18 Hours With Rylee Arnold At The 2026 Winter Olympics
The pro dancer’s photo diary is pure gold.
Not many people have the chance to wander around the Olympic Village, so when Rylee Arnold got the opportunity to fly to Milan for the 2026 Winter Olympics, she made sure to really soak it all in. “This has truly been one of the most special experiences, and I’m so grateful to be here,” the Dancing With the Stars pro says. “I love cheering on Team USA and watching these incredible athletes compete at the highest level. I brought my mom with me, and we’ve made the best memories together!”
On Feb. 19, Arnold was lucky enough to witness the Women’s Figure Skating Final, where Team USA’s Alysa Liu took home the gold medal. The dancer was shocked by how different it felt to watch the event in person versus on TV. “What surprised me most is just how intense and emotional it feels live,” Arnold says. “It’s so powerful being in the arena when dreams are happening in real time. It makes you appreciate the dedication behind every performance even more!”
Along with cheering on Liu, Arnold also got to meet one of this year’s biggest stars: Ilia Malinin. “I got to meet the Quad God,” Arnold says of the figure skater. “I even taught him a few dance moves! He was so sweet. Definitely a fun full-circle moment.”
Below, the 20-year-old shares her photo diary of a day at the world’s biggest athletic event, including run-ins with superstar Olympians, some fun on the ice, and an iconic gold medal-winning moment.
Morning! I got to tour the NBC studio at the International Broadcast Center! So cool seeing all the BTS!
I wore a red turtleneck to represent Team USA, kept my glam soft with my hair down in loose waves, and high-waisted dark denim. I worked with Norberg Styling for all my Olympic looks.
Tina & Milo!
I got to meet the iconic MiCo 2026 Winter Olympic mascots.
Pasta break, obviously!
Eating my weight in pasta this week!
Figure skating lessons!
I’ll stick to pirouettes that don’t involve ice, haha!
Golden Girl! I went to the Women’s Figure Skating Final and got to cheer on Alysa Liu!
The entire arena erupted after Alysa Liu’s performance. When she won gold, I literally had tears for her. All of the figure skaters are beyond talented! It’s the sport I relate to the most, and seeing what they do on ice in person is just unreal.
