2026 Winter Olympics: Hockey, skating venues in Milan
Speed skating. Figure skating. Hockey. USA TODAY’s Alex Connor went to Milan’s three venues to see the Olympic action. This is how it went.
MILAN — Mia Manganello made her final race one to remember.
Manganello won bronze in the women’s speed skating mass start Saturday, Feb. 21, the first individual medal in three Olympics for the 36-year-old. She has a bronze from the team pursuit at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang. It also gave the U.S. women their first medal in speed skating at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics after fourth-place finishes in the 1,000 meters, 1,500 meters and team pursuit and a fifth in the 500 meters.
Manganello’s finished behind the Netherlands’ Marijke Groenewoud, who won gold, and Canada Ivanie Blondin who took silver in the chaotic event that resembles short track. Or a NASCAR race.
Manganello had long ago decided this would be her final season, and she made it one to remember. Her win in the mass start in the season’s first World Cup was her first-ever individual gold. She added a silver and two bronzes in the remaining four World Cups, edging Marijke Groenewoud of the Netherlands for the season title by just one point.
Manganello’s bronze also gives the U.S. team four long-track medals for these Games, their most since also winning four in 2010.
