The Olympics consume all of my being. Wake up, Olympics. Go to class, probably watching the Olympics in lecture. Eat, while watching the Olympics, obviously. I feel a weird sense of guilt if I miss anything. After all, it’s only every four years.
However, even with most of my waking hours spent glued to the TV, I still find that I miss so much. Which events have we medaled in? Who won the gold? There was a curling at 3 a.m. and I missed it?!
I felt it was quite necessary that I summarize the USA’s most noteworthy events from these Olympics for anyone who wants to stay up to date on the chaos of the games while also having a life, unlike myself. But hey, I still want to know what I’m missing, too.
Our first gold medal was won by 17-year-old Redmond “Red” Gerard in the Slopestyle Snowboarding event. He was the youngest American to ever win a snowboarding event (a true 2000’s baby), and his story is fantastic. In last place going into his final event, his odds were not favorable. However, this event allows a competitor to medal with just one great run, which Gerard was able to do on his last run of the day, earning him the gold. Not to mention, he overslept on the day of the event after falling asleep to Netflix, lost his jacket, and said “f*ck” on national television. A true representation of America, and I have never been more proud.
Next up… Chloe Kim, another 17-year-old snowboarder. She won the gold in Women’s Halfpipe, deservingly so, as she had two nearly perfect runs while landing three full rotations (which is very rare, so I’ve read). Chloe also tweeted that she calmed her nerves by eating churros before her event. So again, another American icon.
Staying with the theme of snowboarding, let’s talk about Shaun White, the gold medalist for the Men’s Halfpipe. With this medal, he became the first man to ever win three gold medals for snowboarding. This medal was of great importance to White, perhaps more so than usual, because it was a chance for him to prove to himself and others that he is indeed the best, after failing in his last Olympics in Sochi.
Jamie Anderson, a Lake Tahoe native, won the gold in Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle. She also won the gold in the 2014 Sochi Olympics, and won the second gold for the USA in these Olympics. Mikaela Shiffrin won the gold medal in Women’s Giant Slalom, a category of alpine skiing. She is the reigning World Champion and lives by the motto, “Always Be Faster Than The Boys.” Werk. It. Girl.
On to my favorite event… the LUGE! I will never know why watching strangers blindly slide on a sled is so interesting, but nevertheless, it is fantastic. This was a big year for USA’s luge, with Chris Mazdzer winning the silver medal in men’s luge singles. This is the first time that the U.S. has medaled in this event. Not to mention, Chris is extremely good looking. I do not mean to detract from his athletic success, but he is pretty easy on the eyes.
Here are a few more notable medals from other U.S. Olympians:
Nick Goepper: Silver medal in Men’s Slopestyle Freeskiing (what even is this event but congrats Nick?!)
John-Henry Krueger: Silver medal in 1,000 m Short-track Speedskating
Arielle Gold: Bronze in Women’s Halfpipe Snowboarding
USA figure skating team: Bronze medal
Now, the Women’s Hockey Team is seeking its first hockey gold in 20 years!
My passion for the Olympics is a bit obsessive, and I cannot wait to watch the rest. Catch me watching curling instead of reading about philosophy and staying up all night to watch strangers do flips on skis. Ah, the magic of the Olympics!
Cover image source: Pexels