Olympics

The opening ceremony for the Beijing 2022 Winter Games may not be until Friday, but Olympic competition is already underway. 

Wednesday's action saw curling mixed doubles round-robin sessions and men's luge singles training; and Thursday's schedule includes men's downhill training in the alpine skiing, more curling mixed doubles, men's and women's moguls qualification in freestyle skiing, women's ice hockey preliminary group play, men's and women's luge singles training and men's and women's ski jumping training. 

On Friday at 6:30 a.m. ET and 7:30 p.m. local time in China, the opening ceremony will get underway and officially open competition at the Games, with the first medal events getting underway immediately on Saturday in biathlon, cross-country skiing, freestyle skiing, short track speed skating, ski jumping and speed skating. 

You can find everything you need to know to tune in to the opening ceremony below, including a preview of what to expect and how to catch the rebroadcast in American primetime. 

The ceremony will re-air at 8 p.m. ET in prime time. NBC's Mike Tirico and Savannah Guthrie will anchor the coverage from Beijing and New York, respectively. 

You can check out the full schedule of events at Olympics.com.

Opening Ceremony

Date: Friday, February 4

Time: 6:30 a.m. ET (7:30 p.m. local time in Beijing)

TV: NBC

Live Stream: NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com and Peacock

While we don't have full details on what organizers have planned for the Beijing 2022 opening ceremony, we know it will revolve around the motto of this year's Games, "Faster, Higher, Stronger—Together" and the official slogan, which is "Together for a shared future."

The festivities will take place at the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, which was initially built for the 2008 Beijing Summer Games. The Chinese capital is the only city that will have hosted both a Summer and Winter Olympics. 

Opening ceremonies follow the same general program: The flags of the participating nations will be hoisted, the athletes will parade into the stadium, the host nation will put on an artistic program meant to showcase its culture and technology and the Olympic torch relay will reach its conclusion with the lighting of the Olympic cauldron.

However, the Beijing 2022 opening ceremony will look different for many reasons. 

For one, no spectators will be permitted at the National Stadium, same as with the Tokyo Games. The International Olympic Committee announced on January 17 that "Given the current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to ensure the safety of all participants and spectators, it has been decided that tickets should not be sold anymore but be part of an adapted program that will invite groups of spectators to be present on-site during the Games."

Those groups of spectators will not include dignitaries from nations such as the United States, Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, Estonia, Latvia, Sweden, the Netherlands and Denmark, which are staging a diplomatic boycott of the Games to protest China's persecution of the Uyghur people in Xinjiang and other human rights abuses.

According to Josh Rogin of the Washington Post, "Olympic athletes from multiple countries who want to show solidarity with the victims of the Chinese government's human rights abuses have been quietly preparing to boycott the Opening Ceremonies, according to human rights activists who have been helping to educate and organize them."

While Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter expressly prohibits athlete protests, stating "No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas," Rogin reported U.S.-based activists have told athletes that skipping the opening and closing ceremonies can be a way for them to show solidarity and compassion towards the Uyghur, Tibetan, Hong Konger and Mongolian communities. 

China, of course, would prefer that coverage of its opening ceremony focuses on what is sure to be a high-tech and vibrant celebration of the nation's culture. But given the active concern over its human rights record, that is likely not going to be the case. 

In 2018, Norway set a Winter Olympics record with 39 total medals in Pyeongchang, South Korea. It wouldn't be a surprise if that number is surpassed this year, especially considering 109 events taking place in 2022, seven more than four years ago.

But that's not to say there won't be any competition for the Nordic nation this year. The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), Germany, Canada and the United States are among the countries poised for success at the Games in Beijing.

And some unexpected winners will emerge to snag podium spots, which is the true beauty of the Winter Olympics.

Beijing Winter Olympics Medal-Count Predictions

1. Norway 42

2. ROC 31

3. Germany 30

4. Canada 23

5. United States 22

Norway is traditionally strong in biathlon and cross-country skiing, which carry 11 and 12 medal events this year, respectively.

