The first day of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics was full of drama both on the ice and behind the scenes. Team Japan had a strong showing during the skating competitions, particularly Shoma Uno who rose above the rest as America's Nathan Chen suffered several mishaps.
The biggest news was the arrival of Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who became the first immediate family from the dictatorial regime to step foot into South Korea. The day led to a previously unimaginable moment of Kim Yo Jong sitting next to South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence during the opening ceremony Friday night.
Spirited opening ceremony marks official start of Pyeongchang Olympics
Friday was the first time the Koreas marched together at an Olympic opening ceremony since the 2006 Turin Games. The march under the unified Korean flag was the outcome of a landmark deal between the two rivals following a year of growing concerns over the North’s nuclear weapons ambitions.
Japan sits in third place midway through opening round of team competition
Twenty-year-old Shoma Uno managed to stay upright from start to finish in an excellent performance to “Winter.” Uno, last season’s world silver medalist, took the ice as the last of 10 skaters and put up a huge score of 103.25 points
North Korean delegation led by Kim Jong Un’s sister arrives for Olympics
The sister of the North Korean leader on Friday became the first member of her family to visit South Korea since the 1950-53 Korean War. Arriving on her brother Kim Jong Un’s private jet for a three-day visit, Kim Yo Jong landed with the country’s 90-year-old nominal head of state Kim Yong Nam.
U.S. skater Adam Rippon doesn’t want spat with Mike Pence to become distraction
Adam Rippon doesn’t want his monthlong dispute with Mike Pence over the U.S. vice president’s record on gay rights to overshadow his long-awaited Olympic performance. Or those of the rest of the American team.
Noriaki Kasai, three compatriots qualify for men’s normal hill jump finals
Forty-five-year-old ski jumping legend Noriaki Kasai, competing in his eighth Winter Olympics, placed 20th in the qualifying round of the men’s normal hill jump on Thursday night at the Alpensia Ski Jumping Centre to clinch a spot in Saturday night’s finals.
Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics: The day in pictures
Links We Like
- How Drama Between North and South Korea Threatened the Olympics 30 Years Ago
- Scrambled in translation? Norway Olympics team orders 15,000 eggs by mistake
- Japanese figure skating team celebrates Yuri on Ice at Olympic games
- The internet can’t decide whether it loves or fears the Pyeongchang Olympics’ human-faced sacred bird
- The North Korean Cheer Squad Is Playing a Different Olympic Game
- Getting a taste of the Games
- Team USA’s ‘Dumb And Dumber’ Gloves Are Now An Olympic Meme
Early breakout star of the Olympics is the small child who really wanted to know what an NBC camera tastes like pic.twitter.com/PFKEO2VGXL
— Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) February 9, 2018
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