tirsdag 22. februar 2022

Beijing Olympics hit the heights -- and the depths

A giant Chinese knot symbolizing fortune and unity welcomed the athletes who paraded into Beijing's Bird's Nest for the Closing Ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. For an athlete who hasn't won a medal, such as Jamaican bobsledder Rolando Reid, whose team ranked 28th, carrying the flag provides a special moment, but it is one enjoyed by medalists, too, such as Canadian speed skater Isabelle Weidemann, who leaves Beijing with one in every color.

The ups and downs of the Olympics might best be understood through the eyes of bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor, who carried the American flag, wearing a navy face mask which could barely contain her grin. She was, of course, selected to be the flag bearer in the Opening Ceremony, but a positive COVID-19 test kept her confined to a hotel, watching the festivities on television.