The country's leading biathlete, Johannes Thingnes Bo, will compete in four individual events and two relays. The 2018 men's 20km individual race gold medalist will be in prime position to add to his achievements.

Two-time silver medalist Marte Olsbu Roiseland will also be among the top biathlon competitors, while cross-country skiers Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo and Therese Johaug are considered among the favorites in their events. 

But the ROC is also expected to have success in cross-country skiing courtesy of Alexander Bolshunov. The four-time medalist in Pyeongchang is slated to partake in five events and projected to be on the podium in most of them.

The ROC will likely continue to show its prowess in figure skating as well, with 2022 European champion Kamila Valieva leading the way.

Germany totaled 31 medals in 2018 and will likely be around that mark again this year. The country's luge team of Johannes Ludwig, Julia Taubitz, Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken is coming off a successful showing at the World Cup, which finished last month.

Canada has won more medals than the United States only twice before (1998, 2018), but it wouldn't be a surprise if that happens this year following the country's best-ever total medal count of 29 from 2018.

The Canadian team is expected to dominate the speedskating events, with Isabelle Weidemann and Ivanie Blondin looking to make their mark on the Games.

The U.S. finished with 23 medals in Pyeongchang and this year's favorites are spread across multiple sports.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin is expected to dominate in alpine skiing once again, while cross-country skier Jessica Diggins will be in the running for another podium spot after claiming gold in the women's team sprint in 2018.

The 2022 men's Olympic hockey tournament in Beijing lost a bit of its intrigue when the NHL announced that its players wouldn't be participating. 

But while many of the top stars in the world won't be playing, a number of teams still feature talented rosters. Below, we'll take a look at which teams are the favorites in the latest round of odds heading into the 2022 Games. 

Russian Olympic Committee (+150)

While the ROC won't have current NHL players at its disposal, a number of talented players from the Kontinental Hockey League—widely regarded as the second-best league in the world—grace this roster, making the defending gold medalists the obvious favorite. KHL stars like Vadim Shipachev, Sergei Andronov and Mikhail Grigorenko, among others, make the ROC the prohibitive favorites. 

Finland (+450)

Long-time NHL veterans Valtteri Filppula and Markus Granlund will lead a group that features a number of players who once played in the league, from Leo Komarov and Teemu Hartikainen to Sami Vatanen and Mikko Lehtonen. That experience makes the Fins a legitimate contender to upset the ROC and claim gold. 

Sweden (+550)

A number of former NHL players, including Marcus Kruger, Anton Lander and Jacob de la Rose, headline a Swedish group that will be expected to make real noise in Beijing. 

Canada (+700)

The Canadians are led by arguably the most decorated former NHL player in the Olympic tournament, five-time All-Star Eric Staal, and in total have 17 players with some level of NHL experience. But the Canadians also have some exciting young talent on the roster, from 2021 NHL draft top overall pick Owen Power to third overall pick Mason McTavish. Do not sleep on Team Canada. 

Czech Republic (+900)

Former NHL players David Krejci and Vladimir Sobotka headline a group that includes seven players from the 2018 Olympic team. 

Switzerland (+1400)

A number of Swiss players, including Denis Malgin, Gaetan Haas, Sven Andrighetto and Gregory Hoffmann, bring NHL pedigree to this squad. 

United States (+1600)

The United States chose to go with potential over experience with this group, selecting 15 college players. Two first-round picks from the 2020 NHL draft, Jake Sanderson and Brendan Brisson, and the second overall pick in the 2021 draft, Matty Beniers, are the players to watch. Other talented college players like Brock Faber, Drew Helleson and Drew Commesso make the United States a dark-horse candidate worth taking a flier on. 

Germany (+2000)

The Germans made the gold-medal game in 2018 and will be looking to replicate their silver-winning form. Returning players Marcel Noebels, Dominik Kahun and Patrick Hager—and Olympic newcomer Tom Kuhnhackl—are the headliners, though the Germans drew a tough Group A assignment (Canada, United States, China). 

