The United States sent 204 athletes to the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. Chris Witty, a four-time Olympian, who competed in both Summer and Winter games, and won a gold medal in speed skating at the 2002 Games, served as the flag bearer at the opening ceremonies. Speed skater Joey Cheek, who won gold in the 500 m and silver in the 1000 m, was the flag bearer at the closing ceremonies. One athlete, Sarah Konrad, became the first American woman to compete in two different disciplines at the same Winter Olympics – biathlon and cross-country skiing.
While the United States' total medal count was down from the 2002 Winter Olympics, there were many highlights to the Games. Pete Fenson led the U.S. Curling team to a bronze medal, their first curling medal ever won. Speed skater Shani Davis became the first athlete of African descent from any country to win an individual gold medal. He won gold in the 1,000 m and followed that with a silver medal in the 1,500 m. Ice dancers Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto won America's first figure skating ice dancing medal in 30 years.
Medalists
The following U.S. competitors won medals at the games. In the by discipline sections below, medalists' names are bolded.
| width="78%" align="left" valign="top" | MedalNameSportEventDateSpeed skatingMen's 5000 metersSnowboardingMen's halfpipeSnowboardingWomen's halfpipeSpeed skatingMen's 500 metersAlpine skiingMen's combinedSnowboardingMen's snowboard crossSpeed skatingMen's 1000 metersAlpine skiingWomen's giant slalomShort track speed skatingMen's 500 metersSnowboardingMen's halfpipeSnowboardingWomen's halfpipeSnowboardingWomen's snowboard crossSpeed skatingMen's 1000 metersTanith BelbinFigure skatingIce danceShauna RohbockBobsleighTwo-womanSpeed skatingMen's 1500 metersFigure skatingWomen's singlesSpeed skatingMen's 10,000 metersFreestyle skiingMen's mogulsShort track speed skatingMen's 1000 metersIce hockeyWomen's tournamentSpeed skating Men's 1500 metersSnowboardingWomen's parallel giant slalomPete FensonJoseph PoloShawn RojeskiJohn ShusterCurlingMen's tournamentJ. P. KepkaApolo OhnoRusty SmithShort track speed skatingMen's 5000 meter relay | width=22% align=left valign=top |
+Medals by sportSportTotalSnowboarding3317Speed skating3317Alpine skiing2002Short track speed skating1023Figure skating0202Bobsled0101Curling0011Freestyle skiing0011Ice hockey0011Total99725
+Medals by dateDayDateTotal1February 1110012February 1211023February 1321034February 1410015February 1500116February 1610017February 1701018February 18111310February 20011211February 21021313February 23011214February 24111315February 251012Total99725
+Medals by genderGenderTotalPercentageMale7451664%Female242832%Mixed01014%Total 9 9 725100% +Multiple medalistsNameSportTotal Chad HedrickSpeed skating 1 1 13 Apolo OhnoShort track speed skating 1 0 23 Shani DavisSpeed skating 1 1 02 Joey CheekSpeed skating 1 0 12
Alpine skiing
The American alpine ski team fell short of its self-proclaimed goal of eight medals, earning only two in Turin, both gold. Bode Miller, who won two gold medals at the 2005 World Championships, failed to medal in Turin, but the men's team still earned a gold medal, as Ted Ligety took a surprise victory in the combined. The other medal came from Julia Mancuso, who put together two strong runs to win the women's giant slalom.
Men AthleteEventRun 1Run 2Run 3TotalRankScott MacartneyDownhillcolspan=3 rowspan=4 1:50.6815Bode Miller1:49.935Steven Nyman1:50.8819Daron Rahlves1:50.3310Ted LigetyCombined1:41.4244.0943.843:09.35Scott Macartney1:40.0646.8246.173:13.0516Bode Miller1:38.36Steven Nyman1:40.1947.1455.353:22.6829Scott MacartneySuper-Gcolspan=3 rowspan=4 1:31.237Bode MillerSteven Nyman1:36.2243Daron Rahlves1:31.379Ted LigetyGiant slalomrowspan=4 Bode Miller1:17.581:18.482:36.066Daron RahlvesErik Schlopy1:18.341:19.222:37.5613James CochranSlalom54.4951.19rowspan=4 1:45.6812Chip Knight54.7151.551:46.2618Ted LigetyBode Miller
Women AthleteEventRun 1Run 2Run 3TotalRankKirsten ClarkDownhillcolspan=3 rowspan=4 1:59.0721Stacey Cook1:58.7019Lindsey Kildow1:57.788Julia Mancuso1:57.717Lindsey KildowCombined39.86Julia Mancuso39.7944.811:30.842:55.449Kaylin Richardson40.4544.551:31.832:56.8317Resi Stiegler39.0844.361:32.352:55.7911Kirsten ClarkSuper-Gcolspan=3 rowspan=4 1:33.9814Lindsey Kildow1:33.427Libby Ludlow1:35.0128Julia Mancuso1:33.7211Stacey CookGiant slalom1:03.351:11.09rowspan=4 2:14.4423Lindsey KildowJulia Mancuso1:00.891:08.302:09.19Sarah Schleper1:02.01Lindsey KildowSlalom43.9247.66rowspan=4 1:31.5814Kristina Koznick45.72Sarah Schleper43.6147.771:31.3810Resi Stiegler44.1547.331:31.4812
Biathlon
The top finish from the U.S. biathlon team came from Jay Hakkinen, who was 10th in the men's individual event.
