2018 Olympic Games Facts that Impress

Didn’t watch the Winter Olympics this year? Don’t worry, we have you covered for some of the highlights that will make it seem like you watched.

• Before the games even started, there was an outbreak of norovirus, causing fever, muscle pain, and vomiting. Olympians were recommended to fist-bump instead of shaking hands, which apparently results in 10 times less exposure to bacteria.
• This was the first Winter Olympics for these countries: Ecuador, Eritrea, Kosovo, Malaysia, Singapore, and Nigeria.
• The first gold medal won by the United States during the games was achieved by 17-year-old Red Gerard in slopestyle snowboarding. Gerard not only woke up late on competition day but also wore his roommate’s jacket for the competition because he lost his own the day before.
• Shaun White got gold in the snowboarding halfpipe, which also happened to be the 100th gold medal won by the United States in the history of the Winter Olympics.
• Ester Ledecka, a world champion snowboarder from the Czech Republic, shocked viewers when she won gold in the Super G. Please note that the Super G is a SKIING event. Ledecka also competed in the Parallel Giant Slalom, which is a SNOWBOARDING event, and is the first person ever to have competed in both skiing and snowboarding in the Olympics.
• Japanese figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu won the gold in men’s figure skating, and fans bombarded him with over 70 Winnie the Pooh Bears at the end of his performance. Apparently, this Pooh Bear rain happens whenever he competes.
• The South Korean women’s curling captain has become an internet sensation not only because of her curling tactics but also because of her unbelievably focused and ruthless game face.
• A “Miracle on Ice” happened for the Women’s Hockey team when they won the gold against Canada. The men’s team didn’t get their “Miracle on Ice” and were kicked out at quarterfinals. This might be because NHL players are not allowed to compete in the Olympics this year.
• The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended the combined women’s Korean hockey team match only to realize that the team was not a competitive success.
• Many Olympic athletes have been thrown off their game due to the high-speed winds on the slopes of Phoenix Park, sometimes reaching 30 mph. During the women’s slopestyle final, all athletes fell at some point, including the American gold medalist.
• In a massive crash at the start line of the men’s 30 km skiathlon, a Norwegian skier fell to the back of the field only to pass all competitors and win the gold in the last 11 minutes of the 1 hour and 16 minute race.
• A Russian athlete tested positive on a drug test after he won bronze with his wife in mixed curling doubles. It is important to note that Russian athletes were on probation for doping in past Olympic games and were forced to compete in the Olympics as the “Olympic Athletes from Russia” rather than for their country.

With all the excitement and drama, the Pyeongchang Olympics officially came to a close on Feb. 25. Want more Olympic Drama? Good thing the Summer Olympics in Tokyo are in two years.