Slovakia (+5000)

Slovakia will be hoping that former NHL players like Martin Marincin, Kristian Pospisil and Marko Dano can lead them on a surprising run to the medal podium.

Denmark (+10000)

A number of former NHL veterans, including Frans Nielsen, Mikkel Boedker, Nicklas Jensen and Peter Regin headline Denmark's group. The Danes are a longshot, however, even in a wide-open field. 

Latvia (+10000)

Kaspars Daugavins is the most experienced NHL player on Latvia's roster, with 91 career games for the Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins, though he last played in the league in 2013. This is an unproven side that looks like one of the weaker teams in the tournament.  

China (+70000)

The Chinese men have never appeared in an Olympic hockey tournament, and the group that will represent the country in these Games will consist almost entirely of foreign-born players. The majority of the team will come from Kunlun Red Star, a KHL team based in Beijing. With those foreign-born players living and playing in China, it allowed the country the opportunity to field a more competitive roster. Just not one competitive enough to get anywhere close to the medal podium in these Games.

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The men's hockey tournament at the 2022 Winter Olympics will look much different than previous versions of the competition.

The NHL pulled out of participation on December 22 because of issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, most of the men's Olympic rosters are made up of players competing in European leagues. The United States is using a roster comprising players based in Europe, the AHL and college.

The women's hockey tournament will have a similar look to it, as the United States and Canada are expected to fight for the gold medal once again. The Americans and Canadians are the favorites to win the women's competition in Beijing, while the Russian Olympic Committee carries the edge on the men's side because of its KHL-heavy roster.

Play in Beijing begins Thursday for the women, while the men start their tournament February 9.

Olympic Hockey Odds

Men's Tournament

Russian Olympic Committee: +160 (bet $100 to win $160)

Finland: +400

Sweden: +500

Canada: +700

Czech Republic: +900

United States: +1600

Switzerland: +1800

Germany: +2000

Slovakia: +5000

Latvia: +10000

Denmark: +10000

China: +70000

Women's Tournament

United States: -115 (bet $115 to win $100)

Canada: -105

Finland: +1400

Russian Olympic Committee: +3500

Japan: +5000

Switzerland: +5000

Czech Republic: +5000

Sweden: +5000

Denmark: +10000

China: +30000

Previews

Men's Tournament

The buzz around the men's hockey tournament is understandably lower than it would have been with the NHL players involved.

The absence of the American and Canadian superstars in Beijing opens the door for the Russian Olympic Committee to cruise through the tournament.

The Russian side has a fairly easy group with Czech Republic, Switzerland and Denmark. The roster should cruise through those contests. Nikita Gusev is one of the Russians with NHL experience, and every man on the roster plays in the KHL.

The ROC should have the top ranking going into the knockout round. The 12 participating countries will be ranked by group position, points and goal difference to determine the knockout-round bracket.

Canada and the United States were drawn alongside each other in Group A. They will face off in the second Group A game on February 12.

The United States roster is powered by young players, some of whom are top NHL prospects who have not yet reached the professional level. Matty Beniers, Jake Sanderson and Brendan Brisson were recent first-round draft picks, and they could be among the breakout stars in China.

Canada's roster is headlined by NHL veteran Eric Staal, who most recently played for the Iowa Wild in the AHL. His experience could be vital for the young squad.

Sweden and Finland should not be counted out of medal contention, either, because they have talented rosters chock-full of European-based talent.

The Russians should win gold, but if they slip up, look for one of the two European countries to swoop in if the Americans and Canadians struggle.

Women's Tournament

The women's tournament is centered around longtime North American rivals.

The United States and Canada play once in the knockout round, and they are expected to meet again in the gold-medal match.

Both favorites have to play four group-stage games before they contest the Group A finale February 8. If the two sides finish first and second in group play, they will be drawn on opposite ends of the knockout-round bracket.

Canada's squad is headlined by Marie-Philip Poulin and Melodie Daoust, who combined for 13 goals four years ago in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The pair of experienced forwards will wreak havoc on every opposing defense, and they will be the players the Americans must focus on stopping in their head-to-head meetings.

