Although it’s been under a year since the 2024 Olympics, the NFL is already starting to deal with the planning for the 2028 Games.

Amid an infusion of new sports in recent years, including skateboarding and breakdancing, has come the addition of flag football. And, for some star NFL players, that could mean a chance to play on the international stage.

“I’ve heard directly from a lot of players who want to participate and represent their country, whether it’s United States or the country that they came from,” said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

That chance isn’t yet certain. The Olympics are slated to take place from mid to late July 2028, which will likely conflict with the start of training camp. Even more pressing, with the amount of star power that could participate, are potential injury protections.

A similar situation emerged in the NHL after the 2014 Sochi Olympics, ultimately leading the league to ban players from participating entirely. But as the international stage grows too massive to ignore, the NHL has decided to resume participation in 2026 – and it won’t be surprising to see the NFL take the same path.

“I think that’s something that we’ll continue to discuss with, not just the union, but also the clubs,” Goodell said. “I think both of those are things that we’ll probably resolve sometime in the next 60 days.”

Meanwhile, NFL team owners will be advocating their own interests. A team is allowed to block players from engaging in any activity that risks significant injury, and the Tennessee Titans did just that in 2007, blocking cornerback Pacman Jones from wrestling during a one-year suspension.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk puts it in simple terms: “For most owners, the final decision should be obvious: “You’re not getting our players.””

So the next two months will see whether NFL players will get a chance on the international level. For the NFL, which pushed for Olympic inclusion and is looking to launch a professional flag football league, the rationale for inclusion seems obvious. It only remains to be seen whether ownership concerns will win out.

U.S. Olympic fencer Eli Dershwitz shed light on the critical skills necessary in fencing in an exclusive interview with uSports.

Dershwitz, who has represented the United States at the Paris Olympics in June, highlighted the importance of a unique blend of physical agility and mental acuity.

“I would say the combination of quick and explosive feet similar to how tennis players need very fast one-two steps from their stance, and in fencing, it’s no different,” he told uSports in April. “The strip isn’t that wide or long, so those first one, two, three steps need to be really explosive.”

The Olympian emphasized that the ability to change direction rapidly is vital for staying competitive in fencing. This quickness, he noted, allows fencers to react and adapt in real-time to their opponents’ movements, a necessity in a sport where fractions of a second can determine the outcome of a match.

Physical speed alone isn’t enough in fencing. “You need to be able to change directions quickly,” Dershwitz observed. “You need to be explosive in that regard; it’s a game of physical chess,”

U.S. Olympic sprinter Kenny Bednarek is focused on securing a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, following a close finish in Tokyo. Bednarek, who narrowly missed the top spot on the podium in the 2021 Tokyo Games, is determined to achieve his ultimate goal in Paris.

“To win. Last time I was there for Tokyo, and I got edged out barely. So my goal is just to, you know, get the gold medal,” Bednarek told uSports in May, reflecting on his silver medal performance.

Bednarek’s Tokyo experience has fueled him to push beyond his previous accomplishments. His near-miss in the last Olympics has only shown his dedication to achieving the highest honor in his sport.

As he prepares for the Paris Games, Bednarek’s training regimen is focused on refining his performance and maintaining peak physical condition. His commitment to improvement and his competitive spirit make him a strong contender for gold.

U.S. Olympic track and field star Tara Davis-Woodhall credited her past setbacks for fueling her journey to success in Paris, expressing a belief that her previous second-place finishes were important in her growth and drive.

In a recent interview with uSports, Davis-Woodhall shared her thoughts on how these experiences have shaped her career and provided the motivation needed to achieve her goal of winning Olympic gold.

“It’s definitely instilled some confidence in me,” Davis-Woodhall said. “I do believe that second place was meant to be and allowed me to have some fuel to my fire, which allowed me to win gold at the World Indoors. And now hopefully for Olympic gold.”

Davis-Woodhall’s resilience has been evident throughout her athletic career. Her work paid off at the World Indoor Championships, where she won the gold medal, solidifying her status as one of the top athletes in her field.

