Olympics 2022 – a brief intermediate status
The Olympics write their own rules. Especially under extraordinary circumstances. Much like the DFB-Pokal in football, the Olympics often see the top favorites fall short. What’s been making headlines at the Olympic Games so far – we’ll tell you in this article.
The first week of the Olympic Games is over, and it’s time to look back at the highlights so far. One thing we can promise you – there have been plenty of tears of joy, but also tears of disappointment. Yet, as always, sport writes the most beautiful stories.
The Biggest Surprises
From day one, the Olympic Games never fail to captivate the masses. One of the first gold medals went to Australia, as freestyle skier Jakara Anthony secured the country’s first medal in Beijing. But perhaps the most heartwarming Olympic story came from Swedish speed skating star Nils van der Poel. The 25-year-old triumphed over his Dutch rival in the 5,000m event, dedicating his gold medal to a very special person: his mother, who passed away from cancer.
For German fans, Denise Herrmann and Vinzenz Geiger set hearts racing. Few expected biathlete Denise Herrmann to claim gold – while she often trails behind favorites in the World Cup, she proved her world-class form in the 15km race.
In contrast, Nordic combined athlete Vinzenz Geiger was already a favorite heading into the Games. The absence of his Norwegian rival, Jarl Magnus Riiber, only boosted his medal chances. Despite a poor showing in the ski jump – landing in 11th place – Geiger fought his way to the top.
The Letdowns
Sometimes joy and disappointment lie dangerously close. Many favorites learned that firsthand in the first week of the Olympic Games. The queen of alpine skiing, Mikaela Shiffrin, saw her medal hopes in the giant slalom dashed. An unlucky mistake cost her the race after just a few gates.
German luger Julia Taubitz faced a similar fate. As the World Cup winner, she was the favorite to win. But the cursed 13th curve proved her downfall. After her crash, she had to settle for seventh place. The same disappointment befell Karl Geiger and the rest of the German men’s ski jumping team. On the normal hill, the four jumpers – led by World Cup leader Geiger – left the Olympics without a medal.
Past Controversies
What would the Olympic Games be without a major controversy? Fierce criticism has rained down on the material checks in the ski jumping mixed-team event. Austrian Ski Federation (ÖSV) athlete Katharina Althaus was disqualified for wearing a suit that was too large, which also spelled the end for the mixed team. The irony? Just two days earlier, she had won silver in the same suit. The same fate befell the teams from Austria, Japan, and Norway.
Statement
So far, the Olympic Games have delivered plenty of thrilling highlights. It remains to be seen what the next week will bring.
Source header image: Unsplash / Rowan Simpson
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Image source: Unsplash / Rowan Simpson
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