Everyone is gearing up for the 2022 Winter Olympics. Beijing put on a show ahead of the 2008 Summer Olympics, and there’s no doubt that they will host a grand celebration to welcome thousands of athletes from dozens of countries. There may be diplomatic boycotts, but all the athletes have shown up and will go for gold over 17 days.
The 2022 Winter Olympics will be held in Beijing, China from February 4, 2022, to February 20, 2022. There will be 109 events in 15 disciplines, and everything will be broadcast on the NBC family of networks in the United States. Here are five of the biggest questions/storylines ahead of the Winter Olympics.
Can Norway Again Lead the Medal Count?
Norway has been the most successful country at the Winter Olympics. Their 132 gold medals are the most of any country, and the only other country with more than 100 gold medals is the United States. Norway tied with Germany for the gold medal lead at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, but their 39 total medals were eight more than Germany and 10 more than third-place Canada. The Norwegians have finished with the most gold medals and most overall medals at seven Winter Olympics.
How Successful Will China be as the Host?
Host countries have a history of outperforming their expectations at the Olympics. We saw South Korea surprise with five gold medals and 17 medals four years ago, and China would love to make a similar splash. They only won one gold medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics, and they have just 13 gold medals in their history. China has a few medal hopefuls in freestyle skiing and short-track speedskating.
Will Shaun White Win Another Gold Medal?
Shaun White might be the most well-known American at the Winter Olympics. The legendary snowboarder has won three gold medals in half-pipe snowboarding since it was added to the Olympic rotation, but he has taken a major step back since Pyeongchang. White has not taken part in many competitions, and he is expected to call it quits at the conclusion of this event.
Who Will Win the Gold Medal in Women’s Hockey?
This year’s Men’s Hockey Tournament will be a muted affair without NHL players. However, the Women’s Hockey Tournament figures to be extremely exciting with the United States and Canada seemingly set to square off for a gold medal once more. The United States claimed the first women’s hockey gold medal in 1998, but Canada won the next four and forced the US to settle for silver in three of those Olympics. The Americans finally got the upper hand on the Canadians once again in South Korea with a 3-2 win in overtime to claim gold.
Can Mikaela Shiffrin Win Multiple Gold Medals in Beijing?
Mikaela Shiffrin has two Olympic gold medals and six World Championships gold medals in her storied career. She has thrived in the slalom and the giant slalom, but she is looking to break through in a big way at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Shiffrin is still just 26 years old and became the youngest skier to win 50 World Cup races just three years ago.