The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics has officially come to an end, and Norway reigns supreme over all of the other participating nations. With 18 gold medals and 41 total medals, Norway broke the record for the most gold medals in a Winter Olympics and the most medals overall in a Winter Olympics. However, their dominance as a country is nothing new as they have been the top performing nation at the Winter Olympics for a long time, as they continue to add to their record of most gold medals and overall medals throughout the history of the Winter Olympics.

Similarly, the United States also broke their record for most gold medals won, despite finishing in second place overall, with the country netting 12 gold medals. Along with their personal record of most golds, the country also totaled their highest number of overall medals won in the games. One of the most notable moments of their campaign was the 2-1 victory over Canada to win the gold medal in both men’s and women’s ice hockey. 

Norway’s dominance, as a country, can be broadly attributed to the climate of the nation. While Norway has topped the charts in every Winter Olympics since 2018, the country is growing elsewhere, focusing on producing top athletes in many other sports that are not winter based. In particular, with internationally recognized athletes in golf and soccer. The country’s stature in sports is incredibly impressive, as the nation has less than 6 million people in total.

Overall, it will be interesting to see if any nation is ever able to match Norway’s dominance in the Winter Olympics. The United States is the closest competitor but is still 70+ overall medals off. Thus, it will be a long time before any country has a chance to surpass Norway’s tally, although many nations will be hoping to compete at their level in due time.