In a showdown with world record holder Femke Kok in the women's 500 meters, 2022 gold medalist Erin Jackson finishes in fifth place.

MILAN (AP) — An unprecedented four-site, dual-cauldron Winter Olympics opening ceremony replete with references to Italian icons and culture has officially kicked off the Milan Cortina Games, as the sports spectacle returns to a nation that last hosted the event 20 years ago.

The bid to win a medal is more elusive for some than others.

While athletes from the U.S. were cheered when they appeared, Vice President JD Vance was jeered when he was shown briefly on the arena's video boards.