Men AthleteEventTimeMissesRankLowell BaileySprint29:02.0347Tim Burke28:27.8336Jay Hakkinen31:22.2679Jeremy Teela29:32.7461Lowell BaileyPursuit41:31.30948Tim Burke39:17.66736Lowell BaileyIndividual58:45.1327Tim Burke1:01:55.0758Jay Hakkinen56:10.9310Jeremy Teela1:01:03.3551Jay HakkinenMass start48:29.66113Lowell BaileyTim BurkeJay HakkinenJeremy TeelaRelay1:24:23.4189
Women AthleteEventTimeMissesRankTracy BarnesSprint26:47.9271Sarah Konrad27:30.6875Rachel Steer24:29.6135Carolyn Treacy28:18.7480Rachel SteerPursuit43:32.83339Lanny BarnesIndividual59:46.2464Tracy Barnes57:58.0157Sarah Konrad59:33.11062Rachel Steer55:48.3341Lanny BarnesTracy BarnesRachel SteerCarolyn TreacyRelay1:25:20.31115
Bobsleigh
Shauna Rohbock and Valerie Fleming, bronze medalists at the 2005 World Championships, had four strong runs to earn the United States' only bobsleigh medal in Turin.
Men AthleteEventRun 1Run 2Run 3Run 4TotalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankTodd HaysPavle JovanovicTwo-man55.81755.72356.31756.8873:44.727Steve HolcombBill Schuffenhauer56.161355.961257.051757.04123:46.2114Todd HaysPavle JovanovicBrock KreitzburgSteve MeslerFour-man55.43555.56755.04655.41103:41.447Steve HolcombBill SchuffenhauerLorenzo Smith IIICurtis Tomasevicz55.46655.50655.14755.2663:41.366
Women AthleteEventRun 1Run 2Run 3Run 4TotalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankVonetta FlowersJean PrahmTwo-woman57.971057.67457.81458.3373:51.786Valerie FlemingShauna Rohbock57.37357.65257.78357.8933:50.69
Cross-country skiing
Two skiers, Kikkan Randall and Leif-Orin Zimmermann, were suspended for health reasons for the first five days of competition after showing abnormally high values of hemoglobin in their blood. Randall eventually was cleared to compete, participating in the women's relay and finishing 53rd in the 10 kilometre classical race.
Distance Men AthleteEventTimeRankLars Flora15 km classical 41:53.1 50Justin Freeman42:00.952Kris Freeman 39:57.4 21Andrew Johnson 41:53.9 51Lars Flora30 km pursuit 1:22:31.2 49Andrew Johnson 1:21:16.8 43James Southam 1:22:05.8 44Carl Swenson 1:21.08.0 40Kris Freeman50 km freestyle 2:15:32.6 61Andrew Johnson 2:07:56.3 34James SouthamCarl SwensonLars FloraKris FreemanAndrew JohnsonCarl Swenson4 x 10 km relay 1:48:44.2 12
Women AthleteEventTimeRankAbby Larson10 km classical 32:09.0 57Kikkan Randall 31:49.7 53Wendy Kay Wagner 31:41.0 50Lindsey Weier 32:43.3 59Rebecca Dussault15 km pursuit 47:53.7 48Abby Larson 48:47.5 56Lindsey Weier 48:45.0 55Lindsay Williams 50:49.7 62Rebecca Dussault30 km freestyle 1:31:43.3 43Sarah Konrad 1:28:39.2 32Abby Larson 1:32:51.9 47Lindsey WeierWendy Kay WagnerKikkan RandallSarah KonradRebecca Dussault4 x 5 km relay 57:58.4 14
Sprint Men AthleteEventQualifyingQuarterfinalSemifinalFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankChris CookSprint 2:18.46 16 Q 2:27.9 5Did not advanceLars Flora 2:23.02 46Did not advanceTorin Koos2:21.4736Did not advanceAndrew Newell 2:14.79 2 Q 2:24.3 4Did not advanceChris CookAndrew NewellTeam sprintcolspan=4 17:54.9 7 Did not advance 13
Women AthleteEventQualifyingQuarterfinalSemifinalFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankKikkan RandallSprint 2:15.63 10 Q 2:17.8 2 Q 2:19.1 5Did not advanceWendy Kay Wagner 2:19.71 35Did not advanceLindsay Williams 2:20.28 38Did not advanceKikkan RandallWendy Kay WagnerTeam sprintcolspan=4 17:51.4 5 Q 18:04.9 10
Curling
In the men's event, Pete Fenson, who led his team to 4th place at the a 2006 World Championships, started inconsistently, with a 2–2 record that included a win over the defending gold medalists from Norway. A stretch of four straight wins, however, guaranteed them a spot in the medal round going into a final round-robin game with Canada. The Americans lost that game, meaning they would face Canada again in the semifinals. They also lost this second meeting, but recovered to win the United States' first ever curling medal by beating Great Britain 8–6 in the bronze medal game.
