The 2018 Winter Olympics began on Thursday February, 8th 2018 in PyeongChang Country, South Korea. With 15 different events, the USA has the opportunity to compete with multiple Olympic athletes who have trained years for this moment of a lifetime.
February 11th, only a few days into the Winter Olympics, and specific athletes have made a name for themselves. One being Redmond “Red” Gerard, who on slopestyle for snowboarding, took the Gold for the USA at age 17 with a best score of 87.16. Gerard began snowboarding at age 2 has become the first medalist at the Olympic Winter Games born after 01 January 2000, and the youngest gold medalist in any snowboard event at age 17 years.
On February 11th, USA’s Chris Mazdzer took home the silver in the Men’s Singles Luge event. Starting off the Olympic strong, Mazder gave hope to Team USA fans.
During the team event for Figure skating, USA won the bronze medal. Multiple athletes coordinated an angelic routine to compete in this years Olympics. Their hard work paid off, earning them a bronze.
Following the gold in Women’s Slopestyle Snowboarding, USA’s Jamie Anderson “Became the first women’s snowboarder to win two gold medals after her victory [at the Sochi Olympic games in 2014] in the Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle” according to https://www.olympic.org/.“You know, that’s what it’s all about. I don’t think we can do anything without each other’s support. It’s not just me, it’s all these people around me who keep me cheerful and help me to be my best self” said Anderson, as to why she is stoked about her victories. Taking the gold with an 83.00, Anderson took the lead by nearly 10 points.
Competing in the Women’s Halfpipe Snowboarding, 17 year old teenager Chloe Kim, took home the gold for USA. She had a near perfect score of 98.25 on a 100 point scale. It was Another gold for team USA.
Competing in the same event, as Chloe Kim, who won the gold in Ladies Halfpipe, Arielle Gold, took home the bronze for Team USA as well. Scoring 85.75, Gold out-scored 11 other competitors during her last, and best run.
Shaun White took home another gold medal for team USA for the Men’s Halfpipe Snowboarding. This is White’s 3rd gold medal that he had won in previous Olympic Games. He won in the third run, with the double mctwist 1260, which he is credited with inventing. 31-year-old Shaun White won with a score of 97.75. Another win for Team USA in Snowboarding all around.
In the Women’s Giant Slalom skiing event, Mikaela Shiffrin won the gold for Team USA. Shiffrin was in second place behind Norway’s Ragnhild Mowinckel, until her second run time combined with her first gave her the winning score of 2:20.02. So far into the 2018 Winter Olympics, on February 15th, Team USA has 5 gold medals, 2 bronze medals, and 1 silver medals.
On February 17th, in Men’s Short- Track Speed Skating, John-Henry Krueger took home to silver for Team USA. He finished second with a 1:24.864 time, coming close to Canadian Samuel Girard who took first place with a 1:24.650 time. Another medal for Team USA.
Men’s Freestyle Skiing, Nick Goepper took a silver medal for Team USA. With his best score of 93.60 out of a hundred point scale, Goepper placed second closely behind the winning gold score. Goepper has overcome many difficulties pertaining to the idea of skiing including injures in the past, all of that has contributed to his present successes.
On February 20th, coming down to the last few days of the Olympics, in the Figure Skating Ice Dance, Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani walked home with a bronze for Team USA. Training 50+ hours a week, the brother and sister duo, continue to put in hard work to accomplish more than winning a bronze at the Olympics.
Women’s Ski Halfpipe Freestyle Skiing, Brita Sigourney took the bronze for Team USA. Finishing with 91.60, Sigourney walked away in 3rd. After suffering many injuries and putting in the hard work, she competed in her second Winter Olympics.
February 21st, was an exciting day for Team USA. First, Lindsey Vonn took a bronze in Women’s Downhill Alpine Skiing. Next, in Women’s Bobsleigh Team USA won the silver medal.
Then, in Women’s Team Sprint Free Cross-Country Skiing Team USA took home the gold, against Norway and Sweden. This was a first for Women on Team USA. Later that day, Team USA took home the bronze for Women’s Team Pursuit Speed Skating.
The last four day of the Olympics 2018, beginning with February 22nd, Mikaela Shiffrin won silver for Team USA in Women’s Alpine Combined Alpine Skiing. Then in Men’s Freestyle Skiing, David Wise took home the gold fro Team USA and Alex Ferreira came in second winning the silver for Team USA. 2 more medals for Team USA.
Later in the day, in Women Big Air Snowboarding, Jamie Anderson came in second with a score of 177.25 winning a silver for Team USA.
Coming down to the last 2 days of the Olympics, the Men’s Curling Team for Team USA, won the match against Sweden. Finishing with a score of 10-7 Team USA took another gold home. Later that day, in the Men’s Big Air Snowboarding, Kyle Mack took home the silver with his best score of 168.75.
Concluding the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games, an Olympic that will be the last for some and just the beginning for others, Team USA did fairly well. Team USA may not be the best well versed team in the world, but the athletes on Team USA gave their all in this years Olympic games. The sport that Team USA took over in is snowboarding, especially the younger athletes that are making a name for themselves. Until the next Winter Olympic games in Beijing 2022, these athletes will train hard to do even better than this time. But up first, the Summer Olympics in Tokyo 2020.
**For full results of every event in the Olympics and results visit https://www.olympic.org/