2026 Winter Olympics medal count: Nation-wise standings as the Games reach day 2

The 2026 Winter Olympics are officially underway, and with the first full day of competition in the books, the medal table has begun to take shape.

Several traditional winter sports powerhouses wasted no time making their presence felt, while others are still searching for an early breakthrough as the Games move into Day 2.

Early gold medals set the tone

Saturday marked the first medal-awarding day of the Milan Cortina Games, with gold medals spread across multiple nations.

Switzerland opened its account by claiming gold in the men’s downhill, continuing its long-standing dominance in alpine skiing.

Sweden followed suit with a strong showing in the women’s skiathlon, while host nation Italy thrilled home fans by securing gold in the women’s 3,000-meter speed skating event.

Norway and Canada also found their way onto the medal board, reinforcing their status as consistent performers at the Winter Olympics.

With multiple countries already represented, the early standings suggest another tightly contested Games.

Medal table context after Day 1

While it is far too early to draw conclusions, historical trends offer useful perspective. At the 2022 Winter Olympics, Norway led the medal table comfortably, finishing with 16 gold medals and 37 overall medals. Germany placed second overall with 27 total med als, while the United States finished third with 25.

That backdrop highlights the scale of the challenge facing other nations hoping to dethrone Norway, which has established itself as the benchmark in recent Winter Games.

Team USA yet to open its account

As of the end of Day 1, Team USA has not secured a medal. The closest American athlete to reaching the podium was Jessie Diggins, who placed eighth in the women’s skiathlon.

While the start has been quiet for the U.S., several medal opportunities remain in the coming days across snowboarding, speed skating, and alpine events.

What to watch on Day 2

With more finals scheduled, the medal standings are expected to change quickly. Powerhouses such as Norway, Germany, and the U.S. will look to build momentum, while host Italy aims to capitalize on early success.

For a complete, updated schedule of medal events and competitions, readers can refer to the official Games schedule PDF, which will be linked separately.