A Final (Not So) Little Roundup of Highlights From These Winter Olympics
Beset by a sense of indifference from afar, Beijing 2022 sure did have its controversies and headaches, and then some, but I'm able to put blinders on for a moment to appreciate the plethora of notable athletic achievements throughout the Games.
As one noted veteran Olympic marketer notes, the heart of every Olympic Games comes from the athletes. I couldn't agree more! Let's take a look some of the headline accomplishments that we can celebrate from across the Beijing Winter Olympics.
As one noted veteran Olympic marketer notes, the heart of every Olympic Games comes from the athletes. I couldn't agree more! Let's take a look some of the headline accomplishments that we can celebrate from across the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Alpine Skiing
At age 41, Johan Clarey became the oldest Alpine skier to medal at an Olympics, with a silver in the downhill, and after a steady late-career improvement.
With his super-G win, Matthias Mayer became the first man to win an Alpine skiing gold in three consecutive Olympics...and he's now in a four-way tie for most Alpine skiing medals by an Austrian, and ties Toni Sailer with three gold.
In that same race, Ryan Cochran-Siegle's silver medal follows his mother's own Olympic medal (gold), 50 years earlier in Sapporo 1972's slalom. Later, Johannes Strolz's gold in the Alpine combined follows his father's same gold in Calgary 1988.
In the women's super-G, Lara Gut-Behrami became the first-ever Swiss skier to win the Winter event, and the first reigning world champion to win Olympic gold.
At age 41, Johan Clarey became the oldest Alpine skier to medal at an Olympics, with a silver in the downhill, and after a steady late-career improvement.
With his super-G win, Matthias Mayer became the first man to win an Alpine skiing gold in three consecutive Olympics...and he's now in a four-way tie for most Alpine skiing medals by an Austrian, and ties Toni Sailer with three gold.
In that same race, Ryan Cochran-Siegle's silver medal follows his mother's own Olympic medal (gold), 50 years earlier in Sapporo 1972's slalom. Later, Johannes Strolz's gold in the Alpine combined follows his father's same gold in Calgary 1988.
In the women's super-G, Lara Gut-Behrami became the first-ever Swiss skier to win the Winter event, and the first reigning world champion to win Olympic gold.
Lara Gut-Behrami (Agence Zoom)
Petra Vhlova's slalom win - from a first-run seventh place - gave Slovakia its first-ever Olympic Alpine skiing medal.
The men's giant slalom saw the participation of Haitian Richardson Viano and Saudi Arabian Fayik Abdi, both the first representatives of their nations at any Winter Olympics, in any sport. And, Joan Verdu Sanchez's ninth-place finish is the best Winter Games result for Andorra (and ties the best at any Games).
Corinne Suter's downhill gold meant that four separate skiers from one nation (Switzerland) won an Olympic title in one Games for the first time.
Barnabas Szollos was the only skier to compete (and finish!) in all five individual Alpine events. And, he matched Israel's highest-ever Winter Olympic finish with sixth in the Alpine combined.
The men's giant slalom saw the participation of Haitian Richardson Viano and Saudi Arabian Fayik Abdi, both the first representatives of their nations at any Winter Olympics, in any sport. And, Joan Verdu Sanchez's ninth-place finish is the best Winter Games result for Andorra (and ties the best at any Games).
Corinne Suter's downhill gold meant that four separate skiers from one nation (Switzerland) won an Olympic title in one Games for the first time.
Barnabas Szollos was the only skier to compete (and finish!) in all five individual Alpine events. And, he matched Israel's highest-ever Winter Olympic finish with sixth in the Alpine combined.
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