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Jack Lau

After a dazzling opening ceremony on Friday night, it is officially time to get the 2022 Winter Olympics under way.
On this packed Saturday of competition, the first medals will go out to athletes across six disciplines.
Here’s what to watch on day 1.




First medals at the women’s skiathlon
We can expect the first medals to be awarded for the women’s skiathlon, where athletes have to ski 15 kilometres – the first 7.5km with the classical technique, and the last 7.5km using freestyle.
Therese Johaug of Norway is the favourite to win, which would earn her a first individual gold. Johaug will face stiff competition from Sweden’s Frida Karlssonan and Ebba Andersson, as well as the US’ Rosie Brennan.
The race will start at 3.45pm (HKT).

China’s first gold? Short-track speedskating mixed relay
Chinese state-run media has dubbed this race as the nation’s best chance at clinching gold at Beijing 2022.
Wu Dajing, China’s only gold medallist at the 2018 Winter Games, is likely to be leading Fan Kexin, Ren Ziwei and Zhang Yuting for the mixed relay race, which is making its Olympic debut in Beijing.
This line-up won two golds, a silver and a bronze at the four legs of the 2021-22 ISU Short-Track Speed Skating World Cup, ranking first. While they have been listed for the event, so were Sun Long and Qu Chunyu, who could replace any of the quartet.


China have been assigned to the same heat as South Korea, a traditional powerhouse. The team is the most decorated in the discipline, having won 24 gold medals. It also broke the world record at the World Cup last October.
The skaters will have to race 2,000 metres, or 18 laps around the Capital Indoor Stadium rink.
Races begin at 8.23pm, starting with the quarter-finals. The semi-finals will begin half an hour later. If China place high in the semis, they will compete in the A final, which starts at 9.26pm, and potentially end the day with gold.

Curling: Sweden vs Canada
Sweden’s Almida de Val and Oskar Eriksson will face Canada’s Rachel Homan and John Morris in mixed doubles curling at 2.05pm.
While Sweden settled for a bronze at the 2021 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship, one of the two curling Olympic qualification events, De Val and Eriksson had the highest shot success percentage of all curlers after the round robin stage.
But the percentages at the Games are telling a different story. Canada are curling a combined 78.0 per cent after four games, while Sweden is at 72.3 per cent after five games.
After a losing effort against Britain, the Canadians bounced back quickly on Thursday to edge out Norway 7-6. Morris is looking to secure his second Olympic mixed doubles gold in Beijing after his first in Pyeongchang 2018.

Women’s ice hockey: Canada vs Finland
World No 2 Canada will face world No 3 Finland with the puck dropping at 12.10pm.
The status of Mélodie Daoust, Canada’s veteran forward and MVP at the 2018 Olympics, is unknown, however, after she was forced off the rink following a collision in the team’s first game on Thursday. Hockey Canada said on Friday she was still being assessed.
Since women’s hockey earned inclusion on the Olympic programme six Winter Games ago in 1998, the Canadians have gone home with four golds and two silvers. And their opening game on Thursday was promising: they beat Switzerland 12-1.

Men’s freestyle skiing moguls
Another medalling event on Saturday is men’s moguls.
The men’s moguls programme will begin with the second qualification round at 6pm for skiers who did not advance directly to the three finals. The first final will start at 7.30pm.
Keep an eye on 18-time world champion Mikael Kingsbury.
Defending his Olympic title, the Canadian breezed through the first round of qualification, ranking first and outdoing Sweden’s Walter Wallberg and France’s Benjamin Cavet. He will start Saturday in the first final.


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Beijing Winter Olympics 2022

Winter Olympics day 1 schedule: China’s first – and best – chance at gold; skiing medals up for grabs

Wu Dajing of China attends a training session at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing. Photo: Xinhua/Ding Xu

Wu Dajing of China celebrates his gold medal during in the men’s 500m short track event at the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Games. Photo: EPA-EFE

Canada’s John Morris and Rachel Homan shake hands after winning their mixed doubles curling match against China. Photo: AP/Nariman El-Mofty

Melodie Daoust of Canada celebrates scoring during the women’s ice hockey preliminary round Group A match between against Switzerland at National Indoor Stadium in Beijing. Photo: Xinhua/Li Ziheng

Canada’s Mikael Kingsbury competes in men’s moguls qualification during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at the Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China’s Hebei Province. Photo: Xinhua/Xue Yubin

