Nihao from Beijing!
Today is Day 1 of the Beijing Olympics Here are AP’s coverage plans. All times are Eastern. For questions, please email Amanda Barrett at abarrett@ap.org. Find the latest Olympics coverage plans on Coverage Plan. For expanded content, visit AP’s Olympics hub on AP Newsroom. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport@ap.org or call 877-836-9477. For questions about the digital news experience or medals tables, please email Barry Bedlan at bbedlan@ap.org.
HAPPENING IN BEIJING
Frigid winds were the story of day, forcing the cancelation of men's downhill skiing training and hampering contestants in the women's slopestyle qualifying round. But the weather conditions didn't stop Theresa Johaug, who won the first goal medal of the Beijing Olympics in women's cross-country skiathlon.
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TRENDING NEWS
OLY-BEIJING-SNAPSHOT-TOGETHER-APART — The ever-present slogan that governs these Winter Olympics is meant to evoke the ideal of one world. In reality, it’s two. SENT: 300 words, photos.
OLY-BEIJING OUTSIDE THE BUBBLE — Beijing residents gathered outside in droves on a below-freezing Friday night to try to get a glimpse of the lit-up Olympic stadium and the fireworks during the opening ceremony for the 2022 Winter Games. SENT: 426 words, photos.
OLY-SPD-BRITTANY-BOWE — Brittany Bowe is having quite an Olympics before she even hits the ice. By Paul Newberry. SENT: 430 words, photos.
OLY-XXC--WOMEN’S SKIATHLON — Therese Johaug won the first gold medal of the Beijing Olympics in the women’s 15-kilometer cross-country skiathlon. By Martha Bellisle. SENT: 243 words, photos.
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TOP STORIES
OLY—AUTHORITARIAN OLYMPICS? — The Olympic mission is clear, its chief said: “Always building bridges, never erecting walls.” But critics of Bach and the IOC say those ideals are nonsense, and talk of respect and bridge-building is overshadowed by Olympic officials cozying up to some of the world’s most powerful authoritarian rulers, and holding this year’s Games in a country accused of widespread human rights violations. By Tim Sullivan. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.
OLY--UYGHUR TORCHBEARER — Facing international criticism over it treatment of minorities, China’s selection of a member of the Uyghur Muslim ethnic group to help deliver the Olympic flame was a show of defiance, a message from Communist authorities that they won’t be swayed. By John Leicester. SENT: 886 words, photos.
OLY-NORTH KOREA-ABSENCE — North Korea basked in the limelight during the last Winter Games in South Korea. Because of fears of the coronavirus, no North Korean athletes or officials will attend these Games in Beijing, and some observers believe the North will continue its recent belligerence, even amid the rhetoric of Olympic peace. By Kim Tong-Hyunh and Kim Hyunh-jin. SENT: 1,200 words, photos.
OLY-SKI-SHIFFRIN'S SKIING — Mikaela Shiffrin will defend her giant slalom gold medal in the first women’s Alpine skiing event of the Beijing Olympics. The 26-year-old from Colorado already has won three Olympic medals for the U.S. and three overall World Cup titles. By Howard Fendrich and Pat Graham. SENT: 1,023 words, photos.
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EXPLAINERS
OLY-BEIJING-SNOWMAKING — Dry Beijing barely gets any winter precipitation, making this year’s Winter Games the first to rely almost entirely on artificial snow. Here’s a closer look at the Olympic snowmaking operation. By Kelvin Chan. UPCOMING: 860 words, photos.
OLY-JUM-SKI-JUMPING EXPLAINER — Ski jumping captivates viewers every four years, when they fearlessly fly the length of an American football field plus the end zones. The Associated Press is here to help. Here’s a look at what to watch when the women go for gold. By Larry Lage. SENT: 698 words, photo.
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THE ATHLETES
OLY--LUG-US-BRITCHER — In luge, the start is critical. Sliders, wearing gloves with tiny spikes, dig their fingers into the ice at the start and paddle to get the momentum they need to get down the track. And a broken finger is forcing Summer Britcher of the U.S. to get creative. By Tim Reynolds. SENT: 754 words, photos.
OLY--SKI—THE COCHRAN CONNECTION — For a member of Vermont’s Skiing Cochrans family, competing in an Olympics is a right of passage. Fifty years after his mom, Barbara Ann, won the gold in slalom, Ryan Cochran-Siegle is a legitimate contender for a medal in the men’s downhill that will open the Alpine skiing program of the Beijing Games on Sunday. By Andrew Dampf. UPCOMING: 700 words by 7 a.m., photos.
