Winter Olympics 2026 day one live updates: Eileen Gu survives crash in slopestyle qualifiers, Valentino Guseli in Big Air final as Milano Cortina action gets underway

Australian team officials have given the following update on injured aerial skier Laura Peel.

Laura Peel has travelled to Livigno to give herself the best chance of competing at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games.

On February 1 Peel sustained a significant knee injury. After an MRI, Peel received treatment under team physio at the aerials pre-Games training camp in Airolo Switzerland.

Being in Livigno with the Australian Olympic team medical staff maximises options to treat Peel and assess her ability to compete.

Peel will be working with Australian Olympic team medical staff on a staged progression of criteria based strength, stability and functional testing to pass medical clearance for jumping.

At this time the Australian Olympic team is supporting Laura and allowing the medical staff space to work through options with her.

Training begins on February 14. Competition starts February 17.

The second run of the men’ singles luge is underway.

Australia’s Alex Ferlazzo is 22nd in the order of 25 athletes.

We’ll keep you across of how he fares.

The women’s ski jumping is underway in Predazzo, with some seriously impressive jumps lighting up the trial round.

Slovenia’s Nika Prevc, just 20 years old and competing in her first Olympics, leads the field, having just completed a 103m jump.

Norway’s Anna Odine Stroem and Japan’s Nozomi Maruyama finished the practice in second and third respectively.

The field of 50 athletes will be cut down to 30 in the first round, which starts in about half an hour.

After that, the medals will be decided in the final, taking place at 6am AEDT.

Alex Ferlazzo sits in 20th place following the completion of the first run of the men’s singles luge.

Ferlazzo (54.013) needs to hold a top-20 spot across the next two runs to make it through to Monday’s fourth and final round.

No-one was able to topple German Max Langenhan, who set the track record of 52.924.

Austrian Jonas Müller (52.959) and Italy’s Dominik Fischnaller (53.085) hold down second and third place respectively.

The second run kicks off at 4:32am AEDT.

Sweden continued its positive start in the women’s ice hockey, downing Italy 6-1 in Milan.

The Swedes lead Group B with two wins from two matches, with the top three teams of the five-team group to progress to the knockout stages.

In the higher-ranked Group A, in which all five sides are guaranteed to advance, the US leads Finland 1-0 after the first period.

Australia’s Alex Ferlazzo has completed his first run of the men’s singles luge.

Ferlazzo stopped the clock in 54.013 to be 14th on the standings after the first 15 athletes hit the track.

Germany’s Max Langenhan set the pace with a track record of 52.924.

There is a field of 25 competing in the event, with the second run scheduled for 4:32am AEDT.

Unbelievable scenes here as Francesca Lollobrigida wins the gold medal in the women’s 3000m final.

It’s incredibly Lollobrigida’s 35th birthday today as well. I don’t think she’ll ever have a better present than this.

Lollobrigida couldn’t bear to watch as the final pair went through their race, but then burst into a huge celebration with her team.

That is Italy’s first ever women’s speed skating gold.

Here is how the podium finished up:

1. Francesca Lollobrigida (ITA) – 3:54.28 (OR)
2. Ragne Wiklund (NOR) – 3:56.54 (+2.26)
3. Valerie Maltais (CAN) – 3:56.93 (+2.65)

ABSOLUTE SCENES at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium!

Italian 35-year-old Francesca Lollobrigida has set a new Olympic record time of 3:54.28 to take the top spot in the women’s 3000m final.

Lollobrigida, silver medallist in this event four years ago, was paired up with Canada’s Valerie Maltais, who is now in second place with 3:56.93.

Nadezhda Morozova currently in the bronze medal spot.

Competing at his fourth Olympics, Townsville’s Alex Ferlazzo is only minutes away from his opening run in the men’s singles luge.

There are 25 competitors at the Cortina Sliding Centre, with Ferlazzo 15th in the order.

After four runs across two days, we’ll find out who reaches the podium.

Ferlazzo first competed at the 2014 Games in Sochi, so he knows what to the expect in Olympic competition.

Good luck Alex!

Incredible scenes in the women’s 3000m final as Kazakhstan’s Nadezhda Morozova pips Belgium’s Sandrine Tas to put herself into gold medal position.

Morozova records a time of 4:01.20, just 0.06 seconds ahead of Tas’s 4:01.26.

Merel Conijn of the Netherlands is currently in third spot.

Just three more pairs to go in this final.

Great Britain has continued its red-hot form in the mixed doubles curling, seeing off a valiant United States fightback to claim a 6-4 victory.

