Every two years, the world puts aside its differences to come together and celebrate sportsmanship, culture, and humanity at the Olympic Games. At this year’s Winter Olympics in South Korea, the world watched as nearly 3,000 athletes representing 90 different countries competed for the gold over 17 days in various winter sports. From triple axels on the ice to backflips at the halfpipe, every Olympic games is marked by moments of triumph, failure, and, ultimately, some of the greatest achievements in sporting. Though this year’s Olympics have come to a close, these are some of the moments from this year’s games that will be remembered for many years to come.
Unity at the Opening Ceremony Before the competition even began, one of the most memorable moments of the 2018 Olympics occurred. During the Parade of Nations, athletes from the divided nations of North and South Korea walked into the stadium together, carrying one flag that depicted their countries as one. While this powerful display of unity made by these athletes from these two warring nations will most likely have no real political significance, it was still a beautiful moment that reflects the spirit of unity and humanity that the Olympic games strive to foster among the nations.
USA Women’s Ice Hockey Snaps a Twenty-Year Losing Streak
After going on a winning streak of taking home the gold medal at the past four Winter Olympics, the Canadian women’s hockey team was the clear favorite going into this year’s games. However, the gold medal match between Canada and the United States turned out to be closer than anyone expected, ending with a sudden death shootout in which the Americans scored to win gold for the first time in twenty years. This unexpected victory proved once again that the underdog will always have a chance to take home the win.
Teenagers Take Home the Gold for the US The 2018 Olympics became the place for two young Olympians from the United States to shine. Red Gerard, an irreverent 17-year old snowboarder, may have overslept on competition day, but that didn’t stop him from winning the United States’ first gold medal of this year’s Games on slopestyle. And his teammate, Chloe Kim, made history as the youngest snowboarder in history to win gold at only 17 years of age. While most teenagers at their age are just trying to pass their chemistry exams, Gerard and Kim have become national icons before even being old enough to vote.
US Legends Secure Their Places in the History Books While the young rookies were the main stars of these Games, there were a few Olympic veterans who still had their moment to shine. After leaving the 2014 Sochi Games without a medal, most believed that snowboarder Shaun White’s Olympic career was over. However, four years later, White was back for redemption and found it after landing a run he had never attempted before in competition to win his third gold medal.
On a different track, the equally iconic skier Lindsey Vonn made the final run of her illustrious Olympic career. After completing the downhill, Vonn walked away with the bronze, the perfect way to end a career marked by greatness.
Figure Skaters Dance their Way to Victory
Figure skating is one of the more popular events that take place during the Olympic Games, and this year’s competitors did not disappoint. Russian athletes dominated in ladies’ figure skating, with 15-year-old Alina Zagotiva, surpassing her teammate, Yevgenia Medvedova, to take home the gold medal. Helping the United States to win bronze in the team event, Mirai Nagasu also made history by becoming the first American woman to ever land a triple Axel jump at the Olympics. And in paired ice dancing, Canadian darlings Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue, took home two gold medals, becoming the most decorated figure skaters