Beijing Winter Olympics draws to a close with stunning ceremony

The Chinese capital had the strictest coronavirus restrictions yet for the Games that were marked by a U.S.-led diplomatic boycott over China’s human rights record, the Russia-Ukraine tensions, and a high-profile doping saga involving a 15-year-old skating phenom.

The ceremony was directed by the renowned Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou, who also designed the opening ceremony, as well as the opulent opening and closing ceremonies for the 2008 Summer Olympics. 

In a speech to conclude the Games, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach praised athletes for their sportsmanship.

“You not only respected each other, you supported each other, you embraced each other, even if your countries are divided by conflict,” he said. “May the political leaders around the world be inspired by your example of solidarity and peace.”

Bach also called on the international community to give equal access to Covid vaccines to people around the world.

“If we want to finally overcome this pandemic we must be faster, we must aim higher, we must be stronger, we must stand together,” he said.

Sunday’s ceremony capped two weeks of drama even as Olympic heroes were born and the record books rewritten.  

For the United States, Erin Jackson became the first Black woman to win Team USA a gold medal in speedskating. The win came after she stumbled during Olympic trials, and her friend and fellow skater Brittany Bowe offered Jackson her spot in Beijing. 

Nathan Chen also shined for Team USA. He won gold in men’s figure skating singles, becoming the first Asian American man to earn an Olympic medal in the event. 

Already a star going into the Games, the U.S.-born freestyle skier Eileen Gu won hero status in China after bagging two gold medals and one silver for the host country.

There were some more humbling moments too.

Snowboarder Shaun White, the face of modern winter sports, closed out his Olympic career in Beijing last week without making the podium.

A long-running scandal also plagued the Games. Last week, reports emerged that the Russian figure skater prodigy Kamila Valieva had tested positive for a banned heart medication before the Games. The 15-year-old missed out on a second gold medal Thursday, and stands to lose gold in the team event if she is found to have committed a doping offense. 

One of the topics dominating the coverage in the run-up to the Games was the Chinese government’s treatment of the ethnic Uyghurs, described as genocide by the U.S. government. Beijing has repeatedly denied any mistreatment of the largely Muslim minority, insisting its actions in the western region of Xinjiang have been taken to combat terrorism.

In the opening ceremony, Chinese…