BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- As the curtain draws on the Beijing Winter Olympics, the traditional ice and snow powerhouse, the United States, has sent a huge army of more than 220 people, the second largest number of athletes in the history of the United States participating in the Winter Olympics, second only to the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Nearly 40 members of the American team have won Olympic medals, and they are talented in many sports such as alpine skiing, snowboarding, speed skating and figure skating, and the strength of the two battlefields on ice and snow is also more balanced, and it is expected to break through the 9 gold results of the last Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
Pictured here on February 24, 2018, American Player Kyle Mack finished second in the men's snowboarding men's big jump final at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics with a score of 168.75 points. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Fei Maohua
After the retirement of Vaughn, the former "first beauty of the Winter Olympics" and the American ski goddess Vaughn, Shiffrin has taken over the baton and become the new "queen" of alpine skiing in the United States, and she is also the brightest star of this year's American team. Eight years ago in Sochi, at the age of 18, Shiffrin won the women's slalom title; four years ago, at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, she won the gold medal again in the giant slalom event.
After winning the gold medal in Sochi and becoming the youngest women's slalom champion in history, the "young and crazy" Shiplin spoke amazingly, saying that she would "win five gold medals at the next Olympic Games". Although this dream has not been realized in Pyeongchang, with its mature skills and 26-year-old age advantage, it is not a dream to hit more gold medals.
At the Beijing Winter Olympics, Shivlin will compete in multiple events such as slalom, giant slalom, super slalom, and descent. "I know it's not easy and it takes a very hard preparation, both physically and psychologically, for that. Therefore, the preparation work must be comprehensive, including technical tactics, physical reserves, accommodation and catering, and even time difference. Shifflin said.
Pictured is on December 21, 2018, in the 2018-2019 Alpine Skiing World Cup, France Courchevale Station Women's Grand Slalom Competition, American Shiffering won the championship. Xinhua News Agency/Ouxin
Shifflin was upset last winter due to back muscle spasms, followed by covid-19, but she was in very stable shape after entering the New Year, performing well in the World Cup.
In terms of the alpine skiing men's team, Bennett, Cannon, Sigley and other players are also expected to hit the podium.
Snowboarding has always been a "rich mine" for the American Legion to compete for gold and silver. At the last PyeongChang Winter Olympics, the project contributed 4 of the 9 golds of the U.S. team, of which the defending champion of the men's snowboard U-shaped field, Sean White, was undoubtedly the biggest star.
In terms of athletic performance, White is undoubtedly one of the greatest athletes in the history of snowboarding. The 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin and the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver won the U-shaped venue title, which made him a sensation. At the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, White's lack of opportunity to receive the podium once made people think that his era was over, but the "flying tomato" staged the return of the king in PyeongChang four years later, winning his third Olympic gold medal at the age of 31, shocking the world.
Pictured here on February 17, 2010, American Sean White won the final of the men's U-groove in snowboarding at the Vancouver Winter Olympics. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wu Wei
In February, White will start his fifth Winter Olympic journey at the age of 35, when he will be the oldest Olympian ever in the event.
"For a veteran like me, there's really not much left in my career. If the Winter Olympics were postponed by a year, I might not be able to participate. So I am very grateful to China, to the Olympic family, for hosting the Winter Olympics at such a difficult time. White said.
In addition, Chloe Kim, a talented Korean-American girl, is also very promising to defend the women's U-shaped field champion. In the men's and women's steeplechase skills competitions, Gerald and Jamie Anderson will also be back in the gold medal.
In figure skating, the American team is like a cloud. The men's singles have Chinese talented players Chen Wei and Zhou Zhifang joining forces, and ice dance has double insurance of Chuck/Bates and Huber/Donohue.
Chen Wei, 22, was seen as the strongest opponent of Japanese star and defending champion Yu Yusei ahead of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. However, due to his dysfunctional performance in the short show, he only finished fifth in the end. In the Beijing Winter Olympic cycle, Chen Wei's performance is very stable, his skills are becoming more and more mature, and he has advanced to three world championships in figure skating. This time in Beijing, he has only one goal, that is, to compete for the championship.
Pictured on March 27, 2021, in the men's single skating competition of the World Figure Skating Championships held in Stockholm, Sweden, American Chen Wei won the championship with a total score of 320.88 points. Xinhua News Agency/AFP
In the past decade, the U.S. team's achievements in ice dance have steadily improved, and medals have been awarded in many consecutive Winter Olympic Games. The Chuck/Bates and Huber/Donojo pairs will also go all out to the podium in Beijing.
The comprehensive strength of American ice hockey should not be underestimated. At the last Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, the American women's ice hockey team won the championship against the defending champion Canada in the final with a penalty, winning the championship again after 20 years. This time again in Beijing, the United States and Canada are still optimistic about the final of the division.
The U.S. men's curling team has improved rapidly in recent years, becoming the new upstart in the world curling event, and at the last Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, the U.S. men's curling team defeated the winning Swedish team and won the first Olympic gold medal in the United States curling event.
Pictured here is the U.S. men's curling team winning the gold medal at the medal ceremony of the men's curling competition at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics on February 24, 2018. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ma Ping
In the speed skating event, the United States has also emerged many talents in recent years, of which Beauvais is the world record holder in the women's 1000 meters event, has been crowned the world champion three times, and her friend Erin Jackson is ranked first in the world in the women's 500 meters event.
In addition, the American team also has many gold rush points in freestyle skiing, cross-country skiing and other sports.
Editors: ShuWen, Wu Bowen, Zheng Daojin, Wang Wanqi (Intern)