Her journey to the top has been marked by a series of notable achievements. Davis-Woodhall first gained widespread recognition with her outstanding performances in collegiate track and field as a Texas Longhorn. Transitioning to the international stage, she demonstrated her commitment to the sport.

With the Olympics on the horizon, Davis-Woodhall’s aspirations are clear. She aims to build on her recent successes and carry the momentum forward to achieve her ultimate dream—an Olympic gold medal.

After a shaky opening quarter, the USA men’s basketball team outclassed Serbia and cruised to a 110-84 victory, giving them their first win in Group C.

Kevin Durant played one of the best games of his career, shooting 8-9 from the field and 5-5 from three. He led the U.S. in scoring with 23 points in 17 minutes off the bench. The four-time NBA scoring title holder did not play in the pre-season matches for the Americans, dealing with a calf injury, making his shooting barrage even more impressive. LeBron James put forth the most complete game for any player wearing red, white and blue, finishing with 21 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds while leading his team in minutes with 27. Steve Kerr’s team easily covered the -12.5 line set by Hard Rock Bet, even though his group struggled early.

Serbia raced out to an early 10-2 advantage as the United States committed three turnovers in three minutes, continuing their lazy style of basketball. However, the second unit, headlined by Anthony Davis and Durant, turned the game back in the Americans’ favor. The former slowed down former MVP Nikola Jokic, the latter shot the lights out and the U.S. ended the first on a 9-0 run to lead 25-20 at the end of one.

Serbia cut the deficit to two with two minutes remaining in the second, but Kerr’s club closed the quarter strong again and went into the break up 58-49.

The third quarter put the game out of reach, as the Serbs could no longer match their opponents’ pace, athleticism, and shooting. 20 of the 26 points the United States scored in the frame came from inside the paint as they tightened the screws. In the fourth, the Americans knocked down four of their 18 triples on the day, putting the game out of reach and embarrassing a medal favorite.

Serbia looked the part early on, but they could not handle the U.S. shooting. The red, white, and blue shot 62% from the floor and 56% from three, compared to only nine three-pointers made by the Serbs, half of their opponents.

While Sunday was a successful day on the court for the U.S., Kerr needed to answer questions off of it. 2024 NBA champion and first-team All-NBA SF Jayson Tatum did not receive a minute of playing time. Tatum became an integral piece for the United States off the bench during their exhibition matchups, but Durant’s return made his skills obsolete, according to the head coach. Kerr stated that he “feels like an idiot” for not playing Tatum and will get minutes throughout the tournament.

The Americans continue their gold medal defense Wednesday against South Sudan, whom they beat 101-100 during a friendly match.

As U.S. Olympic diver Andrew Capobianco gears up for the Paris 2024 Olympics, he detailed regimen exclusively to uSports that reflects the dedication and discipline necessary to compete at the highest level in Olympic athletes.

His daily routine is crafted to maintain peak physical and mental condition and offers a glimpse into the life of an elite athlete striving for Olympic glory.

Capobianco begins his day training, typically starting around 8 a.m.

Capobianco said, “morning session is usually not to early like eight o’clock, because if we train to early like there might be some mishaps because mentally you have to be all there.”

Between morning and afternoon sessions, Capobianco does Pilates for his routine. “Pilates is really good for me to keep my body in check, keep myself flexible and moving the right way,” he said.

The afternoon session, usually around 3 p.m., is another component of the diver’s day. Following this intense practice, he prioritizes recovery, utilizing methods such as stretching and sauna sessions.

“I will go to a sauna or something like that to just kind of like get myself to like go down and get ready for sleep,” Capobianco said. This routine ensures that his body is prepared for the next day of practice and can maintain long-term athletic performance.

In addition to his training and recovery, Capobianco is also a junior diving coach, adding another layer of responsibility to his schedule. Coaching from 7 to 9 p.m. on certain days, he acknowledges the challenge of winding down after a long day.

“The kids can be pretty tiring,” Capobianco laughed.