Hilary Knight, Amanda Kessel and Brianna Decker carry the most experience on the United States, which is looking to defend the gold medal it claimed in 2018.

The United States will usher in a new generation of talent in Beijing, as nine players on the roster are 25 or younger.

A surprise gold medalist is unlikely in Beijing, so the other countries are likely fighting for the bronze medal.

Anything short of a United States-Canada final would be a letdown given how well both teams have played at the Olympic level.

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Canada has always been considered the world's preeminent force in both men's and women's hockey, but its players will be put to the test at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, which gets underway Wednesday.

On the men's side, NHL players once again won't be competing in the tournament—this time because of COVID-19's impact on the 2021-22 season. So former NHLers and college players mostly comprise Team Canada, leaving it as the fourth-favorite to win gold at 7-1.

As for the women, Canada finished with a silver medal at the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, falling 3-2 to the United States in a shootout. Before 2018, the Canadian women had won four straight gold medals. Canada is the 18-19 second-favorite to claim gold in China. 

Before the tournaments begin, here is a look at Team Canada's rosters, in addition to a look at which players to keep an eye out for.

Canada Olympic Men's Hockey Roster

Devon Levi, goalie, Northeastern University (NCAA)

Edward Pasquale, goalie, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)

Matt Tomkins, goalie, Frolunda HC (SHL)

Mark Barberio, defenseman, Ak Bars Kazan (KHL)

Jason Demers, defenseman, Ak Bars Kazan (KHL)

Brandon Gormley, defenseman, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)

Alex Grant, defenseman, Jokerit (KHL)

Maxim Noreau, defenseman, ZSC Lions (NL)

Owen Power, defenseman, Michigan (NCAA)

Mat Robinson, defenseman, SKA Saint Petersburg (KHL)

Tyler Wotherspoon, defenseman, Utica Comets (AHL)

Daniel Carr, forward, HC Lugano (NL)

Adam Cracknell, forward, Bakersfield Condors (AHL)

David Desharnais, forward, HC Fribourg-Gotteron (NL)

Landon Ferraro, forward, Kolner Haie (DEL)

Josh Ho-Sang, forward, Toronto Marlies (AHL)

Corban Knight, forward, Avangard Omsk (KHL)

Jack McBain, forward, Boston College (NCAA)

Mason McTavish, forward, Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)

Eric O'Dell, forward, HC Dynamo Moscow (KHL)

Eric Staal, forward, Iowa Wild on PTO (AHL)

Ben Street, forward, EHC Red Bull Munchen (DEL)

Adam Tambellini, forward, Rogle BK (SHL)

Jordan Weal, forward, Ak Bars Kazan (KHL)

Daniel Winnik, forward, Geneve-Servette HC (NL)

