PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — The United States sent its largest contingent ever, 243 athletes, to compete in the 2018 Winter Olympics. Veteran alpine skiers Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffren created the most attention because of their stunning good looks and million dollar smiles. They were both quoted as having, “Need for speed,” when they race.
Ceremony
The opening ceremony had a message centered on peace, passion, harmony, and convergence.
Five children from rural Gangwon province led the event, and included animals, nature and a cast of 2,000. Five children were used to symbolize the five Olympic rings and the five names were chosen to represent fire, water, wood, metal, and earth, the five elements that are believed to make up the Earth.
Augmented reality and 5G technology were also incorporated in the event. The largest drone show in history occurred at the ceremony, featuring 1,218 Shooting Star drones.
There are a variety of ways to live-stream the Olympics this year, including www.NBCOlympics.com , NBC Sports App, BBC Sport and Eurosport Player. NBCOlympics.com is the main hub for schedules, event info, results and more.
TEAM USA
J.R. Celski has a long list of career accomplishments. He has three Olympic medals: two from 5,000-meter relays and one from the 1,500 meters in 2010. He finished fourth in the 1,500 at the 2014 Olympics, and he has nine World Championship medals. The 27-year-old Californian has persevered through many injuries and is ready to medal again.
Luger Erin Hamlin carried the American flag for Team USA, who wore battery-powered jackets to combat the frigid elements in Pyeongchang. The Opening Ceremony marks the official start of the Games, but competition began Wednesday with mixed doubles curling and ski jumping.
Veteran defenseman James Wisniewski (Canton, Michigan) and goalie Ryan Zapolski will suit up in ice hockey for Team USA.
It will probably be veteran speed skater Shani Davis last race, the 1,000 m, his best race, next week. It’s likely his Olympic swan song and the former champion is going out with style.
Chloe Kim’s only competition for gold on Monday night was her inner self. With her Korean grandmother watching on, Kim bested her gold-medal winning run on her last trip down. Arielle Gold earned the bronze for Team USA. The American women rule the women’s snowboard halfpipe.
The big win for the American women comes a day after Jamie Anderson won Olympic gold again in slopestyle. She stomped her first run in a shortened women’s final where winds had their way with the women’s field on a bitterly cold day.
The Americans earned a bronze medal in the team figure skating event after a series of strong performances. The top three finishers in the team event — whose scores are determined by the cumulative short and long routines from the ice dancers and single and pair skaters — were determined following the free dance portion. Patrons witnessed the second of two performances from siblings Alex and Maia Shibutani. The “Shib-sibs” (U of M), earned second in their free dance, ensuring Team USA’s third-place finish, behind Canada (gold) and the Olympic athletes from Russia, who got silver. This is the second time the U.S. has earned bronze in the team event, which was introduced in 2014.
As of Monday afternoon, Team USA got medals from snowboarder Red Gerard’s gold in slopestyle, Jamie Anderson’s gold in slopestyle and luger Chris Mazdzer’s silver that same day.
UNIFIED KOREAN Women’s Ice-Hockey Team
Around 3,000 athletes from 92 countries braced the frightful temperatures as they marched into the new PyeongChang Olympic Stadium. North and South Korea made history when they marched together under a single flag, as musicians performed John Lennon’s iconic hit “Imagine.”
The joint North and South Korean women’s ice hockey team created history as they competed on the first day of action at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. The Unified Korean team suffered an 8-0 defeat by 2014 bronze medalists, Switzerland.