The triumph makes it seven wins from seven to start the tournament for the Brits, who are now guaranteed a semi-finals berth.

With the top four nations from the ten team round robin phase progressing to the knockouts, the second-placed US is still well placed to advance, as are Canada and Italy, who sit in third and fourth respectively.

Sweden is looking the most likely side to break into the top four, after defeating Italy 9-4.

The results from today’s other games are as follows:

• Estonia 5 – 6 Norway
• South Korea 4 – 9 Czechia

The field is set for the men’s freeslope final after two qualifying runs.

Here’s how the top 12 looks, with Sweden’s Jesper Tjader the big riser in the second run:

1. Birk Ruud (NOR) – 81.75
2. Tormod Frostad (NOR) – 79.96
3. Jesper Tjader (SWE) – 79.83
4. Matej Svancer (AUT) – 79.63
5. Andri Ragettli (SUI) – 75.00
6. Mac Forehand (USA) – 74.46
7. Ben Barclay (NZL ) – 73.36
8. Alex Hall (USA) – 71.63
9. Luca Harrington (NZL) – 69.70
10. Konnor Ralph (USA) – 68.91
11. Sebastian Schjerve (NOR) – 67.63
12. Kim Gubser (SUI) – 64.10

Impressive stuff from Sweden, who are overrunning Italy in the second period of their women’s ice hockey matchup in Milan.

The Swedes currently lead 4-1 with five minutes of the second period to play.

It’s quite a unique pool phase for the women in this Winter Olympics.

There are two groups of five teams, with all five nations in the higher ranked Group A guaranteed to progress and the top three of Group B making it through to the knockouts.

A victory for Sweden here will make them hot favourites to top Group B.

If you want to watch Jakara Anthony in action, she’ll be up in the moguls qualifying at 9:15pm (AEDT) on February 11 and the dual moguls from 8:30pm (AEDT) on February 14.

Anthony won’t be competing against Lindsey Vonn, who is in the downhill and super g events.

Here’s a look at when all the Aussies will be in action at these Winter Olympics.

The second run will get underway shortly, but here’s how things currently look in the men’s slopestyle.

The gold medallist in this event four years ago was USA’s Alex Hall.

1. Birk Ruud (NOR) – 81.75
2. Tormod Frostad (NOR) – 79.96
3. Andri Ragettli (SUI) – 75.00
4. Ben Barclay (NZL) – 73.36
5. Alex Hall (USA) – 71.63
6. Luca Harrington (NZL) – 69.70
7. Konnor Ralph (USA) – 68.91
8. Matei Svancer (AUT) – 64.13
9. Kim Gubser (SUI) – 64.10
10. Elias Syrja (FIN) – 64.03
11. Evan McEachran (CAN) – 57.85
12. Matias Roche (FRA) – 54.50

Great Britain is looking dominant against the US in the curling.

That tie is one of four matches currently going on, all in the mixed doubles, a competition comprising eight teams that play a round robin phase before finals begin.

Of course, there is no Australian representation in the sport at these Games.

These are how the scores sit at the end of second end:

• Great Britain 3 – 0 United States
• Estonia 2 – 0 Norway
• Czechia 2 -1 South Korea
• Sweden 2 -1 Italy

We’ll keep you updated.

Here’s the answer to your question from our man on the ground in Milan, Simon Smale:

In short, yes.

Initially, some sun can help to reduce friction on the skis.

However, too much sun can turn the snow too soft which slows it down.

“Corn” snow is when snow refreezes after being melted a bit which can make the conditions quite grippy and fast.

But, when there’s no sun or a bit of mist it’s termed “flat light” which makes it hard to see bumps and elevation changes which can affect a run.

Also, as the competition goes on, snow can get carved up in corners which makes it hard to find your own line – although that’s more of an issue in the skill events (slalom and giant slalom).

Norway currently holding the top two spots in the first run of the men’s slopestyle qualifier.

Birk Ruud is the leader with a score of 81.75, while Tormod Frostad is second with 79.96. Switzerland’s Andri Ragettli third with a score of 75.00

Sweden’s Frida Karlsson is absolutely over the moon as she claims the gold medal in the 10km + 10km skiathlon final with a time of 53:45.2.

Karlsson finishes ahead of fellow Swede Ebba Andersson (54:36.2) and the pair share a massive hug while draped with Swedish flags at the finish line.

Norway’s Heidi Weng finishes third to win bronze with a time of 55:11.9.

Rosie Fordham finishes fastest of the four Australians in this final with a time of 1:02:17.8, good for 49th.