The Winter Olympics 2026 have officially ended. The quadrennial event was held in Italy from Feb. 6 – Feb. 22.
For the first time in the quadrennial event’s history, two cities (Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo) jointly hosted the proceedings, having edged out the Swedish cities, Stockholm and Are, in the bidding process.
The event was a complete rollercoaster ride, from Eileen Gu’s emotional moments after winning three medals to the agonizing heartbreak of veteran alpine skier Lindsey Vonn, who crashed out of the race.
5 Memorable Moments To Close Winter Olympics 2026
While the opening ceremony of the current edition was held at Stadio San Siro in Milan, the much-talked-about Verona Arena hosted the closing ceremony of the quadrennial event.
Olympic champion skier Sofia Goggia, who recently won the downhill bronze medal, extinguished the flames of the Olympic cauldron as a part of the closing ceremony.
The following are some of the most iconic moments of the 2026 Winter Olympics closing ceremony:
1) The Choice of the Closing Ceremony Arena
The first major highlight of the closing ceremony was the choice of the venue, the Verona Arena. One of the oldest operating amphitheaters, the Verona Arena marked the first time since the inaugural summer Olympics in 1896 that an ancient venue was chosen for the opening/closing ceremonies.
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2) The Double Surprise From Diplo and Major Lazer
Music artist Diplo and electronic group Major Lazer, best known for hits like ‘Lean On’, entertained the audience with their performances at the closing ceremony, before the Parade of Nations for the closing ceremony commenced.
3) Eileen Gu’s Emotional Flag Bearing
People also witnessed an emotional tribute from freestyle skier Gu just before the closing ceremony. In the post-race press conference, the American-born Chinese skier revealed that just after her victorious run in the women’s halfpipe event, she received the devastating news of her grandmother’s death. Despite the news, Gu maintained her composure as the Chinese flag fluttered during the medal ceremony.
4) King Klaebo Receives the Final Gold Medal
As per the tradition, Norwegian cross country skier Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo received the final gold medal of the Winter Olympics 2026 for his victory in the men’s 50 km. mass start classic. He set the record for most gold medals won at a single edition, with six gold medals in the 2026 Winter Olympics. This is why he also earned the sobriquet ‘King Klaebo’ Klaebo’. He also won gold medals in the 10km + 10km skiathlon, sprint classic, 10 km interval start free, 4 × 7.5km relay and team sprint free.
5) The Handover of Flags
The Olympic flag was lowered and subsequently presented by the mayors of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo to the IOC President, Kirsty Coventry. She subsequently handed over the flag to the organizers of the next Winter Olympics — the French Alps — which will be held in 2030. This was followed by the French national anthem La Marseillaise.