Projected Men's Lineup

G: Devon Levi

D: Owen Power 

D: Jason Demers

LW: Daniel Carr

C: Eric Staal

RW: Josh Ho-Sang

Top subs: Mason McTavish, Adam Cracknell, Jordan Weal 

Canada Olympic Women's Hockey Roster

Kristen Campbell, goalie, PWHPA

Ann-Renée Desbiens, goalie, PWHPA

Emerance Maschmeyer, goalie, PWHPA

Erin Ambrose, defenseman, PWHPA

Ashton Bell, defenseman, University of Minnesota-Duluth

Renata Fast, defenseman, PWHPA

Jocelyne Larocque, defenseman, PWHPA

Ella Shelton, defenseman, PWHPA

Claire Thompson, defenseman, PWHPA

Micah Zandee-Hart, defenseman

Emily Clark, forward, PWHPA

Melodie Daoust, forward, PWHPA

Sarah Fillier, forward, Princeton University

Brianne Jenner, forward, PWHPA

Rebecca Johnston, forward, PWHPA

Emma Maltais, forward, Ohio State

Sarah Nurse, forward, PWHPA

Marie-Philip Poulin, forward, PWHPA

Jamie Lee Rattray, forward, PWHPA

Jillian Saulnier, forward, PWHPA

Natalie Spooner, forward, PWHPA

Laura Stacey, forward, PWHPA

Blayre Turnbull, forward, PWHPA

Projected Women's Lineup

G: Ann-Renee Desbiens

D: Jocelyne Larocque

D: Renata Fast

LW: Emily Clark 

C: Marie-Philip Poulin

RW: Brianne Jenner

Top subs: Melodie Daoust, Natalie Spooner, Sarah Fillier

Breaking Down Top Canadian Players

Eric Staal

No one on the Canada men's roster has had a more impressive hockey career than Eric Staal.

The 37-year-old was drafted second overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2003 and went on to have an impressive 17-year NHL career. He spent 11-and-a-half seasons with the Hurricanes, most notably helping the team to its first Stanley Cup in 2006.

Staal tallied 322 goals and 453 assists for 775 points in 909 games with the Hurricanes. He is the franchise's all-time leader in games played, goals, assists, points, power-play goals, short-handed goals and game-winning goals.

Carolina traded Staal to the New York Rangers during the 2015-16 campaign. He tallied three goals and three assists for six points in 20 games for the franchise before signing a three-year deal with the Minnesota Wild as a free agent that summer.

Staal spent four seasons with the Wild, tallying 111 goals and 129 points for 240 points in 311 games. He spent the 2020-21 season, his most recent in the NHL, split between the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens, tallying a combined 13 points in 53 games.

He signed a PTO with the AHL's Iowa Wild on Jan. 13, giving him an opportunity to work back into playing shape ahead of the Olympics. He has two goals and three assists in four games.

Given his NHL experience and ability to rack up points, Staal should serve as one of Canada's top offensive weapons, and his performance could be a determining factor in whether the Canadians take home gold.

Marie-Philip Poulin

Marie-Philip Poulin is undoubtedly the most talented player on the Canada women's roster. She is competing in her fourth Olympics after winning gold in 2010 and 2014 and silver in 2018.

The 30-year-old rose to fame during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, during which she scored the overtime winner in the gold-medal game against the United States. She then tallied three goals and three assists in five games en route to a silver medal at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.

Since 2018, Poulin has played in the now-discontinued CWHL for the Les Canadiennes de Montreal and more recently for Montreal in the PWHPA.

After winning silver in 2018, Canada's women have vengeance on their minds, and Poulin is expected to be a driving force in the team's quest to bring a gold medal back to Canada.

In a case of history repeating itself, Poulin scored the overtime game-winner when Canada faced the U.S. in last summer's IIHF Women's World Championship final. She is one of the most clutch players in the history of the game, and with the United States returning players such as Kendall Coyne Schofield, Hilary Knight, Brianna Decker and Lee Stecklein, Canada will need her to be on her game.

Owen Power and Devon Levi

While there are several college hockey players on the Canada men's roster, none stack up quite like Owen Power, who was drafted first overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2021.

Power is in his second season with the Michigan Wolverines. After tallying three goals and 13 assists in 26 games during his freshman season, he has notched three goals and 23 assists through 24 games in the 2021-22 campaign.

The 19-year-old represented Canada at the most recent World Juniors, tallying three goals and two assists in two games before the tournament was shut down because of a COVID-19 outbreak.

In addition to Power, Devon Levi is one of the most exciting young goaltenders in hockey. 

The 20-year-old is in his first season at Northeastern University, where he has helped backstop the Huskies to a 16-8-1 record. He has a 1.55 goals-against average and .948 save percentage through 24 games.

Levi also represented Canada at the 2021 World Juniors, where he was named the tournament's best goalie after recording a 0.75 GAA, .964 save percentage and three shutouts in seven games.

While Power will be expected to help lock down the blue line, Levi will be tasked with keeping some of the world's best shooters off the scoresheet. While these two are still young, they shouldn't be overlooked.