With the Paris 2024 Olympics on the horizon, Team USA soccer player John Tolkin sees the event as a stepping stone for his career and aspirations. “Yeah, I think you nailed it on the head, for sure. It’s on the horizon,” Tolkin told uSports.

“You try not to get that too far ahead, but I think, yeah,” Tolkin said, hinting at the balancing act between present duties and future ambitions. The Olympics, Tolkin believes, can serve as a critical preparation ground for aspiring to join the senior national squad for the 2026 World Cup on home soil.

“It doesn’t get better than that,” Tolkin said, reflecting on the unique opportunity to compete in a World Cup hosted by the United States. For many players, performing well in the Olympics is not just a matter of national pride but a pivotal moment in their careers. “I think that’s in the back of everybody’s mind,” he said, pointing to the collective anticipation within the team.

The benefits of a strong Olympic showing extend beyond national team aspirations. “To put good performances in the Olympics, I think it can help you so much, not just on a national team level, but also at a club level and just a career level,” Tolkin said.

The exposure and experience gained on such a prominent stage can significantly impact a player’s career trajectory.

“So yeah, it’s definitely in everybody’s minds and I think everyone’s excited,” Tolkin said.

Morelle McCane’s journey to the Paris Olympics as a boxer began with a casual workout.

“It started off as a workout,” McCane told uSports exclusively. “My niece was in it first, and I took her to the gym. I was like, let me practice with you, and I just fell in love with it.”

Despite its physical toll, McCane quickly became enamored with the rigorous training. “I fell in love with the whole process—the running, the crying and screaming, and the black eye that I got for the first time practicing,” she said.

McCane’s initial encounter with boxing was challenging. The sport’s physical demands, from intense cardio sessions to sparring matches that often left her bruised, could have easily deterred a less determined individual. However, for McCane, each obstacle served as fuel for her ambition: “It was just motivation to get better.”

Her journey from a novice boxer to an Olympic hopeful shows her hard work and dedication. “And now, we’re here on a grand scale, so everything paid off,” she reflected.

Moving from the court to the sand, Chase Budinger qualified for the U.S. Men’s beach volleyball team. Budinger and Mike Evans, his partner, are ranked 13th in the world and will be the number #2 pairing in Paris.

The 6’7″ athlete, a California native, grew up playing volleyball and was named Volleyball magazine’s National High School Player of the Year, along with an All-American honor in basketball. However, the two-sport athlete decided to take up basketball full-time in his freshman year at Arizona. The forward started three years with the Wildcats and averaged 17 points a game during his time in Tucson. His teams went to the NCAA tournament every season he played but only advanced to the Sweet 16 once.

After his collegiate days, he became the 44th pick in the 2009 NBA draft and played until 2016 with four teams, including the Indiana Pacers and Phoenix Suns. After spending one season on the hardwood in Europe, he returned to his childhood calling.

Budinger joined the AVP tour in 2018 and has played beach ever since. He says he never wanted to get the “what now” feelings that athletes get after retiring and used volleyball to keep him moving. According to the AVP website, he earned Most Improved Player honors a year later and won his first AVP title. Fast forward five years later, Budinger and Evans clinched the last spot in the Olympics, and the 36-year-old will compete in the Summer Games for the first time.

The Olympics are in full swing, with more U.S. trials underway in the coming weeks. Swimming begins June 15 in Indianapolis, track and field starts June 21 in Oregon, and the summer games begin June 25 in the Target Center in Minnesota. The qualifiers will head to Paris a month later, and the Summer Games will start on July 26. 

Simone Biles is rounding into form as she prepares to represent the United States in the Paris Olympics next month.

On Sunday, Biles clinched her ninth all-around title at the U.S. gymnastics championships in Fort Worth, Texas, with a remarkable score of 119.750. She is rewriting the history books, as no other gymnast has more than seven all-around titles.

