Unfortunately, the medal count from the 2018 Winter Olympics wasn’t quite as high for the United States as most of us predicted or hoped for. Norway dominated with 39 medals, 14 of them being gold. Germany was next in the medal race with 31, followed by Canada with 29. The United States placed fourth with 23 medals, just 9 of them gold.
Five of the 9 gold medals won by the United States, were won by women. In fact, this was the first time in 20 years that women won more Olympic medals than men. Let’s take a moment to appreciate the amazing feats accomplished by American women in Pyeongchang.
- The U.S. women’s hockey team defeated its rival Canada for its first gold medal in 20 years. And they did it in a shootout! It was an awesome game, and a new “Miracle on Ice.” The men’s team, on the other hand, didn’t make it past the quarterfinals. If you haven’t seen it, you have to watch Jocelyne Lamoureux’s nasty shootout winner.
- Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall took home Team USA’s first-ever medal in women’s cross-country skiing and it was GOLD! Yet another awesome finish that you need to see if you haven’t already.
- Chloe Kim became the youngest gold medalist in the history of the event when she won the women’s halfpipe event. She had the highest score with one run left, and in her victory lap she did even better. The future of halfpipe is bright with Chloe on it; and until the next winter games we’ll be following her awesome and relatable tweets.
- The future of alpine skiing is also bright; 22-year-old Mikaela Shiffrin won gold in the giant slalom and silver in the super combined. We’re already excited to watch her in Beijing.
- With a bronze medal in the downhill, Lindsey Vonn became the oldest Olympic female alpine medalist at the age of 33.
- Team USA won the first women’s speed skating medal since 2002 with a bronze in the team pursuit event.
- Jamie Anderson dominated snowboarding events, taking home a gold in slopestyle and silver in big air snowboarding.
- Team USA took home just two medals in figure skating: bronze in both the team event and ice dancing, but Mirai Nagasu became the first U.S. woman to land a triple axel in Olympic competition.
- Women’s bobsled got a silver! Elana Meyers Taylor and Lauren Gibbs teamed up to take second place in women’s bobsled, and Taylor did it with a torn Achilles…wow!
Less than 900 days to go until the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing!
