Every four years, the Winter Olympics are held in different cities around the world. Hosted in Beijing, The 2022 Olympic Games characterize the month of February, taking place from Feb. 4 to Feb. 20. There are 15 different competitive sports, ranging from figure skating to curling. Well-known athletes such as snowboarder Chloe Kim and skier Alex Ferreira are representing the United States team. As different countries compete for the gold medal, both sportsmanship and athleticism are vital for success.
Math teacher Jill Farrell enjoys watching the Olympics with her family, some of her favorite parts being the pride athletes show toward their country and family.
“I love watching the competition and ideas that different countries bring,” Farrell said.
Junior Mackenzie Carley has also been following the Olympics and feels its popularity comes from how it brings similar people together.
“We feel like we have something in common with someone who is so talented because we come from the same country,” Carley said.
While some people enjoy watching the event as a whole, certain sports are especially popular. Farrell enjoys couples figure skating the most because she finds the synchronized movements relaxing. On the other hand, Carley enjoys the action in snowboarding and ski jumps because it is not a sport people typically see.
There are constantly ideas circulating for new events both in the Summer and Winter Olympics. According to NBC Sports, there have been seven event additions this year alone: women’s monobob, freestyle skiing and a variety of mixed team sports such as aerials and snowboarding.
“Ice sculpting might be [a] fun [addition],” Farrell said.
As the following weeks get underway, athletes will continue to push boundaries and make records at this unique, one-of-a-kind event. The gold, silver and bronze are all noteworthy accomplishments as each country competes to rack up the most medals.
