Greetings from Milan!

I touched down in Italy mid-morning on Tuesday, and the past 36 hours have been a full sprint. The Olympics haven’t even officially started yet, but the energy here is already dialled all the way up.

Day one was all about getting oriented and setting the stage. I checked in at the Main Press Centre (MPC), then headed to the Milano Ice Skating Arena—home to short track speed skating and figure skating once the Games get underway.

Tuesday evening, I was able to fit in a bit of sightseeing. I toured the Cenacolo Vinciano to see Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, then wandered through Piazza del Duomo and the stunning Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II as Milan buzzed around me.

Wednesday marked a big shift: cameras out, finally. After my first visit to the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, I photographed the Canadian women’s hockey team as they practiced at the Milano Rho Arena ahead of their tournament opener. From there, it was across town to the Milano Ice Skating Arena to capture our short track team flying around the ice in their wicked new skinsuits.

This morning started early with another trip to the speed skating oval, where several of our long track skaters were logging laps ahead of competition, which begins Saturday. Watching—and hearing—them blast past at full speed was a vivid reminder of just how elite these athletes are. The session also gave me a chance to test new shooting techniques and lock in vantage points before race day chaos begins.

On Friday, the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games officially kick off with the Opening Ceremony at San Siro Stadium at 8:00 p.m. local time (2:00 p.m. ET). I’m excited to share that I’ve been accredited to photograph the event and can’t wait to bring you images from inside the stadium.

More soon. Thanks, as always, for following along—and for the continued support and encouragement.

— Greg