Weekly quiz questions: 16 February 2026

Ciao quizmanics! The Winter Olympics have been absolutely delivering this week. Records broken, history made, and plenty of drama on the slopes. We've also got basketball royalty, indie film darlings, and a world-first from Ireland. Let's get into it.

The questions

1Which skier won giant slalom gold at the Winter Olympics, becoming the first South American ever to win a Winter Olympics medal?

Answer:Lucas Pinheiro Braathen(click to reveal)

Born to a Norwegian father and Brazilian mother, he switched from racing for Norway to represent Brazil. He beat favourite Marco Odermatt by 58 hundredths of a second.

2Which Norwegian cross-country skier won his ninth Olympic gold medal this week, becoming the most decorated Winter Olympian of all time?

Answer:Johannes Høsflot Klæbo(click to reveal)

The 29-year-old surpassed three fellow Norwegians who had shared the previous record of eight golds: Bjørn Dæhlie, Marit Bjørgen, and Ole Einar Bjørndalen.

3Which Italian skier won the women's giant slalom despite having suffered a torn ACL and multiple leg fractures less than a year earlier?

Answer:Federica Brignone(click to reveal)

The 35-year-old suffered the injuries at the 2025 Italian Championships in April. This was her second gold of the Games, making her the first female Alpine skier to win two golds at a single Winter Olympics.

4Which Minnesota Timberwolves star won the NBA All-Star Game MVP award after scoring 32 points across the tournament?

Answer:Anthony Edwards(click to reveal)

Team Stars won the championship game 47-21 over Team Stripes. Edwards received 10 of 14 votes for the Kobe Bryant MVP Award.

5Which country announced this week that it would make its Basic Income for the Arts scheme permanent, paying 2,000 artists €325 per week for three years?

Answer:Ireland(click to reveal)

It's the first permanent programme of its kind in the world, following a pilot that launched in 2022. Artists are selected through an anonymous randomised process.

6American skiing star Mikaela Shiffrin competed in the giant slalom hoping to add to her medal collection. Where did she finish?

Answer:11th(click to reveal)

Despite being upbeat about the result, Shiffrin remains without a medal at these Games. She finished just three-tenths off the podium.

7American figure skater Ilia Malinin made history at the Winter Olympics by performing a move that had been banned for nearly 50 years. What was it?

Answer:A backflip(click to reveal)

The move was outlawed in 1976 over safety concerns, shortly after Terry Kubicka landed the first one at that year's Olympics. The ban was lifted in 2024, and Malinin wasted no time bringing it back to the Olympic ice.

8"Train Dreams," a film about an itinerant logger at the turn of the 20th century, won Best Picture at which awards ceremony this week?

Answer:The Film Independent Spirit Awards(click to reveal)

The film also won Best Director and Best Cinematography. This year's ceremony moved from Santa Monica beach to the Hollywood Palladium after 40 years.

9Which country is leading the Winter Olympics medal table with 12 golds and 26 total medals as of 16th of February 2026?

Answer:Norway(click to reveal)

They're well ahead of the pack, with host nation Italy in second place on 8 golds and 22 total, followed by the USA with 5 golds.

10Netflix's dating show "Love Is Blind" returned for its tenth season this week. Which US state are all the contestants from?

Answer:Ohio(click to reveal)

Unlike previous seasons that focused on singles from specific cities, this season cast people from across the entire state. The season premiered on February 11th with Nick and Vanessa Lachey returning as hosts.

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What a week for sport. The Olympics still have plenty more drama to deliver, so we'll be back next week with more questions. Until then!