The Milan Cortina Olympics are now fully underway, having officially opened with a ceremony on Friday. In the competitive events' initial day, Canadian athletes are making headlines, demonstrating both the excitement and challenges that accompany high-stakes international sports events. As fans and nations rally behind their teams, the narratives unfold in real time from the Italian winter sports venues.

A notable incident occurred when Meryeta O’Dine, a two-time Olympic medalist in snowboarding, had to withdraw from the snowboard cross competition due to an unfortunate injury. Reports indicate that during a training session, O’Dine suffered a fall that resulted in a fractured ankle, as confirmed by an X-ray. Her absence is a significant blow not only to the Canadian team but also to the anticipation of her participation following her successful performance at the Beijing 2022 Olympics.

In curling, Team Canada faced off against Great Britain but ended up losing with a final score of 7-5. The Canadian mixed doubles team, featuring Brett Gallant and Jocelyn Peterman, couldn't overcome the early 3-0 lead established by their opponents, Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat. This match marks a challenging start for Canada in this winter festival of sports, but the team is set to regroup as they approach their next match against Estonia.