Ice Prince and Frog Princess– Five to watch at Beijing 2022

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The most important names in winter sports activities will descend on the Chinese language capital in February for the Beijing 2022 Olympics.
Forward of Wednesday’s 100-day countdown to the Video games, AFP Sport picks out 5 stars who look set to mild up the Olympics.
– Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN) –
Hanyu remains to be solely 26, however the Ice Prince is already going after a hat-trick of Olympic figure-skating gold medals. He’s at all times adopted by screaming followers who bathe the ice with Winnie the Poohs after his routines — probably delicate in China as a result of critics mock President Xi Jinping as trying just like the fictional bear. Though the Beijing Video games shall be restricted to native spectators, Chinese language authorities have vowed to make sure Hanyu nonetheless will get loads of help — the official intervention underlining simply how massive a star he’s.
– Eileen Gu (CHN) –
Born in California and representing the USA earlier than switching to China, Gu appears to be like destined to be one of many faces of the Video games. Simply 18, the freeskier can also be a mannequin and grade-A scholar. Often called Gu Ailing in China, her father is American and mom Chinese language. She has been enthusiastically embraced in China, with the nation’s media affectionately dubbing her Frog Princess after a inexperienced helmet she wore.
– Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) –
The American snowboarding star is pursuing a 3rd consecutive gold in slalom, however has admitted having some trepidation forward of Beijing. The 26-year-old received the general World Cup title for 3 straight years to 2019, however that streak ended with a horrible season marked by the sudden demise of her father in February 2020, the coronavirus pandemic and a again damage as she went winless for the primary time since her debut marketing campaign in 2011-2012.
– Chloe Kim (USA) –
Born in the USA to Korean dad and mom, she turned one of many faces of the Pyeongchang 2018 Video games when aged simply 17. The snowboarder swept to halfpipe gold in South Korea, roared on by locals who adopted her as their very own and chanted her title.
– Connor McDavid (CAN) –
NHL gamers return to the Olympics and Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid shall be one to observe. At 24 he is likely one of the youngest gamers for Workforce Canada however nonetheless among the best. There’s a good probability that the two-time NHL MVP could possibly be paired on a line with Colorado Avalanche ahead Nathan MacKinnon — their velocity and explosiveness appears to be like like being one of the crucial deadly scoring combos in males’s hockey in Beijing.
… and one who will not be there
– Pita Taufatofua (TGA) –
The Tongan raised pulses when he peeled off for the opening ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympics, then appeared shirtless once more as temperatures plunged in Pyeongchang, and pulled off the identical stunt in Tokyo. However after competing in freestyle cross nation final time on the Winter Video games — coming 114th however avoiding the picket spoon — he isn’t anticipated to look in Beijing.

(2021/11/08 16:46)

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