The Winter Olympics are upon us. The 2022 games take place in various locations in China. Beijing hosts the Opening Ceremony as well as ice events like curling and figure skating. Meanwhile, Zhangjiakou and Yanqing host snowboarding and ski competitions.
The location has caused controversy since the Olympics Committee selected it. Many countries — including the United States, Australia, the UK, and Canada — declared a diplomatic boycott of the Games. The boycott comes from growing concerns about the Chinese government’s crackdown on citizens’ rights along with its treatment of Muslim minority groups.
Despite the concerns, athletes from around the world have shown up to the Olympic Village in Zhangjiakou. They’re competing for more than 300 medals in 15 sports that range from Alpine skiing to speed skating. The 2022 US Olympic team is stacked with new and returning athletes to watch.
Fans of figure skating can cheer on Nathan Chen, who is hoping to make up for his performance in the 2018 Olympics. Snowboarding enthusiasts will be happy to know that Chloe Kim, 2018’s gold medalist in the halfpipe competition, is back, looking to repeat her success. Legendary snowboarder Shaun White is also returning for his fifth Olympic Games. Now in his 30s, White says that this will be his last attempt at the podium.
On a disappointing note, the National Hockey League announced that League players will not be participating in the Olympics this year. The NHL cited rising COVID-19 cases as the culprit. With so many players affected, the regular hockey season has already seen multiple delays. The League reasoned that traveling to the Olympics would put athletes and their families at even greater risk.
NBCUniversal is the home for 2022 Winter Olympics coverage. The network will air the most popular events on its main station (NBC), CNBC, and USA Network. For full and complete coverage, check out Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming network. The online-only service plans to cover every single event. Watch the Closing Ceremony on February 20.
When watching the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, remember that China is ahead of the United States. The time difference ranges from 13 hours ahead for Eastern Time Zone residents to 16 hours for those in Pacific Time Zone.