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On Friday, the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympics will officially kick off the Games, though competition will begin Wednesday with the first matches of the curling event. 

From the opening ceremony to the closing ceremony on Feb. 20, the Olympics will see events in 15 disciplines across seven sports: biathlon, bobsledding, curling, ice hockey, luge, skating (figure skating and speed skating) and skiing (snowboarding and ski jumping).

There are a record 109 medals up for grabs at the Beijing 2022 Games, seven more than there were at Pyeongchang 2018. Beijing will also become the only city to have hosted both a Summer (2008) and Winter Games. 

How many of those medals will be claimed by U.S. athletes? Which nation will be the most successful? Let's preview the Games, including medal predictions and athletes to watch. 

2022 Beijing Olympics

Dates: Feb. 2-20

TV: NBC, USA Network

Live Stream: Peacock

Schedule: Full broadcast schedule available at NBCOlympics.com

There are plenty of big-name U.S. athletes to watch in Beijing. There are 92 returning Americans, and four of them are competing in their fifth Games: Shaun White in halfpipe snowboarding, Lindsey Jacobellis in snowboard cross, Katie Uhlaender in skeleton and John Shuster in curling.

Eight more U.S. Olympians are competing for the fourth time: Elana Meyers Taylor and Kaillie Humphries in bobsled, Ashley Caldwell in aerials freestyle skiing, Evan Bates in ice dance figure skating, Hilary Knight in ice hockey, Chris Mazdzer in luge, and Faye Gulini and Nick Baumgartner in snowboard cross. 

But in Gracenote's medal projections, the U.S. is projected to finish just fourth in Beijing, with 22 medals overall, behind Norway (45), the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) (32) and Germany (25). 

Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Austria and France round out the projected top 10. 

It's worth noting that, although all international competition leading up to the Games was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, it was especially true in Asia, where there were stricter lockdowns.

Thus, China's and Japan's medal projections heading into the Games are something of an unknown, but the nations will surely generate headlines. Japan has the potential to sweep the men's snowboard halfpipe podium, with Yuto Totsuka, Ayumu Hirano and Ruka Hirano ranked first, third and fifth in the world, respectively.

In freestyle skiing, Eileen Gu, who lives in the U.S. but represents China, competes in three events (ski slopestyle, ski big air and ski halfpipe) and is a favorite to medal in all of them. In fact, coming in at No. 13 overall, Gracenote projects host nation China will win a record 11 medals.

But it's Norway that is favored to bring home the biggest bounty for the second straight Games. The Nordic nation took home 39 medals in 2018, comprising 14 golds, 14 silvers and 11 bronzes. That set a record for the most medals by one country at a single Winter Olympics, formerly held by the United States for the 37 it took home in 2010.

With 14 golds each, Norway and Canada also tied that record, which the latter set at Vancouver 2010.

Cross-country skiing is Norway's bread and butter. It earned 14 medals in the discipline at the 2018 Games, with Marit Bjorgen winning five and Johannes Hosflot Klaebo, Simen Hegstad Kruger and Martin Johnsrud Sundby each winning three.

The U.S. has historically been dominant in freestyle skiing and snowboarding, but Japan and Canada could edge the Americans off the podium in those events this time around.

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics is upon us, with the opening ceremony set for Friday. Competition actually gets underway two days earlier, however, with the curling event set to begin Wednesday. 

Like at the Summer Games in Tokyo, the opening ceremony in Beijing will look far different than what we normally expect.

China had announced that no visitors outside the mainland would be admitted to the Games in November, but tickets were expected to go on sale to mainland China residents.

However, on January 17, organizers confirmed no tickets would be sold at all but rather the Olympics would take on an "adapted programme that will invite groups of spectators to be present on site during the Games," with those spectators following COVID-19 protocols closely.

Even without fans in the stands, however, technology has allowed for some memorable televised opening ceremony. In Tokyo, more than 1,800 drones lit up the sky. Expect China to have similar technological feats in its show.

But not everything needs to be done with technology; Japanese organizers had a delightful live pictogram show with costumed performers acting out all the symbols for each Olympic sport.

