First gold of the Winter Olympics lets athletes shine over politics

Norway nabbed the primary gold medal of the Winter Games on Saturday because the politics dominating the Beijing Olympics started to make room for the snowy feats of the world’s greatest athletes.
Norwegian Therese Johaug nL8N2UG08K powered to victory to take the gold medal within the ladies’s skiathlon race, nicely forward of Russian Natalia Nepryaeva and Austria’s Teresa Stadlober, who snagged the bronze medal.
Further again in forty third place was Dinigeer Yilamujiang, a 20-year-old cross-country skier whose position as a ultimate torchbearer for China within the opening ceremony continued to make waves.
The number of Yilamujiang nL8N2UG08W, from Altay in China’s western Xinjiang area, as one among two ultimate torchbearers got here as many western nations diplomatically boycotted the Games over China’s therapy of Uyghurs and members of different Muslim minority teams. China rejects allegations of human rights abuses.
The International Olympic Committee on Saturday insisted Yilamujiang’s ethnicity had nothing to do along with her choice.
“She has every right, wherever she comes from, whatever her background, to compete… and to take part in any ceremony,” mentioned IOC spokesman Mark Adams.
Chinese president Xi Jinping, who triumphantly opened the Games on Friday night time in a partially-filled Bird’s Nest stadium, continued his diplomatic push on the Games’ sidelines.

GROUNDBREAKING ALLIANCE
The day after forming a groundbreaking alliance with Russian President Vladimir Putin towards the West, Xi met with leaders of Serbia, Egypt, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan forward of a Lunar New Year-themed banquet at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People.
Toasting his fellow leaders, Xi expressed “heartfelt because of all governments, peoples and worldwide organisations who care about and help the Beijing Winter Olympics.
“It was unclear if Putin had attended the lunch, or if he would watch any competitors earlier than leaving Beijing. Women hockey gamers from the Russian Olympic Committee had been attributable to play the United States afterward Saturday night time.
In a shocking collision of sports activities and politics not seen because the Cold War period, Xi and Putin on Friday declared a no-limit partnership on the sidelines of the Games, backing one another over Ukraine and Taiwan and inking new offers on vitality and commerce.
Taiwan condemned the ‘contemptible’ timing of the partnership, whereas the United States mentioned Xi had wasted a chance to take motion on Ukraine.
Beijing’s slopes weren’t with out their very own controversy. Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt hit out at Olympic ski organisers after Saturday’s downhill coaching was cancelled with simply three runners having accomplished the course.

COVID CASES
The variety of circumstances of COVID-19 circumstances contained in the Games bubble hit the second highest since arrivals started after 45 new circumstances had been detected on Feb. 4. Organisers mentioned the scenario was beneath management and circumstances had been confined to a ‘closed loop’.
The 2022 Winter Games are being held in Beijing in extraordinary circumstances with steel fences, robotic bartenders, staff in hazmat fits and strict masks insurance policies meant to stop the unfold of coronavirus.
At least one athlete mentioned he was decided to profit from it.

Checking out the pipe with @jjthomas_ @Olympics @TeamUSA pic.twitter.com/Mo3s0KxU0U
— Shaun White (@shaunwhite) February 3, 2022
American snowboarder Shaun White, who grew to become the face of the game, successful three gold medals, mentioned on Saturday the Beijing Olympics can be his final snowboarding competitors and that he would retire from all contests.
White, 35, mentioned he was “enjoying every moment” of his ultimate Olympics in Beijing.White mentioned he had determined to retire lately, throughout a quiet second when he acquired misplaced and needed to take a chair-lift over an empty mountain by himself.
“I was watching … the sun go down and it just hit me,” he mentioned.”It was very unhappy and a surreal second however actually joyous as nicely,” mentioned White, including that he “broke down” a little bit earlier than calling his family and friends to inform them of his choice.