How she bounced back after dropping out of the Tokyo Olympics makes her success more impressive. In 2021, Biles came down with the “twisties,” forcing her to remove herself from multiple events. During and after the summer games, she became a champion for mental health, explaining to fans and media that she needed to “focus on my well-being” to deal with what happened in Japan. Her win on Sunday meant she booked her ticket in the U.S. Olympic trials later in the month, leading to an emotional, heart-warming reaction from her mom and family during her routines Sunday.

Since the last time she participated in the Olympics, Biles’ family life has changed. She recently married NFL safety Jonathon Owens in 2023, and they settled down in Texas shortly after. However, Nellie, Biles’ stepmom, who she sees as her second parent, stole the show with her reactions. Each move brought her closer and closer to tears, knowing what this moment meant to her child.

Biles has become one of the most decorated gymnasts in world history, with four Olympic gold medals and 37 total medals across all competitions.

The U.S. Olympic trials begin June 27 and end June 30 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Olympic games take place in Paris, France, starting Friday, July 26. Gymnastics is one of the first events on the schedule, and the competition is underway from July 27 until August 5.

The governing boy for world swimming, FINA, has voted to restrict transgender swimmers from participating in women’s competitions. FINA voted 71.5% in favor to restrict swimmers who have transitioned after the age of 12 from participating in women’s competitions.

The vote came amidst the increasing controversy surrounding transgender athletes partaking in women’s sports as some say that due to an “advantage” that they have over biological women. The controversy surrounding transgender athletes was brought to the forefront due to the success of University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, whose increased success caused many people to question the fairness of the competitions. Thomas won the NCAA championship in the 500-yard freestyle in March.

One swimmer, Lisa Gaines, who competed against Thomas earlier this year, said the new restrictions are a step in the right direction. “I think this is kind of the first large governing body that has prioritized fairness in women’s sports, and so while it’s not everything, it’s definitely a bold first step and a step in the right direction,” Gaines told the media.

Although transgender women are restricted, FINA’s new policy is calling for an “open competition” category that would permit all transgender women. “No one quite knows how this is going to work. And we need to include a lot of different people, including transgender athletes, to work out how it would work. So there are no details of how that would work. The open category is something that will start being discussed tomorrow,” a FINA spokesman said Monday.

In the past, testosterone levels in an athlete had been the determining factor in gauging their eligibility to compete in women’s competitions, but the International Olympic Committee gave new recommendations on the matter last November calling for officials to examine where and when a performance advantage exists as it pertains to different sports.

The Stade de France in central Paris was the site of chaos before the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday evening. The match which featured English club Liverpool FC and Spanish club Real Madrid had to be delayed by over half an hour as security struggled to contain the crowd and control the fans climbing over fences and barricades. Police were called in and tear gas, as well as pepper spray, were deployed onto the crowd. Leadership groups involved with Liverpool fans’ have complained about the poor organization and heavy policing that led to many children and elderly people being sprayed with tear gas.

UEFA is citing many different causes for the disorganization that occurred with the fan movement. The lack of signage on the streets as well as the lack of volunteers and ushers helping supporters navigate their way into the stadium has been given as one of the main reasons for the chaos. This may be due to the short notice and limited time the city had to prepare for the final. Originally, the Russian city of St. Petersburg was set to host the match. But due to the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war, the city was stripped of its hosting privileges. Paris was named host in February giving the city less than ample time to prepare for the influx of fans.

Ticketing has also been offered as another problem area. French interior Géral Darwinian claimed there was “massive fraud at an industrial level,” saying that “70% of the tickets were fake tickets coming into the Stade de France.” There were also claims of malfunctioning scanners at the event. Deputy mayor of the 12th arrondissement in Paris, Richard Bouigue, released a statement to Liverpool supporters saying, “the time for official denial is over, the time for apologies must be imposed. I deplore the dysfunctions in the organization of the game and the lack of maintenance of order that led to this real fiasco.”

The problems with the UEFA Champions League Final have raised concerns about Paris’s ability to host the Olympics in 2024. UEFA is launching an investigation and is commissioning a report of all “entities involved” at the Stade de France as it is a key Paris 2024 venue. As of now, Liverpool fans are still expressing displeasure about their treatment and their team’s ultimate 1-0 defeat at the hands of Real Madrid.

