The curtain has fallen on the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. While the US fought hard, Norway trumped them with an astonishing 37 medals! The US acquired the 5th most medals, falling behind Canada, Germany, Russia, and Norway. Eight gold medals were imposed, belonging to Women’s Monobob, Men’s Figure Skating, Men’s Freeski Slopestyle, Women’s Snowboard Cross, Women’s 500m Speedskating, Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe, Mixed Team Aerials, and Mixed Team Snowboard Cross.

Lindsey Jacobellis was the first US athlete in the 2022 Winter Olympics to win a gold medal. After a five-day streak of bronze and silver medals, she won the Women’s Snowboard Cross, surpassing France’s Trespeuch Chloe, and Canada’s Odine Meryeta.

Lindsey Jacobellis competed with her brother and father at a young age. They enjoyed competition in skiing and she worked hard to best them. She only began to snowboard when her house tragically burned down at the age of eight. Her family couldn’t afford new ski equipment so they turned towards snowboarding, as the gear was cheaper.

Harsh training in Vermont’s Stratton Mountain School influenced her to debut in the Olympics in 2006, in which Jacobellis was moments away from getting the gold medal in Snowboard Cross. With her overconfidence, she made a celebratory gesture and fell, her gold medal falling alongside her. While she still netted the silver medal, it has taken her 16 years to get gold.

Lindsey Jacobellis is an example of the hardships athletes go through to compete in the Olympics. A massive amount of commitment, dedication, and work goes into becoming a world-class athlete. At AAHS, students also make commitments. Whether they are committing to a massive goal, such as the Olympics, or playing just to have fun. There is a level of commitment all athletes give to their sport.

“My goal is to play Softball in college. I lift and train every day,“ sophomore, Keely Lueckeman, stated her overall goal. Keely works towards her goal by training and lifting every day, in an attempt to surpass her pears and earn a spot in a college team.

“My goal was to make the national team and play,” esteemed retired Handball player, Rachel Riley, commented. Mrs. Riley also went through intense training including, “[going] to Iceland to study and play.”

Air Academy features many students looking to improve their athletics and features teachers looking to improve their students’ athletics.

“We practice every day during the season. We also work on skills to help them reach their goals,” head Softball coach, Bob Wingett, commented about the work ethic of his players.

Colorado Springs hosts a few historic Olympic landmarks, including the United States Olympic and Paralympic Museum and the Olympic Training Center.

The United States Olympic and Paralympic Museum recently opened in 2020, on the outskirts of Downtown Colorado Springs. It includes a variety of exhibits, such as a medal exhibit, a torch exhibit, and a simulation of the parade of nations; but, most importantly, it offers stories of past athletes, stories that tell of their accomplishments and failures. And eventually, new stories will be displayed, new stories guided by those.