The 2022 Winter Olympic Games might be over, but the memories of the event will forever live on in the memories of athletes and audience members alike. For over two weeks, over 2,800 athletes from 91 nations competed in the heart of Beijing for the glory of their home countries and gold, silver, and bronze medals. The following highlights recap some of the biggest triumphs of the Beijing Games, remembering some of the most memorable moments of the competition.
Figure Skating Controversies and Triumphs
It’s hard to talk about figure skating at the Beijing Olympics without first addressing the controversy surrounding 15-year-old Russian Olympian Kamila Valieva. Valieva tested positive on a drug test from last December, calling into question whether the young athlete should have even been allowed to compete at the games. In all, figure skating at the Beijing Games was dominated by the Russian Olympic Committee, which scored 6 gold medals. American audiences nevertheless came to root for 22-year-old skater Nathan Chen, who took home the gold in the men’s singles event. In the pairs event, Chinese skaters Sui Wenjing and Han Cong took home the gold for the host country, scoring China its second gold medal in figure skating in the history of the Winter Olympics.
Norway Wins Big
The Beijing Olympics saw Norway emerge as a force to be reckoned with, having won the most medals of any country. In total, Norway won 37 medals at the Beijing Games, 16 of which were gold, a new Olympic record. Norway’s dominance was secured with the help of Johannes Thingnes Boe, who won four gold medals and one bronze medal in the biathlon. Fellow Norwegian biathlete Marte Olsbu Roeiseland also won big in the biathlon, having scored three gold medals and two bronze medals.
Americans Bring Star Power to Snowboarding
Snowboarding at the Beijing Games was especially important for American athletes. On the one hand, legendary Olympic snowboarder Shaun White bowed out of the Olympics after having competed in four other games. On the other hand, the Beijing Olympics introduced a new champion snowboarder to the world, 21-year-old college student Chloe Kim. Kim won gold in the halfpipe, becoming the first female snowboarder to win two gold medals in the event after also securing the coveted award four years earlier in the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang. Lindsey Jacobellis also won two gold medals at Beijing, her first Olympic medals after participating in four other games. In the end, the United States tied with Austria in total snowboarding with each country winning four medals at the games.