Canada’s 58-year gold medal drought at the Winter Olympics came to an end at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Games. It took nine days for Canadian athletes to secure their first gold medal, marking the longest wait in the country’s Olympic history. Freestyle skier Mikaël Kingsbury achieved this historic win, claiming the second Olympic gold medal of his career.
Mikaël Kingsbury: A Historic Achievement
Mikaël Kingsbury, aged 33, is now the only male freestyle skier with five Olympic medals. He previously won a gold medal in moguls at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics, alongside two silver medals from the Sochi 2014 and Beijing 2022 Olympics. Following his recent victory, Kingsbury expressed his emotions, stating, “I gave everything, I left nothing in the tank and finished my career being the first ever men’s duals gold medallist at the Olympics — one of the best days of my life.”
Historical Context of Canada’s Olympic Gold Drought
Before Kingsbury’s victory, the last time Canada experienced such a long wait for a gold medal was during the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France. On February 13, 1968, alpine skier Nancy Greene clinched gold in the giant slalom, marking a significant achievement for Canada despite suffering a prior ankle injury.
- 1968 Grenoble Olympics: Nancy Greene won gold on Day 9.
- 1976 Innsbruck Olympics: Canada’s first gold came on Day 10 from Kathy Kreiner.
- 1932 Lake Placid Olympics: Men’s ice hockey secured gold on Day 10.
- 1964 Innsbruck Olympics: The bobsleigh team, led by Vic Emery, claimed Canada’s only gold medal.
Significant Past Olympic Performances
Canada has faced various gold medal droughts at the Winter Games. Notably, the following Olympics saw Canada go without gold medals:
- 1988 Calgary
- 1980 Lake Placid
- 1972 Sapporo
- 1956 Cortina d’Ampezzo
- 1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen
As the 2026 Winter Olympics progress, Canada’s historic achievements continue to be celebrated. Mikaël Kingsbury’s triumph marks a pivotal moment, establishing a new benchmark for future Olympic performances.