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THE GAMES WE PLAY
OLY--JUM-MIND GAMES — The women and men who fearlessly fly through the air in ski jumping are not old enough to remember seeing Vinko Bogataj’s wipeout. Former Olympian Nick Fairall was left paralyzed with a spinal cord injury in more recent years. And yet, brave athletes around the world go head first down a steep incline as fast as 100 kph (62 mph) and essentially ski off a cliff for the thrill of a potential victory. By Larry Lage. SENT: 760 words, photos.
OLY--JUM-SKI JUMPING WOMEN — Norway’s Maren Lundby chose not to defend her Olympic gold in women’s ski jumping, improving chances to win for Japan’s Sara Takanashi. By Larry Lage. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos. Competition starts 5:45 a.m.
OLY-CUR-US-CURLERS — About the only way the U.S. men’s curling team can top its entrance at the Beijing Olympics is by winning another gold medal. Skip John Shuster carried the American flag into the Bird’s Nest for the opening ceremony along with speedskater Brittany Bowe. By Bernie Wilson. SENT: 736 words, photos.
OLY--SBD-WOMEN’S SLOPESTYLE QUALIFYING — Jamie Anderson and the rest of the women’s snowboarders glided through the rails and jumps in blustery conditions and bone-chilling temperatures during the Olympic slopestyle qualifying round. By Pat Graham. SENT: 770 words, photos.
OLY--SPD-SPEEDSKATING —Irene Scouten gave the mighty Dutch a gold medal in the first speedskating event of the Beijing Games. She broke a 20-year-old Olympic record in the women’s 3,000 meters. SENT: 590 words, photos.
OLY--SKI-MEN'S DOWNHILL TRAINING — Olympic downhill favorite Aleksander Aamodt Kilde was one of only three skiers to get a third run on the course after the final training session for the men’s race at the Beijing Games was halted on Saturday. By Andrew Dampf. SENT: 332 words, photos.
OLY--FIG-TEAM COMPETITION — The short program for pairs and the men’s free skate take place for the team competition in figure skating at the Beijing Games. By Sally Ho. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos. Competition starts 8:30 p.m.
OLY--SPD-SHORT TRACK SPEEDSKATING — Short-track speedskating begins at the Beijing Olympics with medals awarded in the mixed team relay. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos. Begins 6 a.m.
OLY--HKW-GROWING — Whatever faint hope there was of the rest of the world closing the gap on Canada and the United States’ women’s hockey teams is quickly being dashed three days into the Beijing Winter Games. Canada posted its second straight 11-1 win in beating Finland, and the Finns hardly fared better in losing their opener to the Americans. By Hockey Writer John Wawrow. UPCOMING: 800 words by 8 a.m., photos.
OLY--FRE-MEN’S MOGULS — Moguls skier Mikael Kingsbury defends his Olympic title Saturday night. The Canadian standout is attempting to become the second men’s moguls skier to win back-to-back gold medals, joining fellow Canadian Alexandre Bilodeau who accomplished the feat in 2010 and ’14. By Pat Graham. UPCOMING: 500 words, photos. Final run starts at 8:40 p.m.
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UP TO THE MINUTE
— OLYMPICS ROUNDUP — Highlights of the day from the 2022 Winter Games.
— BEIJING OLYMPICS-THE LATEST — Real-time updates and photos from every venue around the Winter Games.
— BEIJING OLYMPICS-WHAT TO WATCH — A guide to key storylines each day. Moves after 1 a.m.
— MEDAL BRIEFS — A roundup of the day’s gold medals. Starts Saturday.
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FEATURED IMAGES
OLYJL126 — Norway’s Therese Johaug celebrates after winning the gold medal in the women’s 7.5km + 7.5km Skiathlon cross-country skiing competition.
OLYJL107 — Frost covers a face shield of a volunteer before the start of the women’s 7.5km + 7.5km skiathlon cross-country skiing competition.
OLYVT183 — Japan’s Miyabi Onitsuka competes during the women’s slopestyle qualifying.
OLYFF156 — Fatih Arda Ipcioglu, of Turkey, soars through the air during the men’s normal hill individual ski jumping qualification round.
XHG116 — Residents pose for photos with a cutout showing the Olympic mascot Bing Dwen Dwen at a popular retail street,
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GRAPHICS
Beijing Winter Games Schedule: The full discipline schedule of competition events, including medal and ceremony days for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Print graphic. Now available.
