On the eve of the 2022 Winter Olympics, these were some of the highlights and lowlights. And Norway did what Norway does finest, topping the medal desk after 109 occasions on snow and ice.

CNN seems to be at among the most memorable moments from Beijing 2022.

Valieva, the 15-year-old Russian determine skating phenom anticipated to attain gold within the ladies’s free skate last, faltered whereas within the midst of a medicine take a look at scandal.

In December, the teenager examined constructive for trimetazidine, a coronary heart remedy used to deal with angina and which might enhance blood move to the guts, specialists say.

The outcomes did not come to gentle till Valieva was already in Beijing and had received gold within the determine skating staff occasion as she turned the primary lady to land a quad — a leap that entails 4 spins within the air.

Regardless of Valieva’s constructive take a look at, she was allowed to compete within the particular person determine skating occasion on the grounds that she was a minor.

Throughout her last program this week, although, she fell a number of instances on the ice and positioned fourth behind fellow Russian Olympic Committee teammates Anna Shcherbakova and Alexandra Trusova, who got here in first and second respectively. She completed her routine in tears.

Now, eyes are educated on Valieva’s coach, a staff physician and the aggressive determine skating neighborhood in Russia for his or her roles in what occurred to Valieva.

Nathan Chen wins gold in a redemptive efficiency

A composed but jubilant Nathan Chen gave the efficiency of his profession within the males’s single skating competitors — and claimed what was rightfully his after a surprising loss on the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Skating to a medley of songs together with Elton John’s “Rocket Man,” Chen confidently executed a whopping 5 quad jumps and ended a virtually five-minute efficiency with a triumphant smile.

“I positively wished to have the ability to get previous that,” Chen advised CNN of his 2018 efficiency, by which he fell and did not medal.

“I wished to have the ability to have two quick packages that I felt very happy with and fulfilled by, and I am actually glad that I used to be in a position to have that have right here.”

Gu dominates her first Olympics

The 18-year-old freeski celebrity received three medals at her first Winter Olympics, together with two golds. And in her final program, after a near-perfect efficiency on the ladies’s halfpipe, she even took a well-deserved victory lap.
Born within the US however competing for China, a choice that has been below its fair proportion of scrutiny, Gu had one of many splashiest Olympics debuts this yr. And she or he made some historical past whereas she was at it — she’s the primary freestyle skier to earn three medals at a single Video games.

“It has been two straight weeks of probably the most intense highs and lows I’ve ever skilled in my life,” she advised reporters after her win. “It has modified my life perpetually.”

Norway retains successful and breaks a report

Norway received 16 gold medals in Beijing, probably the most any nation has received in a single Winter Video games. The nation’s rivals have earned gold in cross-country snowboarding, pace skating and biathlon, amongst others.
CNN’s Henry Enten says Norway has two massive advantages powering its Olympics success: Splendid climate for winter sports activities and cash — the nation is a rich nation, with its GDP within the high 35 worldwide. Winter sports activities require rather a lot of drugs, coaching and funds.

Mikaela Shiffrin ends the Video games with out a person medal

Mikaela Shiffrin endured a number of hardships at this yr’s Video games. The American skier hadd earned gold medals in 2018 and 2014, and followers anticipated a threepeat from the star in Beijing.

Nevertheless, issues did not fairly work out that method for the 26-year-old Shiffrin who had three DNFs — “did-not-finish” — after crashing out in three particular person occasions.

She’s been inundated with criticism from viewers and shared screenshots of among the adverse feedback she’s acquired. She stated in a video shared Friday that, as a lot because the feedback damage, she hopes that followers who’ve been in an analogous state of affairs can be taught to tune out their “haters.”

“That message was meant for you guys, to rise up and to maintain going,” she stated in a video shared to Twitter. “Get off the bed the following day regardless that you are getting these messages that make you are feeling terrible.”

In her last occasion at Beijing 2022 the 26-year-old Shiffrin — together with River Radamus, Tommy Ford and Paula Moltzan — completed fourth within the blended staff parallel occasion on the Nationwide Alpine Snowboarding Centre.

“I’ve had loads of disappointing moments at these Video games, right now just isn’t one among them,” stated Shiffrin. “In the present day is my favourite reminiscence.

“This was the very best method that I may think about ending the Video games, snowboarding with such sturdy teammates.”

Chloe Kim goes for the gold (once more)

The unstoppable 21-year-old snowboarder struck gold but once more with a successful efficiency on the ladies’s halfpipe — the identical class that earned her a gold medal in 2018, when she was simply 17.

That Kim as soon as once more dominated was a shock to nobody besides possibly Kim herself. She advised reporters she’d had “the worst follow ever” earlier than her gold-medal efficiency, failing to stay most of her landings.

That tough follow did not present on the snow — she tried a trick that concerned three-and-a-half spins within the air and earned a rating of 94, propelling her to the gold as soon as once more.

Zhu Yi faces a web based firestorm for her efficiency

The California-born 19-year-old, competing for Staff China, was bombarded with adverse feedback on-line after falling on the ice throughout the ladies’s determine skating quick program earlier this month.

Zhu, who gave up her American citizenship to compete on China’s staff in 2018 and adjusted her identify from Beverly Zhu, has been criticized by Chinese language viewers for her lack of fluency in Chinese language along with her disappointing efficiency on the Video games.

Nonetheless, Zhu is discovering the positives in her 2022 journey to the Video games. In an Instagram publish shared earlier this week, Zhu stated she “persevered by way of years of adversity, and got here out a stronger particular person.”

Erin Jackson wins a gold she virtually did not compete for

The American pace skater virtually did not make it to the Olympics — she slipped throughout qualifying trials — till a teammate gave up her spot so Jackson may compete.

That swap proved to be effectively price it — Jackson, 29, turned the primary Black lady to medal in Olympic pace skating, based on Staff USA, and the primary American lady to win a gold medal in pace skating since 1994.

She clinched the victory by skating simply 0.08 seconds forward of Japan’s silver medalist.

“I cried instantly, it was only a massive launch of emotion,” she advised reporters. “A whole lot of shock, loads of reduction and loads of happiness.”

Meyers Taylor’s historical past second

Meyers Taylor turned probably the most adorned Black athlete in Winter Olympics historical past after she received a bronze medal within the two-woman bobsleigh on Saturday.

The medal is the fifth for Meyers Taylor — passing Shani Davis’ 4 — because the 37-year-old turned probably the most adorned lady Olympic bobsledder of all-time.

“It is so loopy to listen to that stat and to know that I am a part of a legacy that is larger than me,” stated Meyers Taylor. “Hopefully it simply encourages increasingly black athletes to return out to winter sports activities and never simply black athletes, winter sports activities for everyone.”

Sunday’s Closing Ceremony is probably going have been emotional event for Meyers Taylor — she was Staff USA’s flagbear — who has hinted this might seemingly be her final Olympics.

“I’ll take a while to essentially take into consideration this. It may be actually exhausting to high this Olympics. Two medals and now closing it out with flagbearer, it may be actually, actually exhausting to high that.”

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