In this section, you’ll find a wealth of original information gleaned throughout the day, live from the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan/Cortina: behind the scenes, little sayings, details that slip under the radar… In short, everything that makes the Olympic event come alive as closely as possible, beyond the results.
🇸🇮 Domen Prevc has a sense of humour: “I held the flag better than my skis” at the opening ceremony
A brother and sister, both flag-bearers: that was the image during Slovenia’s parade at the Opening Ceremony on Friday. Alongside Nika, Domen Prevc waved the Slovenian flag with pride and “without any problems”. The jumper was delighted with how the ceremony went, and allowed himself a bit of humour with RTV Slovenija: “ I’m holding the flag better than my skis; it didn’t slip out of my hand ! Mission accomplished.
This was a direct reference to his ski which went down the Willingen ski jump during the ski flying world team championships. This incident prevented him from jumping, and caused quite a stir in Slovenia. Following his statement, the local media did a little backtracking. “Was the youngest of the Prevc brothers being particularly sarcastic or did he even openly admit his guilt over the lost skis? This dilemma has fuelled discussions among local ski jumping fans, and – interestingly – most believe that Domen simply confirmed the facts”, Ekipa summarised.
🇺🇸 To relax, American cross-country skiers have taken up… knitting
During the 2024 Olympics, diver Tom Daley caused a sensation when he took up his passion for knitting. The Briton was spotted in the stands with needles in hand, working on a jumper. Was it his example that inspired the American cross-country skiing team? Ben Ogden revealed his new passion on Thursday. “I’ve taken up knitting seriously recently. I’ve knitted a hat and a jumper this season. I love knitting! I’ve brought all sorts of wool with me. I even ordered some from Iceland! I hope it arrives,” he shared at a press conference attended by Reuters. The sprinter also apologised for the unanswered emails and messages: his new hobby has absorbed him.
It’s an interest he’s not alone in developing within the US team. Jessie Diggins and Julia Kern usually share the clothes they have designed on their social networks. For the Olympics, Ben Ogden is working on a pair of mittens that are supposed to represent Joan of Arc: ” I really need to be able to create. It’s a great way to relax.
🇩🇪 Jumper Juliane Seyfarth has an alter ego… a nude model
On the flip side, German jumper Juliane Seyfarth begins her third Olympic Games this Saturday. But the double world champion (team and mixed team) also has a second personality: Nayeli Rose. A different name, different social networks and a different career. The 35-year-old is also a model, and doesn’t hesitate to pose nude. She has twice posed for Playboy magazine, and featured on the front cover of its special edition of “The 30 Most Beautiful Olympic Stars”, published at the end of January.
A parallel practice that she described in Bild: “It has absolutely nothing to do with sport, it’s simply my art. I get a lot of positive feedback every day. The comments and messages from men are nice. But women tend to see the artistic dimension, and not just the physical appearance. Receiving compliments from them is much more pleasant.
🇱🇻 A family affair, 32 years on
In 1994, Ieva Cederstrema-Volfa became the first Latvian to represent the Baltic country at the Winter Olympics, three years after its independence. The biathlete finished 28th in the sprint and 30th in the individual event in Lillehammer (Norway). 32 years later, her daughter Estere Volfa will continue the family story in the same discipline, taking part in at least four formats at the 2026 Olympics in Milan/Cortina. Starting with the mixed relay on Sunday, where she will be the fourth relay runner. Unless her nation is knocked out before the start, in which case her debut will be postponed until the individual event on Wednesday 11th.
It’s a natural lineage, given that the mother has never stopped telling her 20-year-old daughter about her Olympic experiences. Since then, Ieva has continued to advise her, and will be in the stands in Antholz (Italy) to support her. ” As an athlete, I’m rarely at home, but we talk a lot on the phone,” she told the IBU.
🇨🇦 Canada finally interested in hosting the 2038 Olympics
Switzerland is in a privileged dialogue with the IOC to host the 2038 Olympic Winter Games. Like the French Alps 2030 and Utah 2034 before it, the Swiss Confederation is the only bid selected. An initial map of the sites and a budget were presented in January, and the trend is for the award to be made official at an IOC Congress in spring 2027. Should the operation fail, however, the IOC would once again be open to any bid from 2028 onwards. This could happen, in particular, if the Lausanne-based body objects to the Swiss government’s desire not to incur a deficit (a structural deficit at the Winter Games).
In this eventuality, Canada has indicated that it is ready to bid. ” We are trusted organisers. If [Switzerland] does not offer these guarantees, the project would be on the table for us
“, announced David Shoemaker, Director of the Canadian Olympic Committee, on Thursday at a press conference attended by Radio Canada.
