MILAN (AP) — This gallery showcases top photos from Day 12 of the Milan Cortina Olympics taken by Associated Press photographers.
AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
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Alison Mackie, of Canada, Nadja Kaelin, of Switzerland, and Astrid Oeyre Slind, of Norway, from right, compete in the cross-country skiing women's team sprint free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Maja Dahlqvist, of Sweden, crosses the finish line to win the gold medal, ahead of Nadine Faehndrich, of Switzerland, in the cross-country skiing women's team sprint free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Denmark's Denise Dupont and Mathilde Halse in action during the women's curling round robin session against Switzerland at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
Maxime Laoun of Canada and Pietro Sighel of Italy collide during the short track speed skating men's 500m at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Finland's Artturi Lehkonen (62) scores his side's third goal during a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game between Finland and Switzerland at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek, Pool)
Japan's Yuna Kotani, Anna Ohmiya and Kaho Onodera in action during the women's curling round robin session against Britain at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
Norway's Mons Roisland crashes during the men's snowboarding slopestyle finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
United States' Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates winning the gold medal in an alpine ski, women's slalom race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Canada's Bianca Ribi, right, slides down the track during a two women bobsled training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Julia Simon, of France, skis with her country's flag as she crosses the finish line for gold in the women's 4x6-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Johanna Talihaerm, of Estonia, collapses in the finish area of the women's 4x6-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Athletes compete in the women's 4x6-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Finland's Miro Heiskanen (41), right, tries to control the puck during a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game between Finland and Switzerland at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Japan's Reira Iwabuchi competes during the women's snowboarding slopestyle finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Athletes ride the magic carpet before the women's freestyle skiing aerials finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
United States' Jessica Perlmutter loses her phone as she competes during the women's snowboarding slopestyle finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Spectators wait for the start of the women's 4x6-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
United States' Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates winning the gold medal in an alpine ski, women's slalom race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Alison Mackie, of Canada, Nadja Kaelin, of Switzerland, and Astrid Oeyre Slind, of Norway, from right, compete in the cross-country skiing women's team sprint free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Coletta Rydzek, of Germany, reacts after crossing the finish line to win the bronze medal in the cross-country skiing women's team sprint free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Switzerland's Timo Rohner, front, starts for a four man bobsled training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
United States' Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's slalom race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
United States' Jake Canter practices before the men's snowboarding slopestyle finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Maja Dahlqvist, of Sweden, crosses the finish line to win the gold medal, ahead of Nadine Faehndrich, of Switzerland, in the cross-country skiing women's team sprint free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Slovakia's Samuel Hlavaj sprays water during a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game between Slovakia and Germany at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Canada's Mark McMorris crashes during the men's snowboarding slopestyle finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Switzerland's Michael Vogt and his team prepare to start for a four man bobsled training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
New Zealand's Dane Menzies practices before the men's snowboarding slopestyle finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Athletes compete in the cross-country skiing women's team sprint free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Norway's Karoline Offigstad Knotten shoots during the women's biathlon 4 x 6-kilometers relay race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Anterselva, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
China's Fanyu Kong (2) practices before the women's freestyle skiing aerials qualifications at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Ukraine's Anhelina Brykina (15) reacts as she rides up the magic carpet during the women's freestyle skiing aerials qualifications at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, competes in the cross-country skiing men's team sprint free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Czechia's Adela Merkova (22) competes during the women's freestyle skiing aerials qualifications at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)
Denmark's Denise Dupont and Mathilde Halse in action during the women's curling round robin session against Switzerland at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
Maxime Laoun of Canada and Pietro Sighel of Italy collide during the short track speed skating men's 500m at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Finland's Artturi Lehkonen (62) scores his side's third goal during a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game between Finland and Switzerland at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek, Pool)
Japan's Yuna Kotani, Anna Ohmiya and Kaho Onodera in action during the women's curling round robin session against Britain at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
Norway's Mons Roisland crashes during the men's snowboarding slopestyle finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
United States' Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates winning the gold medal in an alpine ski, women's slalom race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Canada's Bianca Ribi, right, slides down the track during a two women bobsled training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Julia Simon, of France, skis with her country's flag as she crosses the finish line for gold in the women's 4x6-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Johanna Talihaerm, of Estonia, collapses in the finish area of the women's 4x6-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Athletes compete in the women's 4x6-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Finland's Miro Heiskanen (41), right, tries to control the puck during a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game between Finland and Switzerland at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Japan's Reira Iwabuchi competes during the women's snowboarding slopestyle finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Athletes ride the magic carpet before the women's freestyle skiing aerials finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
