The Beijing Winter Olympics has finally concluded the competitions and officially ends on Sunday. It was one historic sporting event successfully conducted despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as geopolitical tensions.
Sunday's ceremony brought to a close two weeks of winter games highlighted with intense competitions and moments that defined heroes and re-wrote records.
Beijing is set to hand over the hosting baton to Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy to host the next Winter Games in 2026.
Defining Moments for Team USA
Nathan Chen of Team USA won gold in men's figure skating singles, making him the first Asian American man to come out on top of an Olympic medal in the event. Chen scored 113.97 points in the men's Olympic short program, breaking Yuzuru Hanyu's world record set in 2020.
Erin Jackson emerged as the first Black woman to bag a gold medal for Team USA in the speedskating event. Jackson's friend and fellow skater Brittany Bowe offered her a spot in this year's Winter Games after stumbling during the Olympic trials.
Jesse Diggins showcased her never-say-die spirit in the women's 30-kilometer race Sunday as she finished the contest despite being sick from food poisoning 30 hours before the event. Per USA Today report, Diggins won a silver medal, though she collapsed from exhaustion. "I thought I was going to die at the finish line," she expressed.
The moment that @jessdiggs became the first woman to win a distance medal in cross-country skiing history for @TeamUSA. #WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/oijv0uq3a1
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 20, 2022
The 2022 Beijing Olympics Closing Ceremonies: What You Need To Know
The closing ceremony starts at 8 p.m. local time (7 a.m. ET) at Bird's Nest stadium, where the opening ceremony was conducted. The program is directed by notable Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou, who also developed the opening ceremonies of the Winter Games.
American viewers can watch the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics' closing program aired live via Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, and the NBC Sports app. NBC will also broadcast the closing rites on Sunday at 8 p.m (ET). A one-hour special program featuring the highlights of the Winter Games competitions will be aired at 7 p.m.
Elana Meyers Taylor will carry Team USA's flag during the closing ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics, according to the U.S. The Olympic and Paralympic Committees. The 37-year-old bobsledder was meant to bear the flag during the opening ceremony, but she was forced to quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19. She won silver in Women's mono bob and Two-woman bobsleigh events, silver and bronze, respectively.
The 2022 Beijing Olympics Closing Ceremony will also be an opportunity for US athletes to show off their new sporting gear to worldwide audiences per NBC Chicago.
The outfits for the Games, like any Olympic feat, are the result of a collaborative effort, with contributions ranging from Kim Kardashian's Skims line to Volcom, which provides gear exclusively designed for snowboarders. However, Ralph Lauren still has had the distinct honor of designing outfits for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies since 2008.
There will still be awarding of medals in the events of alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, bobsledding, figure skating, curling, freestyle skiing, hockey, and speed skating, even though some events have already concluded.
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