skier fails to pass the correct side of a gate, the result is a DNF and the combined time doesn’t count. That rule is why slalom can swing hard, because one slip can wipe out a medal pace.
Run 2 feels different for another reason. Skiers now know where they stand. Some protect a position, while others chase time and accept more risk. The course may also ski differently, because more athletes and more side-slipping can rough up the snow.
For readers who want an official document trail for results and event reporting across sports, the Olympic organizing site posts sport files and PDFs in the Milano Cortina 2026 official reports hub.
Tiny glossary (quick definitions):
- Gate: The paired poles a skier must pass correctly.
- DNF: Did Not Finish, often caused by missing a gate or crashing.
- Combined time: Run 1 time plus Run 2 time.
- Split time: A checkpoint time shown during the run.
How to watch and understand the timing in real time
Split times tell the story early. If a skier is faster at the first split but loses time later, it usually means the middle section got away from them, or they took a safer line after a wobble.
Body position gives clues too. A smooth run looks quiet, with the upper body stable and the skis carving cleanly. On the other hand, big recoveries often show up as a late pole plant, a quick arm swing, or a moment where the skis skid sideways.
It also helps to watch the transitions between turns. Slalom isn’t only about the turn itself, it’s about how fast the skier gets off one edge and onto the next. One hesitation can cost a chunk of time, and the clock won’t care that the mistake looked small.
What else is on the Olympic schedule today (and why fans care)
Today is built around medals in the morning and bracket pressure in the afternoon.
In the early window (around 3 a.m. to 10 a.m. ET, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. GMT), alpine skiing and several snow events take center stage. Women’s slalom is listed with Run 1 around 3:05 a.m. ET (8:05 a.m. GMT) and Run 2 around 7:20 a.m. ET (12:20 p.m. GMT), so the final order should only be confirmed after Run 2 posts official times.
Midday (around 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. GMT) keeps the pace with hockey quarterfinals and more finals across sports. Then the afternoon (around 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. GMT) stacks short track finals and the late hockey games.
Times can shift based on conditions and broadcast plans, so check the official Olympic schedule for confirmed start times.
Men’s hockey quarterfinals: what the bracket pressure looks like
A hockey quarterfinal is single-elimination in practice: win and move on, lose and go home. That format changes how every shift feels, because there’s no series to “get it back” later.
The quarterfinal slate also sets up a full day of comparison. The listed matchups are Slovakia vs Germany, Canada vs Czechia, Finland vs Switzerland, and USA vs Sweden. USA vs Sweden is the late game on the card, scheduled for around 3:10 p.m. ET (8:10 p.m. GMT).
For a schedule view from USA Hockey, including listed game times and results as they post, see the Team USA men’s Olympic schedule.
Curling, biathlon, snowboard, cross-country, and short track, the fast guide for casual viewers
Curling today includes round robin sessions for both men and women. Round robin games matter because they decide who gets into the knockout rounds. Even a single loss can tighten the math fast.
The women’s biathlon relay (4x6km) mixes cross-country skiing with rifle shooting, and the relay format adds pressure at every exchange. A strong ski leg means little if a shooting stage turns into extra penalty distance or extra time.
Men’s snowboard slopestyle is a final, which means medals at the end. Runs combine jumps and rails, and judges weigh execution and difficulty, so a clean landing matters as much as big air.
Cross-country team sprint finals are short, intense races with tag-style exchanges. A small stumble in the lane, or a mistimed changeover, can end a medal chance in seconds.
Short track includes men’s 500m rounds and finals, plus the women’s 3,000m relay. It’s fast and crowded, so position matters, and one bump can reshuffle everything.
FAQ: Mikaela Shiffrin, women’s slalom rules, and today’s Olympic hockey questions
What event is Mikaela Shiffrin competing in at the Winter Olympics 2026 today?
Women’s slalom, with Run 2 on the schedule; results are pending until official times post.
How does Olympic slalom scoring work?
Two runs are added together, and the lowest combined time wins.
Why are there two runs in slalom?
Two runs reduce the chance that one small mistake, or one course advantage, decides everything.
What happens if a skier misses a gate in slalom?
The skier gets a DNF and can’t place on combined time.
When is her next race after today?
Schedules can change, so check the official Olympics schedule and her athlete page for confirmed starts.
Where can I see official results for slalom and other events?
Use Olympics.com results pages and official reports; they post confirmed timings and placements.
When is USA vs Sweden men’s hockey today?
It’s listed for mid-to-late afternoon in the US, around 3:10 p.m. ET (8:10 p.m. GMT); confirm on the official schedule.
What does a hockey quarterfinal mean at the Olympics?
It’s a knockout round, the winner advances to the semifinals.
Sources and verification: Event times and matchups should be confirmed against official postings. Key references include the Olympics.com athlete page for Shiffrin, the Milano Cortina 2026 official reports index, and the Team USA men’s hockey schedule. For a secondary results view as events finalize, see ESPN’s Milano Cortina 2026 results page.
Update policy: We update after results are posted by official sources. If an error appears, we correct it transparently and reflect the change in the text.
Conclusion
Today’s confirmed focus is straightforward: Shiffrin is on the women’s slalom schedule with Run 2 listed this morning, and the USA men’s hockey team is set for a quarterfinal against Sweden later today. Medal events also stack up across cross-country, snowboard, biathlon, and short track. Results remain pending until official timing and game sheets post. Bookmark this page and check back after official results are confirmed.
SEE ALSO: Ski Mountaineering Olympics 2026: Events, Rules, What to Watch
