The Games are almost upon us, and the excitement is really starting to build – at least in the athletes’ villages. As more members of Team Canada arrive, they seem to be shedding some of the trepidation about these Olympics. Pictures of the Olympic rings abound on social media, and there’s a sense of almost normalcy in their Instagram posts as they prepare for their events. It remains to be seen as to how that translates to the screens of those who will watch around the world, but for columnist Cathal Kelly, the lack of celebration from the host country is palpable.
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Canada's and South Korea's short track speed skaters take part in a training session at the Capital Indoor Stadium on January 31, 2022 ahead of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Games.ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP/Getty Images
How Team Canada is shaping up
- As of this writing, Canada has yet to choose a flag-bearer (or two), but there are plenty of potential favourites, from Marie-Philip Poulin to Justin Kripps.
- Whether to push themselves right up until the Games or lay low and rest up in anticipation – the members of Canada’s snowboarding team have different approaches to getting ready for their events
- Goaltender Devon Levi, 20, didn’t even know he was being considered for the men’s hockey team until he saw it on Twitter, but he could be the name on everyone’s lips when Canada faces Germany on Feb. 10.
Gold medal read
How an environmental ban on toxic ski waxes prompted an Olympic snow-sport arms race
Team Canada’s upcoming events
Wednesday, Feb. 2
8:05 p.m. ET Curling, mixed doubles round robin: Canada vs. Britain
11:10 p.m. ET Hockey, women Group A: Canada vs. Switzerland
Thursday, Feb. 3
5:00 am ET Freestyle skiing, women’s moguls, qualification 1
6:45 am ET Freestyle skiing, men’s moguls, qualification 1
7:05 a.m. ET Curling, mixed doubles round robin: Canada vs. Norway
7:35 p.m. ET Curling, mixed doubles round robin: Canada vs. Switzerland
8:55 pm ET Figure Skating, Mixed Team, Qualification - Men’s Short Program
10:35 pm ET Figure Skating, Mixed Team, Qualification - Rhythm Dance
The Globe has put together an Olympics primer, including the key athletes and teams, important events and when to watch. You can check it out (and keep it bookmarked) here.
Globe on the ground
- Cathal Kelly: What it was like arriving in Beijing ahead of the Olympics
- Cathal Kelly: There hasn’t been a fun Olympics for a decade, but at least Beijing is honest about what we’re getting instead
- Cathal Kelly: China wants this to be the just-not-talking-about-it Olympics. After Tokyo, good luck with that
COVID-19 and the Games
- As of Sunday, 119 cases of COVID-19 had been detected in the previous four days among the athletes and personnel associated with the Beijing Games, with most people testing positive after arrival at the airport.
- Wondering what life looks like in the “closed loop” of the Games? A look at all the scans, sanitization stations and other infection measures in the villages.
Looking for more up-to-the-moment COVID-19 news? Check out our coronavirus newsletter, sent weekdays.
As seen in Beijing:
The Globe and Mail
Freestyle skiers Olivia Asselin (left), Elena Gaskell (centre) and Megan Oldham pose in one of the athletes’ villages in China, Jan. 31, 2022.