Winter Olympics opening ceremony – who was best dressed? From Italy’s Emporio Armani garb to Mongolia’s traditional attire, Beijing 2022 shows fashion has no boundaries

Nathan Crumpton, of American Samoa, carries his national flag into the stadium during the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Photo: AP/Natacha Pisarenko

American Samoa’s flag bearer Nathan Crumpton braved the cold and went topless with some traditional clothing for the opening ceremony. Photo: AP

Beijing 2022 opening ceremony serves up dazzling night of tech, light and colour as Xi Jinping opens Winter Olympics amid backdrop of Covid-19 concerns and political tension

Dinigeer Yilamujiang (left) and Zhao Jiawen light the cauldron during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics on Friday. Photo: Getty Images

The Bird’s Nest National Stadium is awash in dazzling blue during the Beijing Winter Olympics opening ceremony. Photo: SF&OC

Flag bearer Sidney Chu carries the Hong Kong flag during the athletes’ parade at the opening ceremony. Photo: Reuters/Annegret Hilse

President Xi Jinping and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach wave to the athletes during the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at the National Stadium on Friday. Photo: AFP

The Olympic flag and China’s flag flutter during the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Photo: AFP

Children perform during the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Photo: AFP

The Olympic flame rises above the crowd during the opening ceremony. Photo: SF&OC

Fireworks in the shape of the Olympic rings explode in the night sky during the opening ceremony. Photo: AFP

The Olympic flag is raised during the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Photo: Getty Images

Fluorescent lights depict dandelions during the early stages of the Beijing Winter Games opening ceremony. Photo: SF&OC

Performers prepare for the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at the National Stadium. Photo: AFP

Flag-bearers Tingyu Gao and Dan Zhao lead Team China into the stadium during the opening ceremony. Photo: Getty Images

The Olympic flame seen soon before it is lit by Dinigeer Yilamujian and Zhao Jiawen. Photo: AP

Children perform during the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics. Photo: AP

Winter Olympics: Covid-19 positives leave Norway camp reeling with Beijing 2022 medal hopes in balance

Norway’s gold medallists (from left) Didrik Toenseth, Martin Johnsrud Sundby, Simen Hegstad Krueger and Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo pose on the podium during the medal ceremony for the cross country men’s 4x10km relay at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics. Photo: Javier Soriano/AFP

Norway’s Anna Odine Stroem takes part in women’s ski jumping normal hill training at the National Ski Jumping Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China’s Hebei Province. Photo: Xinhua/Zhu Zheng

A biathlete from Norway practises at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Zhangjiakou, China. Photo: AP/Frank Augstein

Winter Olympics: Beijing 2022 opening ceremony, as it happened

Winter Olympics: Hong Kong flag-bearer Sidney Chu sounds bittersweet note ahead of opening ceremony – ‘I really, really wish it was all of us’

Sidney Chu, of Hong Kong, carries the city’s flag into the National Stadium during the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Photo: AP/Jae C Hong

Short-track speed skater Sidney Chu at a press conference ahead of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Photo: Chan Kin-wa

Hong Kong short-track speed skater Sidney Chu (left) with head coach and two-time Chinese Olympic silver medallist Sun Dandan training before their Beijing Winter Olympics event. Photo: Hong Kong Sports Federation and Olympic Committee

Hong Kong Olympic skiers Audrey King (left) and Adrian Yung Hau-tsuen after their training camp in Jacorina, Bosnia. Photo: Skiing Association of Hong Kong 

Sport

China

Beijing Winter Games 2022


Home hopes turn to short-track speedskating mixed relay, with Pyeongchang 2018 gold medallist Wu Dajing leading the charge
First medals will go out in women’s skiathlon, before Mikael Kingsbury looks to defend men’s moguls title



Home hopes will turn to short-track speedskating mixed relay, with Pyeongchang gold medallist Wu Dajing leading the charge


IOC (International Olympic Committee)

Winter Olympics day 1 schedule: China’s first – and best – chance at gold; skiing medals up for grabs

Home hopes turn to short-track speedskating mixed relay, with Pyeongchang 2018 gold medallist Wu Dajing leading the charge First medals will go out in women’s skiathlon, before Mikael Kingsbury looks to defend men’s moguls title

First medals at the women’s skiathlon

China’s first gold? Short-track speedskating mixed relay

Home hopes turn to short-track speedskating mixed relay, with Pyeongchang 2018 gold medallist Wu Dajing leading the charge

First medals will go out in women’s skiathlon, before Mikael Kingsbury looks to defend men’s moguls title