The 21-year-old has gone from family ski trips to becoming a city flag bearer and competing in the women's slalom at the highest level Hong Kong alpine skier Eloise King Yung-shih has settled into Cortina d'Ampezzo,

The 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics have brought together thousands of elite athletes, all chasing a place on the podium. While medals are the most visible reward, financial incentives also play a significant role for competitors from certain countries, where governments and sporting bodies offer substantial payouts for podium finishes.

Team USA's Olympic gold payout may surprise you - especially compared to the nearly $800K offered elsewhere.

The 2026 Winter Olympics have multiple free viewing options around the world, but here are four key ones to note in the UK, Canada, Australia and Ireland. Limited Milano Cortina coverage is available free on the BBC as alluded to previously, but Discovery+ is where you will want to go for every minute of every sport live.

According to the report, the United States is paying athletes $37,500 for a gold medal, $22,500 for silver and $15,000 for bronze. That is the same amount athletes received for winning medals at the 2022 Winter Games and 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, according to the report.