By VANESSA FRIEDMAN In many ways, the story of Deanna Stellato-Dudek’s quest for a gold medal in Olympic figure skating is just like any other. She started skating at age 5 while growing up in Chicago and dreamed of going to the Olympic Games. She traded a normal adolescence for early mornings at the rink, college preparation for nationals preparation. A hip injury seemed to end her career when she was 17. She fought her way back and will compete this month at the Milan Corti

Gold medalist Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan, center; silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama of Japan, left; and bronze medalist Shun Sato of Japan on the podium after the men’s single skating event during the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. A Brazilian skier secured South America’s maiden medal at a Winter Games the day after a Kazakh figure skater won his nation’s first gold in 32 years. (Doug Mills/The New York Times) By PATRICIA MAZZE

Vladyslav Heraskevych, a Ukrainian skeleton racer, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 14, 2023. Heraskevych was disqualified from the Winter Olympics on Thursday over his plans to wear a helmet honoring countrymen killed in the war with Russia, a decision that drew outrage and touched off the biggest crisis of the Games in Italy. (Katrina Kepule/The New York Times) By HEATHER KNIGHT, TARIQ PANJA and VICTOR MATHER A Ukrainian athlete was disqualified from the Winter Olympics on Thursday o

Osvaldo Torres homered for the Toritos of Cayey, finishing the game with five RBIs and three runs scored. By THE STAR STAFF The Toritos of Cayey and the Maratonistas of Coamo notched victories on Wednesday in the Double-A Superior Baseball League. The Toritos’ win was the franchise’s 999th, just one shy of 1,000, a milestone achieved by only five teams in Double-A history. Visiting Cayey routed the Polluelos of Aibonito 18-9 at Hermanos Marrero Stadium. The Toritos scored 10

Haley Bush scored 25 points in a four-set victory for the Valencianas of Juncos. (Heriberto Rosario / FPV) By THE STAR STAFF While the Valencianas of Juncos dominated the Pinkin of Corozal in four sets, the Cangrejeras of Santurce and the Atenienses of Manatí had to dig deep to emerge victorious in five sets in Women’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSF) matches on Wednesday night. Valencianas defend home court, pick up 3 points At Rafael G. Amalbert Court in Juncos, the Valenc

Swedish athletes Isabella Wranaa and her brother, Rasmus Wranaa, compete against the United States in the curling mixed doubles final event at the 2026 Winter Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. Sweden took the gold, while the U.S. team took the silver. (James Hill/The New York Times) By VICTOR MATHER and JAMES HILL You throw a lot of stones in a curling match. But much of the time it really comes down to one. Sweden trailed by 1 point going into the

Ricardo de la Torre hit three home runs, driving in eight runs and scoring four times overall, for the Bravos of Cidra in their first two games of the Double-A Superior Baseball season. He said he prepared diligently during the offseason. “It’s not luck,” he said. (Eileen Quintero) By THE STAR STAFF Bravos of Cidra infielder Ricardo de la Torre opened the 2026 Double-A Superior Baseball League season with three home runs in his first two games. De la Torre drove in eight runs

Puerto Rico could have its first opportunity for Olympic qualification this summer when it participates in the preliminary round of the Women’s Softball World Cup in Lima, Peru in July. By THE STAR STAFF The Puerto Rican women’s softball team will have several opportunities to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, after the World Baseball Softball Confederation approved the qualification system in conjunction with the International Olympic Committee. The Olympic sof