Ukraine finishes its participation in Winter Olympics for third time without single medal

Ukrainian athletes have completed their performances at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo (Italy).

Ukraine was represented at the 2026 Olympics by 46 athletes who earned licenses in 11 winter sports: biathlon (10), alpine skiing (2), Nordic combined (2), cross-country skiing (6), luge (10), skeleton (1), snowboarding (1), ski jumping (2), freestyle skiing (9), figure skating (1) and short track speed skating (2).

In its debut year of 1994, Ukraine sent 37 athletes to the Winter Olympics, followed by 56 in 1998, a record 70 in 2002, 53 in 2006, 47 in 2010, 43 in 2014, 33 in 2018 and 45 in 2022.

Over those years, Ukrainian athletes won three gold, two silver and four bronze medals at the Winter Olympics.

Ukraine won one gold and one bronze in 1994, one silver in 1998, two bronze in 2006, one gold and one bronze in 2014, one gold in 2018 and one silver in 2022. The country won no medals in 2002 or 2010.

The 2026 Olympics also ended without a Ukrainian medal.

Before the Games, Ukrainian Olympic Committee President Vadym Gutzeit said that seeing the Ukrainian flag at the Olympics was already a victory.

Ukrainian Minister of Youth and Sports Matviy Bidny noted that Ukrainian athletes faced all the difficulties associated with the war during their preparation for the Winter Games. He also said that in addition to their training, the athletes needed a bit of luck.

The Winter Olympics in Italy was marked by several incidents involving the Ukrainian team. Ukrainian skeleton athlete and national team flag bearer Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified before his first run for intending to compete wearing a "helmet of remembrance" bearing photographs of Ukrainian athletes who died in the war.

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