Beijing Olympics explainers – Syndication Server

FTW weighs in: What Winter Olympic sports would you love to do or be terrified to try?

What Winter Olympic sports we’d definitely or definitely not do.

Over the course of the two-ish weeks of the 2022 Beijing Olympics, the best winter sport athletes in the world are competing in 109 medal events across 15 different sports. Some hope to complete their competitions, some hope for a medal and some just want to take in the Olympic experience.

But there’s nothing easy about getting to or competing in the Olympics. And for the Winter Games, several events are downright terrifying — we ranked our top-9 scariest events — but they’re all awesome and so much fun to watch.

Ahead of the Beijing Olympics, For The Win asked several Team USA athletes a bunch of fun questions, including: What Winter Olympic sport would you love to try, and what sport would you be terrified to try? These athletes provided some stellar answers, but now it’s our turn to weigh in.

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Beijing Olympics: 6 wild things you need to know about the curling stone

If you are anything like us, when you are watching curling at the Winter Olympics, you find yourself having more questions than answers.

If you are anything like me, when you are watching curling at the Winter Olympics, you find yourself having more questions than answers. The 2022 Beijing Olympics are no different.

Although many people say that curling is pretty similar to shuffleboard, from the perspective of someone who plays in a recreational shuffleboard league, I can confidently tell you the game seems awfully different.

For me, one of the most obvious differences is that dang stone. It’s gorgeous, isn’t it? I find that it is absolutely mystifying, anyway, and I wanted to know everything I possibly could with the men’s and women’s team competitions at the 2022 Beijing Games already underway.

So after spending some time researching and learning and studying them, here are some of the most interesting takeaways about the curling stone.

Nordic combined: What it is, and why it’s the only Olympic sport not offered to women

Explaining nordic combined and why it isn’t offered to women at the Olympics.

If you’re a fan of the Olympics then this is quite the six-month span for you. First, you were gifted the Tokyo Olympics that took place last summer. Now, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics are about ready to get going in the coming weeks.

The Beijing Games are slated to begin on February 4, and this season’s Olympics include events of both old and new that will combine to make up the 16-day competition. One of the featured events is nordic combined, which you have likely heard of if you’re hip to the Winter Olympics. However, you may recognize it as the only Olympic sport not offered to women.

We take a look at the sport as the Beijing games inch closer.

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Beijing Olympics: A timeline of the United States and Canada’s women’s hockey rivalry

The rivalry between the American and Canadian women’s hockey teams can’t be beat.

There is no better rivalry in hockey than the one between the American and Canadian women’s teams.

Seriously, every time these two teams play one another — whether it be on the biggest stage in the world at the Olympics or in a friendly exhibition match — the games are always exciting, tense and fueled by pure hatred. The United States’ and Canada’s women’s hockey teams absolutely loathe each other on the ice and have made for some incredibly memorable games over the course of their history with one another.

As the competition in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing continues — where Team USA will look to defend its gold medal over Canada from Pyeongchang — why don’t we take a stroll down memory lane between these two teams?

Here’s a full timeline of all the major moments in the United States-Canada women’s hockey rivalry.

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2022 Winter Olympics: What is biathlon? Allow us to explain!

Let’s learn about biathlon, shall we?

I know what you’re thinking right now — you’ve heard of biathlon, you know it’s an event in the Winter Olympics but you don’t really know what it is.

It’s OK, don’t worry. You are not alone. I was in the same boat as you not too long ago, so I did some research to figure this whole thing out. And now I’m going to share that research with the world.

Let’s calm down with the “hero” stuff, though. I’m far from that. It was just a few searches on the internet, and I had fun doing it.

Enough chit-chat. Let’s learn about biathlon!

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Olympic figure skating short program vs. free skate: What’s the difference?

With four years between Winter Olympics, you may need a reminder of how some sports, like figure skating, work.

Welcome to FTW Explains, a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing are here! And, after four years, that means you may need or want a reminder about how some winter sports, like figure skating, work. That’s OK because we’re here to help.

Figure skating at the 2022 Winter Olympics begins Friday, Feb. 4 and, with so many different events, it runs through the entirety of the Games in Beijing.

There are five different medal events at the Olympics: men’s singles, women’s singles, pairs, ice dance and the team competition. And within each event, there are at least two portions.

Singles and pairs events each have a short program and a free skate, while the ice dance has a short dance and a free dance. For the team competition, there are eight portions with a short program/dance and a free skate/dance for each discipline.

But as your eyes are glued to the screen watching these athletes accomplish unbelievable moves on the ice, you might be wondering what exactly the difference is between figure skating’s short program and free skate. Let’s break it down.

Why Tonga flagbearer Pita Taufatofua won’t be at the Beijing Olympics

He won’t be there in Beijing.

Over the years, it’s been a joy to see Pita Taufatofua carrying the flag for his native Tonga and participating in both the Summer and Winter Olympics. (A reminder: He didn’t finish last in cross-country skiing back in Pyeongchang after learning the winter sport.)

But if you’re watching the Opening Ceremony on Friday and wondering where he is — remember, he’s known for walking in shirtless and oiled up while displaying the flag — here’s the answer: He won’t be at the Beijing Games this year.

What’s the story behind that? Why isn’t he there for a fourth straight Olympics? Here are the answers if you’re wondering: