Heartwarming moments for Team Canada at Milano Cortina 2026
Sport is ultimately a proxy for our deepest human emotions—perhaps nowhere more so than at the Olympic Games.
While those emotions can run the gamut from unbridled elation to inconsolable despair, there’s a special place for those moments we’d call heartwarming.
Sometimes there’s a medal on the line, sometimes not. But these are the kinds of moments that remind us of the humanity inherent in top-level athletic competition.
So with Milano Cortina 2026 coming to a close, here are some heartwarming moments brought to us by Team Canada.
The King celebrates with the Prince
Mikaël Kingsbury is the undisputed “King of Moguls”. And at Milano Cortina 2026, Olympic audiences were introduced to his Prince.
These were Kingsbury’s fourth Olympic Winter Games, but his first since the birth of son Henrik in August 2024. With a silver in the men’s moguls and a gold in the dual moguls, the 33-year-old got two opportunities for fresh-off-the-podium family photos. And Henrik learned all about the sweet taste of Olympic medals.
READ: Parenthood brings perspective for moguls legend Mikaël Kingsbury
Ted-Jan Bloemen bids farewell
These Games were also the first chance for long track speed skater Ted-Jan Bloemen‘s children to see him perform on the Olympic stage. But for his kids—and the rest of Canada—it was also the last.
The 39-year-old two-time Olympic medallist wasn’t able to add to his hardware haul in 2026. He did, however, have the opportunity to take a goodbye lap after the men’s 10,000m event.
READ: Team Canada’s Ted-Jan Bloemen closes another chapter on his ‘life’s work’
Three cheers for the audience
Of course, neither Kingsbury, Bloemen nor any other athlete got to celebrate with their families at Beijing 2022. With the world still deeply entrenched in pandemic-era restrictions, there were virtually no spectators at those Olympic Games.
So the Milano Cortina Games have been filled with heartwarming moments of celebration—and consolation—between athletes and their friends, families, and fans. It’s been a wonderful reminder of how much that support can mean.
Evan Bichon perseveres through heartbreak and loss
Not every family story at these Games was a happy one, however. Snowboard cross racer Evan Bichon was blindsided by the news of his mother’s cancer diagnosis last summer and then her passing in November.
Despite it all, he found a way to continue his preparations and achieve his dream of reaching the Olympics. “Representing Canada on the Olympic stage is something I’ll carry forever,” he said on social media.
“Thank you to my team, supporters, family, friends and everyone who believed in me, especially on the hard days. This one meant a lot.”
Francis Jobin battles through the pain
While Bichon’s perseverance is in a category all its own, there were also tales of Canadians battling physical injuries during the Games themselves. Snowboarder Mark McMorris and hockey star Marie-Philip Poulin famously recovered from injuries sustained during these Olympic Winter Games to continue competing.
But let’s offer a bit of love here to 27-year-old Olympic newcomer Francis Jobin.
The snowboarder suffered a dislocated shoulder in training, an injury that would sideline us mere mortals for weeks. Despite the injury, he’d go on to finish seventh in the men’s big air final.
‘Never give up. I did my best.’
That resilient attitude was perhaps best summed up by another Olympic debutante, snowboarder Juliette Pelchat.
After landing her third run in the women’s slopestyle final, the 21-year-old smilingly told the TV cameras: “Never give up. I did my best.”
Getting their flowers
In figure skating, choosing the right music can mean everything. But this season, some athletes struggled to secure the rights to songs they wanted to use in their performances.
Canadians Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud didn’t just get permission from British music star Jessie Ware to use her song “Say You Love Me”. Ware actually sent the figure skating pair a bouquet of flowers out of gratitude for using her song.
Pereira and Michaud would produce an outstanding short program set to Ware’s song, putting up a personal best score.
Coincidence? Maybe. A heartwarming moment? Definitely.
BFFs: Bronze Found, Finally
It’s been a long road for Rachel Homan to reach the Olympic podium. But at Milano Cortina 2026, the Team Canada skip got to celebrate winning bronze along with teammates Emma Miskew, Tracy Fleury and Sarah Wilkes.
It was especially meaningful for Homan and Miskew, who have been friends since they were 5 years old. They also shared the disappointment of a sixth-place finish at PyeongChang 2018, when they didn’t even get the chance to play for a medal.
“It doesn’t feel real that we are bringing home a medal for Canada,” said Homan. “It’s just a really cool feeling.”
