Olympics Recap
Beijing and St. Kate’s Winter Olympics End with a Bang!
As the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics come to a close, you might be wondering… what did I miss? Personally, I had high hopes of watching all the up-and-comers, yet school, work and sleep kept me from my watching dreams. Not to fear! I’m here to give you a recap of the Olympics - as well as our own St. Kate’s Winter Olympic highlights which included competitions of snowman building and balancing acts.
When it comes to the overall medal count in Beijing, Norway came in first, Germany placed second, and the People’s Republic of China slid into third place. For about three weeks of the Olympics, Team USA was holding third place, though in the final week, they fell out of their placement.
A Classic Symbol: The Five Olympic Rings
Norway has had quite a year at the Olympics; their total medal count sits at 37: 16 gold, 8 silvers, and 13 bronze. One notable gold was the men’s biathlon. A mixture of cross country skiing and shooting targets allowed this team of four to place first, adding another gold medal to Norway’s overall winnings. It was thought that the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) would take this medal, but due to a fall in the last lap, Norway earned a gold. The men who won were seen hugging each other and crying when they saw the results, their years of hardwork and sacrifice had paid off. The full story can be found here.
Some have wondered why Norway swept the board, winning the overall medal count. An NPR article noted that part of it could be due to Norwegian culture. Many of the sports performed in the Olympics are cultural to Norway. Local competitions for each of the sports are played on local television throughout the year. These sports aren't just something to do, they are a way of life. Perhaps this can explain some of the motivation and drive of Norwegian athletes. Strikingly, Norway finished with the lead with an overall team number that is less than half of the Americans, 99 as opposed to the 223 Americans (Mann, 2022). Such small numbers, and yet they won the most gold medals.
Though Team USA didn’t end up placing, a notable achievement for America was the gold medal win of Erin Jackson, the first black female speed skater in the US to win a medal of any color. After a race that was neck in neck with her competitor, Jackson’s strong legs and perseverance pushed her into a win. She said to NBC Olympics in regard to her win, “Hopefully it has an effect and we can see more minorities, especially in the USA, trying some of these winter sports” (Rosen, 2022). This decorated Olympian, only 0.08 seconds away from an Olympic record, has climbed a mountain and has hopefully inspired others to do the same.
When Words Fail, a Smile Can Speak, Image found here
In light of the international phenomenon, St. Kate’s has taken inspiration from the Olympics and made it into an accessible platform for students. The Nutrition, Exercise and Sports Science (NEXSS) group was offering chances for students to compete in different “sports.” (Their Instagram can be found here @stkatenexssclub) Students in the competition would take a picture or a video of the sport they chose to play and sent it to the club’s Instagram.
The Wildcat Winter Olympics announcement via St Kate’s NEXSS Instagram
One of the games was snowmen building; some students drew a snowman, others made it out of oranges, some went old-fashioned and used snow. Another sport was called “Game Time Dance”. In this, students were asked to grab some friends, record a dance party, and send it in. Contestants were shown on NEXSS’s Instagram story and the winners will be decided after February 22 and announced soon after.
As the Winter Olympics have closed in both Beijing and Saint Paul, hopefully, admirers remember that even though the formal sports end, the fun and memories they create can still be had by all; at least until the snow melts.