Below we'll break down when, where and how to watch the opening ceremony, as well as more details on what to expect.

You can check out the full schedule of events at Olympics.com.

Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremonies

Date: Friday, February 4

Time: 6:30 a.m. ET (7:30 p.m. local time in China)

TV: NBC

Live Stream: NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com and Peacock

The Beijing 2022 opening ceremony will be held at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, where the 2008 Beijing Summer Games ceremonies were also held. Indeed, Beijing is the first city to play host to both a Summer and Winter Olympics.

The motto of this year's Games is "faster, higher, stronger—together," and the official slogan is "together for a shared future."

The program will include the traditional hoisting of the flags and the parade of athletes, with an artistic spectacle meant to showcase China's culture and modern history.

Chief director Zhang Yimou, who directed the 2008 Beijing opening ceremony as well, used 15,000 performers then. This time around, it's a smaller group of 3,000, and 95 percent of those are teenagers, per Yanis Varoufakis of MNA International. 

"For the first time in Olympic history, teenagers are invited on such a large scale to perform at the opening ceremony," said Wang Jun, deputy director of the National Stadium operation team and director of the Performance and Ceremony Division of the organizing committee's Department of Opening and Closing Ceremonies, per MNA International.

The Tokyo Olympics incorporated virtual appearances by celebrities such as the performance of "Imagine" by John Legend, Keith Urban, Angelique Kidjo and Alejandro Sanz. The Beijing Olympics may also use recorded moments to accomplish the star power factor.

According to Zhao Weidong of the Beijing organizing committee's media department, per Chan Kin-wa the South China Morning Post, the opening ceremony will revolve around three themes meant to show China's willingness to pursue world peace. Of course, that tone may be difficult to land for an international audience that has been closely following reports of human rights abuses by the Chinese government against its citizens.

There were demonstrations held outside Tokyo's New National Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Summer Games, with residents protesting against the decision to hold the Games during COVID-19.

With no international spectators being allowed into the country, it's less clear whether Chinese citizens will put on their own protests concerning COVID-19 or the government's persecution of the Uyghur people in Xinjiang at the Beijing opening ceremony.

While the opening ceremony is historically an opportunity for the host nation to show off its modern technological achievements and culture to the world, China will be most successful if it focuses its opening and closing ceremonies on the one aspect of the Olympics that does have the power to unite the world: the athletes.

The closing ceremony will take place February 20, also at the National Stadium.

Jamaica has qualified for the four-man bobsled event at the Winter Olympics for the first time in 24 years.

Per OlympicTalk, Jamaica got the 28-sled field's final spot based on this season's international results.

In addition, Jamaica has also qualified for three bobsled events for the first time. The country will be competing in the two-man bobsled event as well as the women's monobob, which is making its Olympic debut.

Benjamin Alexander will also make Olympic history as Jamaica's first ever competitor in Alpine skiing.

Jamaica made its first Winter Olympic appearance in 1988, when the Games were held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

The Caribbean nation competed in the two-man and four-man bobsled events, with the team's exploits inspiring the 1993 Disney film, Cool Runnings.

Jamaica has appeared in every Winter Olympics since then outside of the 2006 Games in Turin, Italy. Bobsled teams competed in 1988, 1992, 1994, 1998 and 2002. The four-man team's last appearance occurred at the 1998 Nagano Olympics.

Errol Kerr then became the first Jamaican to compete in the Winter Olympics outside bobsledding when he took part in the men's ski cross, finishing ninth in 2010.

Jamaica's two-man bobsled team returned for the 2014 Games. Carrie Russell and Jazmine Fenlator-Victorian then made history by becoming the first women to represent Jamaica at the Winter Olympics, serving as the two-woman bobsled team in 2018.

Fenlator-Victorian will return this year in the women's monobob as Jamaica competes in four Winter Olympics events for the first time ever.

This year's Games, which will occur in Beijing, are slated to begin on Fri., Feb. 4.