Every four years we see the world gather around and celebrate the crazy athleticism across the world. For me, it’s a two week period of fascination with random sports I have never had interest in and almost crying from seeing emotional athletes. To those who have shockingly not been following the Olympics or the drama, here’s a run down.Â
This Olympics has been full of drama and controversy. From the ski jumpers injecting themselves in order to jump further, to the Canadian cheating in curling, this Olympics has been full of good stories. But something that I wanted to focus on is the spotlight women’s sports stepped into this Olympics.
Figure skating saw a change. Figure skating in the 2022 Beijing Olympics had lots of controversy surrounding it. From doping scandals to coaches being known for their negative coaching style created a lack of positivity. However, this year there was a true change in narrative.
Alysa Liu won gold after choosing to return to the sport after announcing her own retirement from the sport at 16. Doing the sport because you love it is what really defined the narrative of the Olympics. Amber Glenn, American figure skater and mental health advocate, showed what resilience looks like both throughout her career as well as between the short program and the free skate.Â
Eileen Gu became the most decorated freestyle female skier in Olympic history, winning three medals over her campaign in 2026. The Chinese American skier brought home three medals over this cycle, creating her 6 medals in 6 events in the Olympics.
With the PWHL expansion and record breaking crowds at their takeover tour, women’s hockey has also been a growing sport. At the Olympics, the US women’s hockey team has attracted attention from a surprising source – the brothers of Haley Winn, a U.S. defenseman. No game that they’ve played has gone unattended by her trio of three brothers wearing Americana outfits decked in eagle heads and red, white, and blue. When asked about what the three’s mission was, they responded by talking about how they wanted to support their sister but also bring more attention to women’s hockey (which feels fitting considering the U.S. team outshot their opponent 31-1). The team managed to beat Canada in an exciting overtime win with 7.7 million people watching the game.
Of the 12 gold medals the US are bringing home, eight of them were won by female athletes. This is something that a younger version of myself would be fangirling about seeing not only the success but the recognition of women’s sports. Attendance numbers are going up for women’s sports. The Olympics gave an increased platform to female athletes and they certainly rose to the occasion. Â