TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)— Medals are up for grabs during Monday’s events at the Milan Cortina Olympics. The events to watch today are: women’s speed skating 1,000 meters, women’s snowboarding big air, men’s alpine skiing team,

Skeleton is one of the fastest sports at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics. Here’s how the head-first sliding event works and who is competing for the U.S. (AP photo)

Winter Olympics: What is skeleton and how does it work? - Everything you need to know about Britain’s most successful winter sport

Just days before the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics are set to begin, U.S. skeleton racer Katie Uhlaender is still fighting for a spot. The American is at the center of a controversy after the Canadian skeleton team made a decision at a recent race that ultimately cost her a sixth Olympic appearance.

While at a glance Bobsled, Luge and Skeleton may appear similar, the three sliding events have distinct differences. (AP photo)

This evening are the opening ceremonies for the 2026 Winter Olympics, to be held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. Among those competing this year are several athletes with connections to Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania.

Ski mountaineering will make its Olympic debut this year, the first winter sport to do so since 2002. Skeleton, luge, ski jumping and moguls are also getting new events.