The Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics will be the most gender-balanced Olympic Winter Games in history, a feat being celebrated by Canada's sports organizations and Olympians. Women are set to make up 47 per cent of the athletes on a program with 50 women's events — both Olympic Winter Games records.

Today's Google Doodle game celebrates the sport of curling at the Winter Olympics 2026, which started today, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, ahead of the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies on Friday, Feb. 6. To see interactive Google Doodles or play Google Doodle curling, go to Google.com.

Along with Canada, Team USA is one of just two countries that have won gold in women's ice hockey since the event was added to the Olympics in 1998. The Americans won that inaugural year in Nagano, then endured four straight Canadian victories until 2018, when Team USA struck back with a dramatic overtime win to capture gold in Pyeongchang.

O’Brien, like many others, did most of her early career training at Palisades Tahoe. Other Sierra-based athletes include Tahoe City resident and three-time Olympian Bryce Bennett, who will be competing in speed events as a new dad, and two-time Olympians and close friends Keely Cashman, from Strawberry, and AJ Hurt, from Carnelian Bay.