Athletes from Canada attend the closing ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Verona, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (CTV News)
Canadian pride was on full display as members of Team Canada touched down at Toronto Pearson Airport on Monday, returning from the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics to cheers, flags, and emotional reunions with loved ones.
Warm Homecoming for Returning Athletes
A small but spirited crowd gathered to welcome the Olympians, snapping selfies, collecting autographs, and waving Maple Leaf flags as the athletes walked the red carpet after nearly a month abroad.
Gold-medal curler Brett Gallant, part of Brad Jacobs’ Calgary-based rink, described the return as deeply moving.
“You can feel the Canadian pride now that we’re home,” he said, adding that the late-Games medal push created a wave of excitement among teammates following events from afar.
He also acknowledged the rising global standard in curling, calling Canada’s achievement hard-earned in an increasingly competitive field.
Closing Ceremony Marks the End
The Olympic flame was extinguished Sunday inside Verona Arena, bringing the Games to a close. Roughly 90 of Canada’s 207 athletes marched in the ceremony, according to the Canadian Olympic Committee.
Speedskaters Valérie Maltais and Steven Dubois carried the flag, symbolizing a team that had rebounded strongly after a slow start.
From Slow Start to Strong Finish
Canada had just eight medals and no gold at the halfway mark. The momentum shifted when freestyle skier Mikaël Kingsbury captured the dual moguls title, triggering a surge that produced 13 medals in the final stretch.
The country finished with 21 medals — five of them gold — with victories in men’s curling, freeski big air through Megan Oldham, short-track speedskating, and the women’s long-track team pursuit.
Silver Lining in Men’s Hockey
There was late heartbreak when Canada’s men’s hockey team fell 2-1 to the United States in the gold-medal game, settling for silver in one of the tournament’s most anticipated matchups.
Funding Concerns Surface
Despite the celebratory mood, bobsleigh athlete Cynthia Appiah highlighted ongoing challenges behind the scenes.
She pointed to years without significant program funding and outdated sled technology, noting that rival nations regularly upgrade equipment — a gap that makes consistent podium finishes more difficult.
National Leaders Join the Applause
Prime Minister Mark Carney praised the team on social media, saying Canadians would remember not just the medals but the determination and pride with which the athletes represented the country.
Pride Beyond the Podium
For the returning competitors, the welcome home underscored what the Games meant beyond results — a shared national moment defined by resilience, late-tournament momentum, and the enduring bond between athletes and fans.