After attending a rally hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin, two-time Russian Olympic gold medal swimmer Evgeny Rylov saw his sponsorship deal with Speedo ixnayed.

The 25-year-old won gold in the 100- and 200-meter backstroke at last year’s Tokyo Games, and he was one of the eight Russian athletes who appeared on stage at a Moscow rally last week; the rally was to celebrate the eighth year of Russia’s dubious annexation of Crimea.

“Following his attendance at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow at the weekend, Speedo can confirm that it has terminated the sponsorship of Evgeny Rylov with immediate effect,” the swimwear maker said.

“We condemn the war in Ukraine in the strongest possible way and stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, our athletes, and our teammates who have been impacted by the conflict.

“As part of this decision, any outstanding sponsorship fees will be donated to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.”

Rylov wore his Olympic medals at the rally as well as the letter Z—a mark used by Russians to show their support for the war—on his clothes.

The International Swimming Federation (FINA) said in a statement: “FINA is deeply disappointed to note the reports regarding Evgeny Rylov’s appearance at the Luzhniki Stadium during Friday’s rally. We are investigating the matter further.”

On the heels of the Ukrainian invasion, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) urged “with a heavy heart” sports bodies Monday to exclude the country’s athletes and officials from international events.

The IOC said the move is necessary to “protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all the participants.”

The decision paved the way for FIFA to exclude Russia from a March 24 World Cup qualifying playoff match; Poland has refused to play the tilt against Russia.

The urge also applied to athletes and officials from Belarus, which has abetted Russia’s invasion by allowing its territory to be used to station troops and launch military attacks.

The ICO added that where exclusion was “not possible on short notice for organizational or legal reasons” then teams from Russia and Belarus should compete as neutral athletes, including at the upcoming Winter Paralympics in Beijing.

The IOC also withdrew Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 2001 Olympic Order, and other Russian officials since.

European sports bodies had already moved against Russia on Monday by refusing to host or play against teams: Finland wants the Russian hockey team banned from the men’s world championships it will host in May; the Swiss soccer federation said its women’s team will not play Russia in July at the European Championship; and German soccer club Schalke said it had decided to end its longstanding partnership with Russian energy company Gazprom.

FIFA declined to ban Russia from the World Cup. Instead, the soccer body said the country’s national team will have to compete as Football Union of Russia. Besides Poland, both Sweden and the Czech Republic, Russia’s next potential opponents, have said they would refuse to take the field against them.

“The Swedish Football Association is disappointed with FIFA’s decision but is determined to continue to work together with other federations to cancel Russia’s matches in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers,” the body said, citing the “illegal and deeply unjust invasion of Ukraine.”

The World Cup is scheduled to begin on Nov. 21 in Qatar.

There’s precedent for removing Russian teams. In 1992, following U.N. sanctions, FIFA and UEFA expelled Yugoslavia from its competitions when Balkan war broke out.

Canada defeated Team USA to win women’s ice hockey gold Thursday at the Beijing Olympics, while Marie-Philip Poulin had two goals and an assist and goalie Ann-Renee Desbiens made 38 saves in the 3-2.

Hilary Knight and Amanda Kessel scored for the U.S.

This was the sixth meeting between the two countries for Olympic women’s ice hockey gold since the event was added in 1998. The Americans won twice (1998, 2018) while Canada has won gold five times (four against the U.S. and once vs. Sweden in 2006; U.S. took bronze).

Canada finished the tourney with an Olympic-record 57 goals; the Canadians previously defeated the Americans 4-2 in the preliminary round.

The Canadians appeared to take the lead about seven minutes into the game on a Natalie Spooner goal, but a challenge by U.S. coach Joel Johnson reversed the call to offside.

However, Sarah Nurse deflected a Claire Thompson point shot past goalie Alex Cavallini just 54 seconds later. Poulin then extended the lead to 2-0 with 4:58 left in the period. She stole the puck from forward Kelly Pannek and floated a shot that snuck under Cavallini’s arm for her fifth goal of the tournament.

