Five months removed from the last Olympics in Summer of 2021, we start to look ahead to the 2022 Winter olympics in Beijing. Similar to the Olympics in Tokyo this past summer, the COVID-19 pandemic will play a meaningful role in the games. Limited spectatorship, athletes not being able to compete, and protocols being put into place will all be apparent in this year’s Olympics. Still, with 109 events in the winter games, it will definitely be something to watch. So let’s break down some of the best events and best athletes to keep an eye on in Beijing.

Men’s Hockey

Given that the NHL has decided not to send athletes to these games, teams from across the globe who produce such talent will have to search for different options. For the U.S., this means ex. NHL players, players from the 2018 Olympic team, AHL players, and college hockey players. In the 2018 winter Olympics, the U.S. Men’s Hockey team finished 3rd in their pool and did not even medal. The goal for this year’s games will be to improve upon that performance.

Women’s Hockey

On the Women’s side, the U.S. already has their roster in place. Fifteen members of the team have Olympic experience, which should be an advantage. The women’s team won gold at the last Olympics, so they are looking to repeat this time around. The only team predicted to stand in their way is team Canada, who is the team that the U.S. beat to win that Gold medal in 2018. Other contenders in Women’s hockey include Finland, Russia, and Switzerland.

Figure Skating

Team Russia is the favorite, as their team has lots of talent and has had success in the past. One of the best skaters on Russia’s team is 17-year old Anna Shcherbakova who recently just won her first World Championship. Nathan Chen, for the U.S., is also one of the favorites projected to bring home a medal, although he will have to go through Yuzuru Hanyu from Japan who is decorated with medals from previous Olympics.

Alpine Skiing

In Alpine Skiing, the U.S. has high hopes for Mikaela Shiffrin to win another Gold Medal, along with the medals she has won in Sochi and PyeongChang. Many believe Shiffrin is still in her prime, so winning a gold is a real possibility for Shiffrin.

Snowboarding

The biggest thing to look forward to in Snowboarding would be the return of Shaun White making his fourth Olympic appearance. Impressively, Shaun has won gold medals in each of his three previous Olympics. He is 35 years old and this will most likely be his final games, so he will certainly want to finish on top with another gold medal. Also, another person to pay attention to in the snowboarding halfpipe competition is Chloe Kim who was one of the more notable athletes back in 2018.

While this year’s Winter Olympics is guaranteed to look different from any other, we will still be treated to the best athletes in the entire world trying to defend their home nation, and bring home the gold. It should be quite exciting!