The Olympics are always a time of excitement. There are always heartwarming stories, immense pride and incredible victories. The 2026 Winter Olympics will be no different. Athletes from 93 different countries will come together in Milan, Italy to compete from February 6th through 22nd. The competition ranges from thrilling events such as halfpipe snowboarding, where Chloe Kim is attempting to win her third-straight gold medal, to grueling events such as the Biathlon, which combines cross-country skiing with rifle shooting, where Campbell Wright has the chance to win the first ever gold medal in the event for the United States.
A new event making its debut in the 2026 Winter Olympics is Ski Mountaineering. This event combines uphill climbing and downhill skiing. It requires athletes to ascend mountains and skis using climbing equipment and then ski back down. This event is sure to bring a lot of thrill to the Olympics. The unique thing about the Olympics is the wide variety of events in which a wide variety of people compete. There are also other new additions to already existing events. These include Women’s Doubles Luge, Women’s Large Hill Ski Jumping, Freestyle Skiing Dual Moguls and Alpine Skiing Team Combined. These new events are targeted to promote gender equality and give women equal opportunity to compete. These events are also supposed to add an additional excitement level to already great events. Even with all these new events, many people are still excited to tune into the classic events, such as curling.
“I am looking forward to watching curling. It is kind of like bocce on ice. I grew up playing bocce,” said Mrs. Margaret Perrotta, math teacher. The Olympics also brings people together in unexpected ways.
“Last year, Saint Viator sponsored a staff event for curling and this year we are going again. So fun!” said Mrs Perrotta.
Another new thing happening with this year’s Winter Olympics is the participation of professional athletes in certain events. Professional athletes being allowed to compete in Ice Hockey has introduced all sorts of controversy. This will be the first time this has been allowed since 2014. Professional athletes will also compete in figure skating, bobsled, speed skating and all of the skiing disciplines—alpine, freestyle and cross country.
The Olympic Games are supposed to promote amateur ideals. However, it is turning into little more than a standard professional circuit. These professional athletes are taking away the opportunities for amateurs to have their shot at glory. The Olympics also put a lot of pressure on the professional athletes and up the excitement since there are no second chances. If someone messes up there is no next game, every moment matters at the Olympics. This pressure can define an athlete’s whole legacy. If they win an Olympic medal they are remembered as a hero. However, if they flop then everyone will think of them as a failure. This is due to the fact they are representing an entire country instead of just themselves or one team. The Olympics are a time filled with pressure, excitement and long lasting memories. Professional athletes being involved will either take away some of the enjoyment or boost it.
“I believe professional athletes should be allowed. It makes the events more experienced and exciting with professional athletes going against each other,” said sophomore Landon Ray. With professional athletes going against other professional athletes, events such as Ice Hockey will be more physical and intense as teams are now truly made-up of the best of the best.
“I think professional athletes should be allowed to play, it livens up the Olympics,” said junior Michael Perrotta. “However, I understand if countries do not allow them to participate because they have to pay the athletes.” Even though most countries would like to have their best athletes participate in the Olympics, there is also a financial aspect which has to be taken into consideration. Transportation, state-of-the art equipment, practice facilities and coaches cost a lot of money. Even if an athlete has their own sponsorship, some of the cost will have to be eaten by the countries sending their athletes to the Olympics.
The Winter Olympics are a time where everybody watching is filled with excitement and suspense. The new events being added will help bring the Olympic Games to a new level. The allowance of NHL players to compete will bring the intensity up to a higher notch. These Winter Olympics are sure to be fun, and as always, go USA!