MILAN (AP) — From Olympic rings reflected in an athlete’s helmet to tight shots of a curling stone, from shards of ice suspended midair as hockey players battle for the puck to subtle notes of political expression, colorful nails painted in symbols of cultural pride and even a whimsical unicorn adorning a biathlon rifle — a close-up look at the small, striking details captured by AP photographers at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
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Snow gathers on a net fence at the ski jumping venue ahead of the nordic combined team sprint at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Predazzo, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Francesca Lollobrigida of Italy wears the Olympics Rings on a ring in the women's 1500 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Switzerland's Andrea Braendli (20) sports a message on her helmet during a women's ice hockey bronze medal game between Switzerland and Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
A referee signals with her hand during a women's ice hockey bronze medal game between Switzerland and Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Sturla Holm Laegreid, of Norway, participates in a biathlon training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Marketa Davidova, of Czechia, participates in a biathlon training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Italy's Mattia Giovanella gestures holding his shoes, after the men's curling round robin session against Britain, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
Choi Minjeong of South Korea competes during the short track speed skating women's 500m at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
A worker pours water on the ice between races during a short track speed skating women's 1500 meters semifinal at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
South Korea's Seol Ye-eun in action during the women's curling round robin session against Denmark, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb.14, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
Shomu Sasaki of Japan warms up prior to competing in the men's 5,000 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
The Olympic Rings are reflected in the vizor of the helmet of Chris Huizinga of the Netherlands ahead of the men's team pursuit quarterfinals speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
United States' Taylor Anderson-Heide sweeps near a stone during a women's curling round robin match against Denmark at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Yuna Nagaoka and Sumitada Moriguchi of Japan warm up before the pairs figure skating short program at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
United States' Jaelin Kauf waits for her score during the women's freestyle skiing moguls finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Ukraine's Dmytro Shepiuk holds a sticker reading "UKR heroes with us" at the finish area during a men's super-G race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Wednesday, Feb.11, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
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)
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Snow gathers on a net fence at the ski jumping venue ahead of the nordic combined team sprint at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Predazzo, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Francesca Lollobrigida of Italy wears the Olympics Rings on a ring in the women's 1500 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Switzerland's Andrea Braendli (20) sports a message on her helmet during a women's ice hockey bronze medal game between Switzerland and Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
A referee signals with her hand during a women's ice hockey bronze medal game between Switzerland and Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Sturla Holm Laegreid, of Norway, participates in a biathlon training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Marketa Davidova, of Czechia, participates in a biathlon training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Italy's Mattia Giovanella gestures holding his shoes, after the men's curling round robin session against Britain, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
Choi Minjeong of South Korea competes during the short track speed skating women's 500m at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
A worker pours water on the ice between races during a short track speed skating women's 1500 meters semifinal at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
South Korea's Seol Ye-eun in action during the women's curling round robin session against Denmark, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb.14, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
Shomu Sasaki of Japan warms up prior to competing in the men's 5,000 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
The Olympic Rings are reflected in the vizor of the helmet of Chris Huizinga of the Netherlands ahead of the men's team pursuit quarterfinals speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
United States' Taylor Anderson-Heide sweeps near a stone during a women's curling round robin match against Denmark at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Yuna Nagaoka and Sumitada Moriguchi of Japan warm up before the pairs figure skating short program at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
United States' Jaelin Kauf waits for her score during the women's freestyle skiing moguls finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Ukraine's Dmytro Shepiuk holds a sticker reading "UKR heroes with us" at the finish area during a men's super-G race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Wednesday, Feb.11, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
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)
