Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics: Top 15 athletes to watch
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She’ll be competing in the women’s freeski halfpipe, women’s freeski slopestyle and the women’s freeski big air events.
Kamila Valieva, Russian Olympic Committee
Valieva is scheduled to participate in the women’s single skating event, and has already been in action in the team event, with the 15-year-old winning the women’s short program in qualification with 90.18 points.
After the second day of the three-day competition, the ROC have 45 points, three ahead of the USA team, which had led on Saturday.
“I was a little nervous going into the competition, but once I got to the ice, I skated well. I was in control of my program and showed the result I wanted,” said Valieva after the women’s short program.
“I had so much energy going into the end of this short program. I’m skating for my grandmother (who) passed away.”
Mikaël Kingsbury, Canada
Aside from clinching gold in the men’s moguls event at PyeongChang 2018, Kingsbury has won the most medals of any male participant ever at the Freestyle World Championships.
He’s set to compete in the men’s moguls event at Beijing 2022.
Chloe Kim, United States
It seems Chloe Kim was destined for Olympic glory, having started snowboarding at the age of four.
The story goes that her father immigrated from South Korea to the US with $800 in hand, later giving up his job to support his daughter’s snowboarding ambitions.
Kim was 17 years old when she won the women’s halfpipe event at PyeongChang 2018, making her the youngest woman to earn an Olympic gold medal in snowboarding.
She’s scheduled to compete in the women’s halfpipe event at this year’s Games.
Ireen Wüst, Netherlands
Yuzuru Hanyu, Japan
Hanyu isn’t just going for gold at Beijing 2022 — where he’ll be competing in the men’s single skating event and the team event — he also wants to perform the quad axel.
Erin Jackson, United States
However Jackson received a spot after compatriot Brittany Bowe renounced her place, saying at the time, “No one’s more deserving than her to get an opportunity to bring Team USA home a medal.”
But in a fortuitous twist, Bowe will still be able to compete in the 500m after the US picked up an extra spot when some countries returned quota slots for the event.
Bowe will also participate in the women’s 1,000m and 1,500m events. Even though Jackson has only been speed skating for five years, she’s a favorite for gold in the women’s 500m and women’s 1,000m events.
Benjamin Alexander, Jamaica
While setting his sights on Olympic glory, he began training with various coaches — even seeking advice from legendary Jamaican bobsledder Dudley ‘Tal’ Stokes.
His ambition to become Jamaica’s first alpine skier at the Winter Games became a reality after he qualified for Beijing 2022 in January. Alexander is scheduled to take part in the men’s giant slalom event on 13 February.
Charlotte Kalla, Sweden
Three-time Olympic champion Kalla could add to her track record of gold glory at Beijing 2022, where she’s set to compete in the women’s cross-country skiing event.
Timothy LeDuc, United States
LeDuc is scheduled to compete in the pair skating event with partner Ashley Cain-Gribble and the team event at this year’s Olympics.
Su Yiming, People’s Republic of China
He’s part of an 176-athlete roster — China’s largest ever contingent at the Winter Games — which is hoping to bring home gold at Beijing 2022.
Su is set to compete in the men’s snowboard slopestyle and the men’s snowboard big air events.
Johannes Thingnes Bø, Norway
Johannes Thingnes Bø started training in biathlon, which involves cross-country skiing and shooting, in 2009.
He would go on to win three Olympic medals and become the only Norwegian biathlete to claim gold at the Winter Games in 2018.
Nathan Chen, United States
This year, he’s scheduled to take part in the men’s singles skating event and the team event, in which he won a bronze medal at PyeongChang 2018.
Arianna Fontana, Italy
She became the youngest Italian athlete to earn a medal at the Winter Games, when she claimed bronze in the 3,000m relay event at Torino 2006.
Fontana is a firm favorite for gold in the women’s 3,000m relay event at Beijing 2022.
Maame Biney, United States
After PyeongChang 2018, where she became the first Black woman to represent Team USA in the short track speed skating team, Maame Biney was close to hanging up her skates.
But now, she’s hoping her successful recovery will shine through at Beijing 2022, where she’s scheduled to compete in the women’s 3,000m relay event.
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