United States' Jessica Perlmutter loses her phone as she competes during the women's snowboarding slopestyle finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Spectators wait for the start of the women's 4x6-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
United States' Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates winning the gold medal in an alpine ski, women's slalom race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Alison Mackie, of Canada, Nadja Kaelin, of Switzerland, and Astrid Oeyre Slind, of Norway, from right, compete in the cross-country skiing women's team sprint free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Coletta Rydzek, of Germany, reacts after crossing the finish line to win the bronze medal in the cross-country skiing women's team sprint free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Switzerland's Timo Rohner, front, starts for a four man bobsled training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
United States' Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's slalom race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
United States' Jake Canter practices before the men's snowboarding slopestyle finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Maja Dahlqvist, of Sweden, crosses the finish line to win the gold medal, ahead of Nadine Faehndrich, of Switzerland, in the cross-country skiing women's team sprint free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Slovakia's Samuel Hlavaj sprays water during a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game between Slovakia and Germany at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Canada's Mark McMorris crashes during the men's snowboarding slopestyle finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Switzerland's Michael Vogt and his team prepare to start for a four man bobsled training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
New Zealand's Dane Menzies practices before the men's snowboarding slopestyle finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Athletes compete in the cross-country skiing women's team sprint free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Norway's Karoline Offigstad Knotten shoots during the women's biathlon 4 x 6-kilometers relay race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Anterselva, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
China's Fanyu Kong (2) practices before the women's freestyle skiing aerials qualifications at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Ukraine's Anhelina Brykina (15) reacts as she rides up the magic carpet during the women's freestyle skiing aerials qualifications at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, competes in the cross-country skiing men's team sprint free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Czechia's Adela Merkova (22) competes during the women's freestyle skiing aerials qualifications at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)
TESERO, Italy (AP) — Fresh off ending a 50‑year medal drought in men's cross-country skiing, American Ben Ogden proved Wednesday it was no fluke by winning a second silver.
Teaming up with Gus Schumacher, the U.S. men even gave runaway favorites Norway some real competition and held off host-country Italy in the home stretch for its winningest Olympics ever at the Milan Cortina Games.
“We just proved today and all week that we’re here to stay and that U.S. guys are in good form," Ogden said. "So it was awesome.”
Ogden became the first American man to win a cross-country skiing medal in the Olympics in 50 years when he won a silver in the sprint event on Feb. 10. Until then, Bill Koch, who won silver in 1976 in Innsbruck, was the sole American man to medal in the sport.
The win in the men’s team sprint makes Ogden America's most decorated male cross-country skier.
The two-man relay involved two legs by each skier, with Ogden starting the race and Schumacher closing.
That meant Schumacher was competing head-to-head with Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, who has dominated the sport and keeps setting new Olympic records. Klaebo's win Wednesday was his 10th gold medal, breaking his own record for the most overall golds in the Winter Olympics.
As Schumacher stayed on Klaebo's tail up the final climb, his focus was: “Look at Klaebo’s butt and just lock in and follow that to the finish line,” he said. "I did it and I’m really proud of it.”
Schumacher couldn't catch Klaebo but he held off Italy's Federico Pellegrino.
With 10 meters to go, he saw Ogden across the finish line to greet him and knew a medal was in hand. He crossed the line 1.4 seconds behind Klaebo and collapsed in the snow. Ogden dropped to his knees and hugged his teammate and friend.
“I'm going to be the guy that got beat,” Schumacher joked. “That’s the problem with being second, but yeah, I am so happy with it.”
In recent years, the story of U.S. cross-country skiing has been about the women and super star Jessie Diggins, the current World Cup leader who is in her final Olympics.
Diggins is the most decorated U.S. cross-country skier with four medals, including a gold from 2018 in Pyeongchang in the team sprint with Kikkan Randall, a silver and two bronze, including her most recent last week in the 10-kilometer interval start.
Diggins and Julia Kern finished fifth in the women's team sprint Wednesday.
Ogden said the result was “huge” for U.S. skiing and he hoped the bicoastal victory — he lives in Vermont and Schumacher lives in Alaska — will provide inspiration to all skiers.
“Everybody hopefully is gonna get fired up after seeing this because, you know, like, this week we proved that American skiers can do it just like anybody else and that applies to every age, every generation, everybody that’s in the ski community in the U.S.,” Ogden said. “So it’s gonna be sick to go home.”
Ogden said another half-century won’t pass before the U.S. steps on the podium again. Based on these results, he might be right.
This story has been corrected to show Diggins won two bronze and a silver, not two silvers and a bronze.
AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, Gus Schumacher, of the United States, left, and Federico Pellegrino, of Italy, right, compete in the cross-country skiing men's team sprint free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Ben Ogden, right, and Gus Schumacher, of the United States, celebrate after winning the silver medal in the cross-country skiing men's team sprint free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Ben Ogden, of the United States, from left, Elia Barp, of Italy, Johan Haeggstroem, of Sweden, Janik Riebli, of Switzerland, and Antoine Cyr, of Canada, compete in the cross-country skiing men's team sprint free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, and Gus Schumacher, of the United States, right, compete in the cross-country skiing men's team sprint free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Ben Ogden and Gus Schumacher, of the United States, pose after winning the silver medal in the cross-country skiing men's team sprint free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)