On the women's side, Cassandra Johnson, the 2005 World Championship silver medalist, struggled winning only two games and finishing well short of the mark needed to make the medal round.
Summary TeamEventGroup stageSemifinalFinal / OppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankScott BairdPete Fenson (S)Joseph PoloShawn RojeskiJohn ShusterMen's tournamentW 11–5L 3–4W 10–4L 5–6W 10–6W 7–3W 8–5W 9–8L 3–63 QL 5–11W 8–6Maureen BruntCourtney GeorgeCassandra Johnson (S)Jamie JohnsonJessica SchultzWomen's tournamentL 6–11L 5–11L 5–6W 8–3L 4–5L 7–8W 11–3L 8–9L 4–108Did not advance
Men's tournament
Team Position Curler Skip Pete Fenson Third Shawn Rojeski Second Joe Polo Lead John Schuster Alternate Scott Baird
Round-robin
RankTeamSkipWonLost1Markku Uusipaavalniemi722Brad Gushue633Pete Fenson634David Murdoch635Pål Trulsen546Ralph Stöckli547Joel Retornaz458Peter Lindholm369Andy Kapp3610Sean Becker09
Draw 1 Monday, February 13, 9:00
Draw 3 Tuesday, February 14, 14:00
Draw 6 Thursday, February 16, 14:00
Draw 9 Saturday, February 18, 14:00
Draw 12 Monday, February 20, 14:00
Draw 2 Monday, February 13, 19:00
Draw 5 Wednesday, February 15, 19:00
Draw 8 Friday, February 17, 19:00
Draw 10 Sunday, February 19, 9:00
Semifinal Wednesday, February 22, 19:00
Bronze medal game Friday, February 24, 13:00
Women's tournament
Team Position Curler Skip Cassandra Johnson Third Jamie Johnson Second Jessica Schultz Lead Maureen Brunt Alternate Courtney George
Round-robin RankTeamSkipWonLost1Anette Norberg722Mirjam Ott723Shannon Kleibrink634Dordi Nordby635Rhona Martin546Ludmila Privivkova547Ayumi Onodera458Dorthe Holm279Cassandra Johnson2710Diana Gaspari18
Draw 1 Monday, February 13, 14:00
Draw 3 Tuesday, February 14, 19:00
Draw 6 Thursday, February 16, 19:00
Draw 9 Saturday, February 18, 19:00
Draw 12 Monday, February 20, 19:00
Draw 2 Tuesday, February 14, 9:00
Draw 4 Wednesday, February 15, 14:00
Draw 7 Friday, February 17, 14:00
Draw 10 Sunday, February 19, 14:00
Key: The hammer indicates which team had the last stone in the first end.
Figure skating
The American figure skating team won two medals in Turin, both silver. Sasha Cohen led the ladies' singles event after the short program, but an early fall in the free skate left her in second place. In the ice dance, the team of Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto sat just sixth after the compulsory dance, but moved up the standings in the original dance, claiming the second silver medal. Michelle Kwan, an Olympic medalist in Nagano and Salt Lake, planned to compete in Turin, but pulled out due to a severe groin strain. Emily Hughes competed in place of Kwan.
Individual AthleteEventTotalPointsRankPointsRankPointsRankEvan LysacekMen's67.5510 Q152.583220.134Matthew Savoie69.158 Q137.525206.677Johnny Weir80.002 Q136.636216.635Sasha CohenLadies'66.731 Q116.632183.36Emily Hughes57.087 Q103.797160.877Kimmie Meissner59.405 Q106.316165.716
Mixed