To get back to normal, the 2022 Winter Olympics commenced in Beijing. After two years of the Covid pandemic, the world watched athletes come together once again to compete.  Between the three different categories of figure skating, the results were surprising. 

  Starting with the pairs team, Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov, the representatives of the Russia Olympic Committee (ROC), scored 145.20 (10 points). Despite Galliamov slipping and taking Mishina down with him, the pairs team persists and finishes in first place. Runner-up is Japan’s Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara with a score of 139.60 (9 points). Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier with the United States scored last place with 138.45 (6 points) and a combined score of 212.68 which is their personal bests. 

  Next with the ice dance team, Madison Chock and Evan Bates, with the United States, place first with 129.07 (10 points). The two being a couple on and off the ice said they incorporated their relationship into their performance, and the crowd adores them. Runner up is Russia’s Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov with a score of 128.17 (9 points). Misato Komatsubara and Tim Koleto with Japan scores last with 98.66 (6 points).

  Between the women and men’s free skate, Kamilia Valieva with the ROC and Nathan Chen with the United States score first, Chen achieving his career-best during his short program. Kamilia Valieva was the first woman to land a quad jump at the Olympic Games. Although Valieva had three different heart drugs in her system and was then suspended on February 8th, a day after hearing her suspension was lifted by the RUSADA (Russian Anti-Doping Agency). Her case remains unresolved and the ROC still went home with gold but that did not stop the roller coaster of emotions from the audience. Former figure skater and Olympic bronze medalist Ashley Wagner said, “This is a moment where you genuinely have to say- that poor kid. She should not have ever been put in this position. She shouldn’t have been out on that ice, she shouldn’t have been put in a position where she became the face of a problem bigger than her.” Wagner, along with others who sympathize with Valieva, is blaming the judges and coaches for putting medals over health. With the men’s free skate, Donovan Carillo made history for Mexico with a total score of 218.13 during the men’s short program and free skate. 

  In all, each participant did a great job, after years of training that pushed them both physically and mentally. This Olympics allowed for athletes to make a change in their careers, which only supports the idea of what the next Olympics will be like.