The 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy marked a disappointing chapter for Ukraine, as the national team returned without any medals. This outcome represents the third instance in Olympic history where Ukraine has failed to secure a podium finish at the Winter Games.
Previously, similar results were recorded in 2002 and 2010; however, in those years, Ukrainian athletes managed to achieve at least fifth-place finishes. In contrast, the highest placements at this year’s Olympics were sixth in both team freestyle skiing and the luge relay.
Ukraine’s Winter Olympic Medal History
Throughout its participation in the Winter Olympics, Ukraine has earned a total of nine medals, including three golds. The gold medals were awarded to:
- Oksana Baiul (figure skating, 1994)
- Vita Semerenko, Yulia Jim, Valya Semerenko, Olena Pidhrushna (biathlon relay, 2014)
- Oleksandr Abramenko (freestyle skiing, 2018)
In addition, silver medals were secured by Olena Petrova (biathlon, 1998) and Oleksandr Abramenko (freestyle skiing, 2022). Bronze medals were awarded to:
- Valentina Tserbe-Nesin (biathlon, 1994)
- Liliya Yefremova (biathlon, 2006)
- Olena Hryshyna and Ruslan Goncharov (figure skating, 2006)
- Vita Semerenko (biathlon, 2014)
Overview of the 2026 Winter Olympics
The 2026 Winter Olympics took place from February 6 to 22 in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, featuring over 3,500 athletes competing in 16 sports for a total of 116 medal events. Ukraine secured 20 licenses across five sports for this edition, including:
- Biathlon – 10
- Cross-country skiing – 5
- Alpine skiing – 2
- Short track – 2
- Figure skating – 1
On January 31, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the inclusion of 20 neutral athletes from Russia and Belarus, which has sparked significant discussions regarding their participation.
As the Ukrainian team reflects on this Olympic experience, the absence of medals will likely prompt discussions about future strategies and preparations for upcoming international competitions.
Ukraine's performance at the 2026 Winter Olympics resulted in a historic absence of medals, marking the third time in Olympic history that the nation has failed to secure podium finishes. This outcome raises questions about the future of Ukrainian winter sports as the team prepares for subsequent competitions.