Dashing through to the snow to grab all the Gold

“Games give you a chance to excel, and if you're playing in good company you don't even mind if you lose because you had the enjoyment of the company during the course of the game.” ― Gary Gygax

The origin of Olympics can be traced back to Ancient Greece nearly three thousand years ago, held in the honour of its ruler Zeus. In the late 19th century, the tradition of the Olympic games was formally revived and professional players from around the world competed in them. It began with the Summer Games program which included as many as 32 sports. In 1924, the Winter Games were sanctioned for the sports played in colder climates.

Even if not as popular as its Summer counterpart, the Winter Olympics are regarded as one of the premium sports event in the world. The 2018 Winter Olympics were conducted in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

After a 101-day journey around the country, the torch was used to light the cauldron by South Korean figure skater Yuna Kim, to kick-start the games. 102 medals spread over 15 sports such as snowboarding, curling and alpine skiing, were up for grabs from 9th to 25th February.

With an astonishing total of 39 medals, Norway not only bagged the most medals for this season but also broke USA’s record of most medals won at a single Winter Olympics at 37. They managed this feat with a team of only 109 athletes some of whom are plumbers, carpenters and teachers. Their team size was 45 fewer than Germany who came a close second with 31 medals to its name, and 133 fewer than the USA who finished 4th with a medal tally of 23. Norway's chef de mission Tore Ovrebo commented on the success of his team: "We are proud but we're not bragging. That is very important because this is how we do it in Norway." He added: “The medal count is one thing, but that's secondary. The most important thing is we have had fun all the time and we are friends and we are still friends."

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History was being rewritten through out the arena.The 37-year-old cross-country skier from Norway, Marit Bjorgen, became the most decorated Winter Olympian of all time and the second most successful woman at either the Summer or Winter Games, with five medals this year. She took bronze in the 10km individual and team sprint, silver in the pursuit, gold in the 4x5km team relay and a final gold in the mass start, bringing her overall career tally to 15. Bobsleigh pilot Francesco Friedrich won both the two-man and four-man title, becoming the second man to do so in 30 years. Ester Ledecka, 22-year-old Czech became the first woman and the first athlete since 1928, to win a gold medal in multiple sports at the same Winter Olympics. 17-year-old, Chloe Kim became the youngest snowboarder to win an Olympic gold. The US women’s Ice hockey team defeated four-time reigning champions Canada, in a nail-biting match which went down to a sudden-death shootout to gold.

Moments of humour were well sprinkled to balance all the adrenaline rush in the arena. Red Gerrad, the 17-year-old American slopestyle competitor, overslept on the morning of the competition. He reached the Phoenix Snow Park, only in time for his third run, and left everyone including himself speechless by making a stellar gold-medal winning run. Ledecka won her second and record-setting medal with a borrowed set of skis. Norway, not having anticipated its success, ran out of commemorative shoes to hand out to winning athletes.

Sports are often used as a stage for making political statements, the Pyeongchang Games were no exception. First time in 11 years, two nations still technically at war, North and South Korea walked in unison at the opening ceremony. There were selfies and casual banter between athletes in the heart of the arena. It revoked the spirit of harmony in games and brought hope for peace in future. The ban on Russia condemning the state-sponsored 2014 doping, did not go unnoticed as 168 Russian athletes were invited to compete as neutrals, boldly sending out the message of fair play and integrity.

In conclusion, the 2018 Winter Olympics was a grand success, breathing truth to the words of John Williams, “The Olympics are a wonderful metaphor for world cooperation, the kind of international competition that's wholesome and healthy, an interplay between countries that represents the best in all of us.”