2018 Winter Olympics Preview
January 30, 2018
With the Winter Olympics just two weeks away, the Olympic spirit has begun and winter sports have kicked off. The Olympics take place every four years, alternating between even-numbered years. In other words, the Winter Games take place two years after the Summer Olympics. Next month’s games will take place in Pyeongchang County, South Korea, about 110 miles east of its capital, Seoul.
The winter games consist of different winter sports, including ice hockey, skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, etc. This winter, 93 countries have qualified for the games, with six new nations scheduled to make their Winter Olympics debut. The United States has qualified for this year’s games. Since athletes from North Korea have also qualified for the games, they will be allowed to cross the DMZ into South Korea. This year, North and South Korea will march into the stadium together under one flag.
The Winter Games are similar to the Summer Olympics in that there are medals awarded after each event with the national anthem of the gold medalist country being played. This year’s games open with curling and ski jumping on February 8th, followed by the opening ceremony on February 9th. The games will conclude with the closing ceremony on February 25th. So, if you have the time to tune in, this will be an exciting sporting event that you will really enjoy!