Local Athletes Compete in Milano-Cortina Olympics

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This week marks the start of the Milano-Cortina Olympics, and residents of Hamilton, Burlington, Ont., and St. Catharines, Ont., have local athletes to root for.

Here are the Olympians from our area who will be donning helmets and lacing up skates to represent Canada in Italy.

CBC is broadcasting the Olympics live and on-demand.

Toronto Sceptres forward Emma Maltais, right, chips the puck past Seattle Torrent defender Emily Brown, left, during the third period of a PWHL hockey game on Jan. 20 in Seattle. (Lindsey Wasson/The Associated Press)

Emma Maltais returns for her second Olympics with the women’s hockey team after winning gold in 2022.

The 26-year-old Burlington native plays as a forward for the PWHL’s Toronto Sceptres. She’s known in the league for her skills in trash talking.

The Canadian women’s team was set to play their first match Thursday but it got postponed because Finland’s team had a norovirus outbreak.

Now, their first game will be against Switzerland at 3 p. m. on Saturday.

Canada’s Taylor Austin, Mike Evelyn, Keaton Bruggeling and Shaq Murray-Lawrence load the sled in the second heat of the four-man bobsled race during the March 2025 bobsled world championships in Lake Placid, N. Y. (Seth Wenig/The Associated Press)

Bobsleigh athlete Keaton Bruggeling is making his Olympic debut this year.

The 27-year-old from St. Catharines might be recognized by some as a CFL receiver; he played three seasons with the Ottawa Redblacks before joining the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The Ti Cats announced they re-signed him on Feb. 2.

The men’s bobsleigh events begin on Feb. 16.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats wide receiver Keaton Bruggeling celebrates a touchdown during first half pre-season CFL football action against the Toronto Argonauts in Guelph, Ont., on May 30. (Nick Iwanyshyn/The Canadian Press)Madeline Schizas performs her free program in women’s figure skating competition at the 2026 Canadian National Skating Championships in Gatineau, Que., on Jan. 11. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)

Figure skater Madeline Schizas hails from Oakville but studies at Mc Master University in Hamilton where she’s enrolled in Environment and Society.

This will be her second time at the Olympics; she helped Canada secure fourth place in Beijing during team events back in 2022.

Schizas performed her short program on Feb. 6.

WATCH | Madeline Schizas performs her short program:

Canada sits 5th in Olympic figure skating team event after Madeline Schizas’ short programMadeline Schizas of Oakville, Ont., scores 64.97 points during women’s short program at figure skating team event at Milano-Cortina Winter Games while Canada finishes fifth.Toronto Sceptres’ Renata Fast (14) keeps puck away from Ottawa Charge’s Sarah Wozniewicz (23) during third period PWHL hockey action in Toronto on Dec. 4. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press)

Maltais’ teammate Renata Fast will also join her as part of Team Canada.

The experienced player was a finalist for both top defender and MVP awards in PWHL back in 2025.

She won gold with women’s hockey team at Beijing Olympics held last year and took home silver medal from Pyeong Chang Games back in 2018.

Fast conducts an annual youth hockey camp alongside Maltais every year right there Burlington.

Vancouver Goldeneyes’ Sarah Nurse (20) celebrates scoring against Toronto Sceptres during third period of PWHL matchup held recently Vancouver Jan.22.(Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press)

Nurse also has gold medal from Beijing along with silver medal earned previously at Pyeong Chang , South Korea.

At age thirty-one , she stands out as one prominent face representing women ’ s game today , boasting Barbie dolls made after herself along featuring prominently EA ’ s NHL twenty-three video game cover art.

She plays forward position currently for Vancouver Goldeneyes squad yet missed much season thus far due arm injury issues faced lately ;

Additionally , Nurse comes from notable sporting family too featuring cousins like Kia Nurse who excelled playing basketball internationally plus Darnell Nurse who competes professionally Edmonton Oilers roster!

WATCH | Sarah Nurse looks toward her third Olympics:

Sarah Nurse discusses achieving excellence while reflecting upon experiences gained through competing internationally within sport throughout career journey thus far.

Lia Pereira joins Trennt Michaud representing Canada competing together during pairs figure skating event taking place around February sixth within Milan Italy !

Michaud aged twenty-nine happens also study social sciences part-time degree student attending Mc Master university located nearby Trenton Ontario area!

This duo competed Friday performing their short program together February six !

WATCH | Trennt Michaud and Lia Pereira perform their short program:< *Canadian Olympic figure skating pair currently sits fourth overall following Pereira Michaud ‘s recent showing noted above!*< /*Pereira Michaud score total sixty-eight point twenty-four showcasing skill level needed complete performance executed flawlessly despite unexpected changes occurred prior competition itself once Stellato-Dudek faced unfortunate accident training leading replacement instead.*

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