The Olympics are thought to be the capital of all sporting events. The Olympics are an international sporting contest in which the best athletes from their respective countries compete in order to win individual accolades and national pride. The 25th Winter Olympics are currently taking place in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. Some popular events included in this year’s games are Alpine Skiing, Figure and Freestyle Skating, Ice Hockey, Snowboarding, etc. For many outstanding athletes around the globe, the Olympics is not only a privilege, but also a source of pressure for the athletes. For a powerhouse country like the U.S. that has won the most gold medals since the beginning of the Olympics, winning is almost assumed. Team USA has 232 athletes at the Games this year, which is the largest-ever Winter Olympics delegation. A big team like this means big news, even this early in the competitions.
The men of figure skating took their first turn in the singles competition on Tuesday, and Virginia native Ilia Manlin, the “Quad God,” took the ice on a mission. The title is a reference to his quadruple jumps, which are incredibly difficult to pull off. He lived up to the name, skating a short program that scored him a 108.16 score and drew a massive standing ovation from the crowd. He is now the gold medal favorite, and he sits atop the standings entering the free skate on Friday Feb. 13, after which medals will be awarded.
Most recently, there was a historical win for one impressive speed skater. 21 year old Jordan Stolz propelled himself to the gold medal this Wednesday in his respective event, but also achieved much more than that. He clocked a winning time of 1:06:28, breaking a 24-year-old Olympic record set before he was even born. If Stolz is able to pile up medals over the next 10 days, it could be huge for the notoriety of his sport in the U.S., as speed skating is not as well known as a sport like figure skating.
Speaking of skating, Madison Chock and Evan Bates took home silver at the conclusion of their free dance skating event on Wednesday. After 15 years together, they had hinted that this would be their last Olympics. They faced steep competition from a much newer duo; Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron of France. They lost by only 1.43 points, which came as a shock and even sparked some controversy around the placings, spotlighting the intricacies and inconsistencies of the sport’s judging system. Either way, the final call was made and Chock and Bates did not discuss their off-ice situation regarding their French competitors, and seem to have accepted their second place finish.
Another duo that has stood out recently includes alpine skiers Elizabeth Lemley and Jaelin Kauf. The pair finished first and second on the podium during their freestyle skiing moguls event, marking the first sweep of the top two spots on the podium for this team. Lemley won the final with a score of 82.30 points, while Kauf repeated as a silver medalist with a score of 80.77, as she also won silver in 2022 in Beijing.
While these are only some of the major stories coming out of the Olympics so far, it is certain to keep the United States in contention for an overall win. Athletes, coaches and spectators alike are sure to be on the edge of their seat for these coming days, as many more medals in different events are up for grabs.