It was the fourth straight game for the U.S. without a first-period goal. The shots were 11-11 in the first period, with Canada carrying most of the play.

“It’s obviously not the start we wanted,” said Team USA captain Kendall Coyne-Schofield.

Poulin extended the lead to 3-0 at 10:52 of the second period. She became the only hockey player—male or female—to score in four Olympic gold-medal games. Seven of the 17 goals she’s scored in the Olympics have come in gold-medal games. Nurse passed Hockey Hall of Famer Hayley Wickenheiser for most points in a single Olympics (18) with her assist.

But the U.S. showed signs of life courtesy of Knight and her linemate Brandt. They were killing a Megan Keller holding penalty when Brandt forced a turnover in the defensive zone. Knight, playing in her U.S. hockey record 22nd Olympic game, skated into the zone, had a shot blocked, stayed with the rolling rebound, and scored to cut it to 3-1.

The U.S. continued its push in the third period, but Alex Carpenter hit the post with a shot and then was stopped by Desbiens on a partial breakaway.

Cavallini was pulled with over three minutes remaining in the game. Poulin took a tripping penalty with 1:25 to play, and the U.S. was playing 6-on-4. With 12.5 seconds left, Kessel slapped a rebound from the top of the crease to make it 3-2. That’s as close as they would get, though.

The previous two gold-medal games between these teams went to overtime.

It’s not uncommon for an Olympic athlete to be in pain during the games. It is uncommon, though, for the provided food to be the root cause of that pain.

Well, that’s exactly the situation in which Russian biathlete Valeria Vasnetsova finds herself.

Quarantined at the 2022 Games at a hotel in Beijing, Vasnetsova says the food she’s been given during her quarantine has been so bad that she’s in physical pain and cries daily.

The photo accompanying her Instagram story seems to back up her claims—a plate of plain pasta, some meat, a few potatoes, and a sauce. It doesn’t exactly make your mouth water.

The athlete sounded off on the “food,” calling it inedible and claiming it was what she was eating for “breakfast, lunch, and dinner for five days already.”

“My stomach hurts,” she adds. “I’m very pale and I have huge black circles around my eyes. I want all this to end. I cry every day. I’m very tired.”

She continues that the nutrition, or lack thereof, has caused her to lose weight and “my bones are already sticking out.”

Her complaints worked: Russian biathlon team spokesperson Sergei Averyanov said Vasnetsova was getting better meals—including salmon and cucumbers.

Vasnetsova is not the first athlete to complain about quarantine conditions at the Olympics, and she most likely won’t be the last.

The games officially kicked off on February 4 and are set to run through February 20.

Nathan Chen shattered the world record during his short program at the Beijing Olympics—scoring 113.97 Tuesday to beat the previous mark of his nemesis Yuzuru Hanyu and put himself in a position to win his elusive gold medal.

The 22-year-old Chen avenged his poor performance from the last Olympics and opened with a perfect quad flip, made short work of a tricky triple axel, and then landed his quad flip-triple toe loop combo in an awe-inspiring performance.

Chen’s total was nearly six points ahead of second-place Yuma Kagiyama and nearly 20 ahead of two-time Olympic champion Hanyu.

“I was just elated,” said Chen. “At the last Olympics, both of the short programs didn’t go the way I wanted. To finally get an opportunity to skate the programs I wanted feels really good.”

A free skate Thursday is the only thing standing between Chen and his dream to become an Olympic champ.

“There’s a lot of preparation that goes into it and a lot of things that you learn from year to year,” he said. “So I definitely picked up a lot of experience over the past couple of years, and certainly you learn the most from your mistakes.”

Kagiyama nailed a pair of quads and a triple axel during his program to finish with 108.12 points, while fellow Japanese skater and reigning Olympic silver medalist Shoma Uno came in third with 105.90 points.

“I feel really shocked today, but I have one more chance,” said Hanyu, who believes his skate hit a hole early in his short program which led to him finishing in eighth place at 95.15.

