by Kayla Cohen ‘21, Staff Writer

The Winter Olympics, which began on February 9th, was very different from past Olympics for the country hosting it. Unlike previous Olympic games, where viewers’ attention was focused on who would be taking the medals, this Olympics located in Pyeongchang County, South Korea, had the media focused on the tension between North and South Korea leading up to the event. On January 20th, the IOC approved North Korea and South Korea to compete on the same team for the first time ever.

Sports have always been known to bring people, teams, and countries together. In 2016, South Korean gymnast, Lee Eun-Ju, and her competitor, Hong Un-Jong of North Korea, took a picture together in a training session at the Rio Olympics. But now, their two teams competed as a whole in the Olympics. International Olympic Committee President, Thomas Bach, stated, “Today is therefore a great day because the Olympic Spirit has brought all sides together. This was not an easy journey.”

North and South Korea marched into the games together with the Korean Unification flag. One person from North Korea and one person from South Korea held the flag together. In addition, twelve North Koreans were added to the South Korean women’s hockey team. Other North Koreans competed in figure skating, alpine skiing, cross-country skiing and short track speed skating. North Korea did not qualify for any spots this Olympics, however, the IOC has a special power to give them the spots to compete. There were 22 North Koreans competing in Pyeongchang County, which is more than all of the North Korean athletes who have competed in the past 6 winter Olympics combined. Many are curious if these conversations of peace between North and South Korea will continue after the Olympics.

Along with Korea, the USA had been busy getting all of its athletes ready to fight for a medal on the Olympic stage. The USA had hoped for success from skiers Mikaela Shiffrin, Lindsey Vonn, Ted Ligety, and Jared Goldberg, all of whom have competed in past Olympic games as well. Shiffrin has had 41 world cup wins before the age of 23. Before the Olympics, an NA student stated, “I can’t wait to see Mikaela Shiffrin compete in the Olympics this year because she is a truly amazing skier with great talent and I know how hard it is to succeed in slalom racing, and she makes it look easy.” Lindsey Vonn is a four-time Olympian, who has a gold and a bronze Olympic medal in her collection. Ligety is also a four-time Olympian and two-time Olympic champion. At age 21, he became the youngest American male to win an Olympic gold medal in alpine skiing.

Shiffrin won gold in Alpine women’s giant shalom and silver in Alpine women’s combined event, while Vonn took bronze in the Alpine women’s downhill.

In the snowboard halfpipe competition, Shaun White won gold for the third time, now a four-time Olympian and three-time Olympic champion. On the women’s side, 17-year old Chloe Kim captured her first ever gold medal in the women’s snowboard halfpipe after landing two back to back 1080s. Jamie Anderson defended her gold medal in women’s slopestyle after winning the event in 2014 as well as earning a silver in women’s big air, and Lindsey Jacobellis finished just off the podium in fourth place in the women’s snowboard cross at her 4th Olympic games this year with an Olympic silver medal already in her collection.

USA’s Bradie Tennell was virtually unknown, but managed at the age of 19 to win the women’s figure skating competition and travel to the Olympics, where she helped Team USA capture bronze in the team event. Many also rooted for Mirai Nagasu who is an Olympic veteran who made her comeback after not qualifying for the team in 2014, and Karen Chen was the youngest woman competing on the Olympic figure skating team at only 18 years old. Nathan Chen was the men’s US figure skating champion who, although being one of the favorites to win a gold medal, disappointed in the team event and the short event, although he later became the first ever to attempt six quads in the free skate. Alex Shibutani and Maia Shibutani captured their first bronze medals in the ice dancing event, both two-time Olympians.