Olympics 2026: Cross-Country Ski Race Is Crashed By a Dog in Paws-itively Adorable Moment
The Team USA athletes didn’t just excel at their sports at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic games—it turns out they’re also professional packers.
In order to bring their essentials with them to the Closing Ceremony on Feb. 22, the winter athletes had to get crafty due to San Siro Olympic Stadium’s bag policy, which prohibits bags that are larger than 40 × 30 × 20 cm.
With backpacks clearly on the restricted list and a long day ahead, snowboarder Hahna Norman gave fans a glimpse at how the athletes were getting around the rule—and it involved plenty of pocket-stuffing.
“We’ve all just had to put the items we’re gonna use over the next 14 hours in our pockets,” she explained in her Feb. 22 TikTok, which was recorded on the bus ride to the ceremony. “So we’re gonna do a Team USA pocket haul.”
Stacy Gaskill, a snowboard cross athlete, started the video off strong as she displayed everything she was able to fit into her Team USA jacket pockets. The 25-year-old clearly wanted to be prepared for just about anything, so she opted to bring a snack bag, towels, a Kindle, her passport and wallet, a charging cord, gloves, playing cards, a disposable camera and extra socks.
Lily Dhawornvej went next, pulling out a large bag of Olympic pins, a gold bottle and two hats. As the 16-year-old snowboarder put it, “Because why only have one?”
Hahna Norman/TikTok
Freestyle mogul skier Olivia Giaccio followed, displaying the various makeup tubes that she stuffed into her pocket.
“A bunch of makeup,” she said. “Long day, you never know!”
The 25-year-old also brought a pack of antibacterial wipes, gum, tea, her passport, an extra pair of underwear and a bunch of snacks.
Snowboard cross athlete Brianna “Bri” Schnorrbusch was last to go, unveiling a snowglobe, a disposable camera, a travel-sized perfume, makeup, a hair brush and socks from her pockets.
Poking fun at the items her teammates packed inside their jackets, Hahna, 21, captioned the video, “If you were wondering why our pockets looked so full that’s why.”
And backpacks aren’t the only items that didn’t make the cut for the closing ceremony.
Aside from large bags, the stadium also prohibited various other items, including power banks, alcohol, flammable substances, sprays and aerosol cans, firearms, illegal drugs, objects that produce excessive noise, sports equipment, laser pointers, and personal mobility devices like bicycles, scooters, roller skates and rollerblades, according to the official Olympics site.
Now that the 2026 Olympics have officially concluded, take a look back at all the athletes who made history in Italy.
Sarah Stier/Getty Images
Johannes Høsflot Klæbo
The Norwegian cross-country skier earned six gold medals at the 2026 Olympics, bringing his career total to 11 and making him the most-awarded gold medalist in Winter Games history.
Jiang Qiming/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images
Jordan Stolz
The American speed skater didn’t just earn gold in the men’s 1000m, he also set a new Olympic record with a time of 1:06.28.
(Days later, he set yet another Olympic speed skating record.)
Hu Huhu/Xinhua via Getty Images
Pinheiro Braathen
The ski racer danced his way into the history books when he won Olympic gold. Not only did the medal mark Brazil’s first Winter Games medal in history, but it was also the first for all of South America.
Ian MacNicol/Getty Images
Chloe Kim
With her silver medal win in the women’s snowboarding halfpipe, the Team USA athelete became the first woman to win three consecutive medals in the event.
She also became the first female snowboarder to land a cab double 1080 in an Olympic halfpipe final.
Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
Laila Edwards
The 22-year-old is the first Black woman to play for Team USA women’s hockey at the Olympics.
Alex Slitz/Getty Images
Regina Martínez Lorenzo
The cross-country skier is the first woman to represent Mexico in the sport at the Olympics.
François-Xavier MARIT / AFP via Getty Images
Cory Thiesse & Korey Dropkin
The Americans earned the Unites States’ first medal in mixed doubles curling with their silver medal finish.
Al Bello/Getty Images
Nicole Burger
The skeleton athlete is the first South African woman to represent her country in the event at the Olympics.
Federica Vanzetta/Nordic Focus/Getty Images
Ben Ogden
The Team USA cross-country skier ended a 50-year medal drought for the United States in the men’s sprint classical race when he picked up a silver medal.
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