You watched the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, and you saw the U.S. win 23 medals, 9 of which were gold. But there are a few things you probably missed - and they're moments you should remember. Here are five important Olympic moments you NEED to know about:
1. Gus Kenworthy Saves Puppies:
U.S. Olympic freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy saved 90 puppies from the South Korean dog meat trade. He even adopted one of the puppies himself, naming him Beemo. The rest of the puppies that he saved from being eaten in South Korea will be transported to the U.S. and Canada to be adopted.
2. Daniela Ulbing avoids squishing a squirrel:
During one of her giant parallel slalom heats, Austrian snowboarder Daniela Ulbing was faced with an additional challenge – a squirrel crossing her path. The squirrel scurried onto the course right in front of Ulbing, who had little time to react. However, not only did Ulbing manage to avoid the squirrel, but she also won the heat.
3. Kaitlyn Lawes says ‘Sorry!’:
Canadian Curler Kaitlyn Lawes, who competed in the mixed doubles curling event, accidentally threw a yellow stone rather than a red stone – which she realized a second after the stone left her grip. The mistake is not a penalty but did result in Lawes apologizing non-stop for the rest of the match, like any good Canadian would do.
4. Red Gerard wakes up late and wins gold:
Red Gerard, a 17-year-old U.S. snowboarder, became the youngest snowboarder to win gold for the U.S.A. However, the morning of his gold-medal race, Gerard not only woke up late but couldn’t find his coat – he had to borrow his roommate’s coat so as not to be late, a coat that was a few sizes too big. Despite the hectic morning, Gerard stepped up and had the run of a lifetime, winning gold and making history.
5. Ester Ledecka didn’t have any makeup on:
Czech skier and snowboarded Ester Ledecka had been ranked 43rd in the World Cup standings following the Super-G alpine skiing race. A total underdog in PyeongChang, no one expected Ledecka to make the podium, not even Ledecka herself. However, Ledecka surprised everyone when she not only medaled, but won gold by 0.01 seconds in the Super-G race, defeating the Austrian defending champion. Ledecka was so shocked by the victory that she refused to take her goggles off during the post-race press coverage, claiming “I was not prepared to be at this ceremony, and I don’t have any makeup.”