The showdown between Chen and Hanyu has been building since the last Olympics when Chen had what he called a “disastrous” short program in Pyeongchang that took him out of medal contention.

The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics are underway. In case you missed any of Day 2’s action, below is a comprehensive roundup of the second day’s events.

– The second day of the Winter Olympics brought Team USA its first two medals of the Games (slopestyle snowboarding; moguls).

– The U.S. women’s hockey team made short work of Switzerland with an 8-0 shellacking, giving the Americans two straight games without allowing a goal.

– Jakara Anthony won Australia’s first Winter Olympics gold since 2010. American Jaelin Kauf and the ROC’s Anastasia Smirnova take silver and bronze, respectively.

–  Julia Marino put together arguably her career-best Run 2 with a cab double underflip 900 and a frontside double 1080 to claim snowboard slopestyle silver and Team USA’s first medal of the 2022 Games.

– Now a two-time Olympian, U.S. figure skater Karen Chen made her Olympic team event debut with the women’s short program segment, finishing fifth with a score of 65.20.

– American snowboarders Sean FitzSimons, Red Gerard and Chris Corning placed third, fifth, and 11th, respectively, in qualifying to advance to the final in slopestyle—with Gerard being the defending gold medalist.

– When moguls skier Kai Owens makes her Olympic debut in Beijing, it will be “the most full circle full circle.” She was born in China and adopted at 16 months by parents in the U.S.

– 2018 Olympic snowboard slopestyle champion Red Gerard discusses his hair, his famous sister, and the sport of snowboarding.

Chock up another medal for the U.S.

“Yes!” Madison Chock said as Karen Chen landed a jump. Chock and Evan Bates were in the mixed zone after a media session Monday, watching as Chen took the ice.

The pair embraced in a hug after Chen landed another, as the silver medal was theirs.

The final day of the team figure skating competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics saw the three put on the best performance in the short history of the event—the U.S. won bronze in 2014 and 2018.

“We’ve been lucky enough to sit in the box at every one of those events,” Bates said. “And this year, knowing that we’d get the chance to participate, was a big deal to us.

“(We knew) that we have an opportunity to inspire the next generation of American skaters, with what we do here. Because let’s be honest—(there are) so many new eyes, so many new viewers to our sport at this event. That’s what makes it so unique.”

The favorite Russian Olympic Committee won gold in the event, while Japan took the bronze.

Fueled in part by Nathan Chen’s strong showing, the U.S. led the team standings after Day 1 of competition. However, by Day 3 the Russians had pulled away and the U.S. tied for second with Japan with two more events to go: free dance and women’s long program.

“We were very aware of what was going on. We were in the team box watching all of the events,” Chock said. “But that doesn’t change what we do when we get on the ice.”

“Weirdly, I felt quite calm,” Chen said. “It’s definitely hard to just come back after a hard skate, but for some reason I just felt very determined and very focused on what my job is. And I delivered just that.”

Mikaela Shiffrin’s quest for history “was finished basically before it even started.”

Headed down “The Ice River” just after 9:30 a.m. on Monday trying to become the first U.S. skier ever to win three Olympic gold medals, Shiffrin—11 seconds into her 2022 Games debut—slipped. She says her skis gave way, and “well, the day was finished basically before it even started.”

Shiffrin won the giant slalom at the 2018 Olympics and has raced it dozens of times since, but Monday was her first time not finishing the course.

“Um… I… it’s hard to know exactly,” she said of what happened. “We can go to a lot of different places where we can put the blame.” However, she didn’t use her prior back injury or COVID infection as excuses—she even said the course conditions were “really good.” She did apologize and say it was a “huge disappointment.”

“I won’t ever get over this,” Shffrin said before she rattled off a list of her other did not finishes. “It’s really heartbreaking.”

“I’m not gonna cry about this,” she added. “Because that’s just wasting energy. My best chance for the next races is to move forward, to refocus.”

After about 10 minutes of brutal honest and self-reflection with reporters, she hugged a teammate and set out to train for Wednesday’s slalom.