2022 was a special year for athletes across the world. “Why,” might you ask? The 2022 Winter Olympics were held in Beijing, China from February 4^th, 2022, to February 20^th, 2022. The best winter sports athletes came together to compete for the gold. Events, ranging from speed skating to curling, had their own special meanings for many teams across the world. For the United States, athletes won gold, wrapped up their time as an athlete, or made history. The 2022 Winter Olympics themselves made history but sparked some drama as well.

The United States Olympic Team accumulated eight gold medals, ten silver medals, and seven bronze medals, totaling 25 medals. Out of 84 teams, the United States Olympic Team placed fourth. One of the United States’ gold medalists, Nathan Chen, won a gold medal in figure skating. Erin Jackson, a gold medalist of the women’s 500 meters speed skating won gold as well. In the women’s monobob competition, Kaillie Humphries adds another gold medal under her belt, at the age of 36, making her the oldest medalist in women’s bobsledding history. Shaun White, an American snowboarder who currently holds three Olympic gold medals fell short of another medal in his last Olympics. White placed fourth with a best score of 85.00.

A major event during the 2022 Winter Olympics that took over all the news media was the positive drug test of Russian skater Kamila Valieva. At just 15 years old, she tested positive for an illegal drug called trimetazidine. Trimetazidine is a heart drug that is typically used for heart-related issues such as heart disease. However, trimetazidine increases blood flow which can enhance one’s endurance. Valieva was cleared to compete on February 15^th after the trial, however, this decision proved to be controversial. Following her clearance, she fell short of a medal placing fourth in her women’s free skating competition. The Russian Olympic Committee placed ninth out of 84 teams in the 2022 Winter Olympics.

One interesting fact about the Beijing Winter Olympics is that gained only 10.7 million views on television. This number makes the 2022 Winter Olympics the least viewed Olympics on television in history. Even though views hit a record low, streaming services like Peacock gained more views and streaming during the Olympics. The 2022 Winter Olympics are a prime example of how streaming services are taking popularity amongst the television economy.

The 2022 Winter Olympics ended as a very successful competition for the United States Olympic Team. With the United States placing fourth out of 84 teams, many American athletes gained their first gold medal such as Nathan Chen. The controversy following Kamila Valieva’s drug trial made the 2022 Winter Olympics quite an event of the year. One positive that the 2022 Winter Olympics created was the revenue streaming services such as Peacock, YouTube TV, and Discovery+. The next Olympics will be in 2024 in Paris France that will take place from July 26^th to August 11^th.