Simson Garcia | Sports Editor
Get ready for takeoff when that snowboarder launches from that half-pipe. Brace for impact when that skier hits that gate. Then get your footing as soon as that ice skater gracefully lands that triple axle.
Feast your eyes — the Winter Olympics are back. Every four years, Olympians from a diverse range of sports race, jump, spin, land and cross the finish line in hopes of gold, silver and bronze glory.
Snowboarding, skiing, ice hockey and figure skating will once again be a few of the mainstays during the month of February. American gold medalists in past Olympics such as snowboarder Shaun White and skier Lindsey Vonn make their return. Canada, gold medal winners of the past two games in ice hockey, will once again deploy the puck.
Who to watch:
Two-time gold medalist and 18-time X Games medalist, White, will compete in his fourth Winter Olympics — in one of his signature events, the half-pipe. White didn’t medal in the 2014 Games but has emerged from a few spectacular performances this past year. 2010 Olympic gold medalist Vonn also makes her fourth Olympic appearance and will get a shot at her signature event in the super giant slalom. Vonn, a winner of 81 titles over 135 made podiums also returns after a long rehabilitation from a severe knee injury in 2013 that set her back and is one of the comeback stories to look forward to.
Mikaela Shiffrin, arguably the next Vonn, will race in similar skiing events and at 22 is already rivaling Vonn’s number with 59 total podiums, including her first gold in the slalom at the 2014 Games.
What to watch for:
This year around, 92 nations and their 2,952 athletes will take their talents to Pyeongchang, South Korea to compete in over 102 events in seven different sports. Out of the seven different sports are 15 different disciplines such as freestyle skiing and Alpine skiing or downhill skiing, the latter of which Vonn and Shiffrin compete.
When to watch:
The competitions kick off on Feb. 8 and ends on Feb. 25. While the opening ceremony sets the stage on Feb. 9, the actual events will begin as early as Feb. 7 as Alpine skiing and curling start things off at 8 p.m. pacific.
Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu
Photo by: Chicago tribune
