The heat in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy is rising even though competitors are competing in the cold. Countries are uniting and gaining medals this year in the Winter Olympics.
There are 16 sports for countries to send competitors into such as alpine skiing, biathlon, bobsleigh, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, freestyle skiing, ice hockey, luge, nordic combined, short track speed skating, skeleton, ski jumping, ski mountaineering, snowboarding, and speed skating. There are so many different sports to choose from, and people have their own individual opinions on which are their favorite.
The most popular sports to watch seem to be skiing and ice skating. Michelle Szukics, a Spanish teacher from Northern Valley Demarest shared her opinion.
“I like watching ice skating the best because I like watching how talented the figure skaters are in their routines, as well as the way they glide on the ice,” Szukics said.
These winter sports, especially for the Olympics, take lots of talent and skill. Mackenzie Cowan, a 10th-grade student from NVD says she is impressed by the competitor’s abilities.
“I believe that skiing is the most difficult sport because it is very fast-paced, competitive, and there are many injuries that could happen,” Cowan said.
Roy Carmeli, a 10th-grade student also from NVD, states his opinion on a sport that he is not interested in.
“Personally, curling is not interesting to me because it feels like it doesn’t take a lot of talent,” Carmeli said.
Since hundreds of countries are coming to compete at this event, there are many viewers from around the world who watch the Olympics. Viewers can watch on TV, streaming, social media, and more.
“Sometimes I watch the Olympics on my TV, but I enjoy watching highlights,” Cowan said.
Rather than watching the whole Winter Olympics, some people would rather watch highlights of the sports, focusing on the athlete’s best moments. Most people do recommend watching highlights for a better understanding of the sports and components.
“I prefer watching highlights because it is the best of the best people being the best at their events,” Cowan said.
The Olympics have over 200 countries that compete every year in the same sports. Even though they are from separate cultures and countries, they are united by one event.
“I think that every time they have the Olympics it brings countries together because even though they are from different countries, they are still doing the same sports,” Szukics said.
Many people love the Winter Olympics and recommend watching them because of their experiences and interests. Specific interests usually alter what sports viewers watch as well as how they watch it.
“I would recommend watching sports that excite or interest them because that is the easiest way to enjoy sports the most. In general, I would recommend watching it because it’s important to support your country,” Carmeli said.
Overall, the experiences, thrill, and enjoyment of the Winter Olympics make it very exciting to look forward to watching in 2026. Friends, families, and countries all unite to watch the sport events that show up every four years.
“I plan to watch the next Winter Olympics and am excited to see how well the countries do in each event,” Szukics said.
