Gold, silver, or bronze? As the 2018 Winter Olympics approach, that must be the real question on every athlete’s mind. Beginning Feb. 9, internationally renowned athletes will compete for the highest athletic honor. Here’s the rundown on this history in the making, collegiettes:
What?
The winter games consist of 15 disciplines of seven sports including alpine skiing, biathlon, bobsleigh, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, freestyle skiing, ice hockey, luge, Nordic combined, short track speed skating, skeleton, ski jumping, snowboard and speed skating.
Four events are new to the 2018 Olympic games: big air snowboarding, freestyle skiing, mass start speed skating and mixed doubles curling.
When?
The games will take place from Feb. 8 through Feb. 25. The competition begins on Thursday, Feb. 8, opening ceremonies begin Friday, Feb. 9, and closing ceremonies begin Sunday, Feb 25.
Courtesy: Forbes
Where?
Pyeongchang, South Korea is hosting the Winter Olympics for the first time this year. The country won the bid for the Olympics by offering high-speed trains from Seoul to Pyeongchang, making the commute slightly over an hour from the capital to the Olympic site. The winter mascot is Soohorang, a white tiger, which is common throughout Korean folklore. The games will air on NBC. This is the first time that viewers in the United States will have access to live coverage no matter where they live. For reference, South Korea is 14 hours ahead of Tallahassee.
Who?
93 teams have been formed with 6 of them competing in the Winter Olympics for the first time. Ecuador, Malaysia, Singapore, Nigeria, Kosovo and Eritrea will be making their first Winter Olympics entrance. Following a lengthy doping scandal, clean Russian athletes will be allowed to compete under the generic Olympic flag rather than representing their own country’s flag. This is Russia’s second Olympic scandal in the past five years. In 2014, several Russian athletes were banned from the Olympics for cheating. North Korea and South Korea have announced they will be walking in the opening ceremonies under one joint flag. Both countries have also proposed a joint women’s ice hockey team, however, this has not been formally approved by the International Olympics Committee. Additionally, North and South Korea have announced that both teams’ skiers will train together at Mount Kumgang in North Korea and that the athletes will host a joint event at the ski resort.
Courtesy: USA Today
For Team USA, there are several athletes you should keep your eye on. Gus Kenworthy, the first openly gay male athlete to participate in the Winter Olympics, will make his return to freestyle skiing this year. He previously won a silver medal at the 2014 Sochi winter games. 17-year-old Maame Biney will compete in short track speed skating. Biney made history after being the first black woman to qualify for the short track speed skating team. Another teen to watch, Chloe Kim, is the pick for gold in snowboarding. Making headlines, Chloe was the first woman who performed multiple, consecutive 1080s.
With extraordinary athletes, the drama surrounding the North Korea and South Korea discussions, another Russian scandal, collegiettes, you know this year’s Olympics are one to set your DVR for.