BC-Olympic Digest, ADVISORY
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Today is the final day of the Beijing Olympics. Here are AP’s coverage plans. All times are Eastern. For questions, please email Amanda Barrett at abarrett@ap.org. Find the latest Olympics coverage plans on Coverage Plan. For expanded content, visit AP’s Olympics hub on AP Newsroom. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport@ap.org or call 877-836-9477.
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TOP STORIES
OLY-OLYMPICS-THE GAMES END — A pile of figure-skating rubble created by Russian misbehavior. A new Chinese champion — from California. An ace American skier who faltered and went home empty-handed. The end of the Olympic line for the world’s most renowned snowboarder. All inside an anti-COVID “closed loop” enforced by China’s authoritarian government. The terrarium of a Winter Games that has been Beijing 2022 wound to its end Sunday. By Ted Anthony. SENT: 1,327 words, photos. UPCOMING: Will be led with ceremony beginning 7 a.m.
OLY--WRAPUP-THE TROUBLED OLYMPICS — The cordoned-off Olympic bubble that folds up when the closing ceremony ends Sunday has produced its usual collage of amazing athletes doing great things. This journey, however, has all been viewed through a lens warped and sterilized by Beijing’s organizing committee with underwriting IOC. By National Writer Eddie Pells. SENT: 1,158 words, photos.
OLY--NBC’s OLYMPICS —When NBC set a long-term deal to carry the Olympics through 2032, it seemed like a savvy deal. Yet it seems much shakier after the Beijing experience — a buzz-free event from an authoritarian country that saw an alarming drop-off in viewers from previous Olympics. By Dave Bauder and Joe Reedy. SENT: 1,203 words, photos.
OLY-FIG-FIGURE SKATING-BODY IMAGE — With their sport under heavy scrutiny as the doping scandal gives way to a push to raise the minimum age of eligibility, some figure skaters say they hope this can be a moment of change for one of the sport’s most pressing issues: body image, body shaming and disordered eating. By Sally Ho. SENT: 970 words, photos.
OLY--FIG-EXHIBITION GALA — The Olympic figure skating program at the Beijing Games probably won’t be remembered for the soaring performances. Instead, the competition in the bubble of Beijing will be remembered for a Russian doping controversy centered around a 15-year-old girl and her entourage, scoring that left fans scratching their heads and serious questions about the future of both the Olympics and the sport. By Dave Skretta. SENT: 817 words, photos.
OLY-CHINA-TAIWAN-SKATER'S SUIT — Taiwan’s premier wants a Taiwanese Olympic speedskater to be punished for wearing what appeared to be a suit from China’s team during training. SENT: 223 words, photo.
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SNAPSHOT
BEIJING SNAPSHOT-THE BUTTON — At an Olympics in a pandemic run by an authoritarian state, the slightest bit of agency matters. Some stuck in Beijing’s closed loop found it in the elevator. The “close door” button. By Howie Rumberg. SENT: 323 words, photos.
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THE GAMES WE PLAY
OLY-SKI-MIXED TEAM PARALLEL — Mikaela Shiffrin and the American mixed ski team missed out on a medal by 0.42 seconds after losing in the bronze matchup against Norway in the final Alpine ski event of the Beijing Olympics. The top-ranked Austrians won gold in the Winter Games’ second iteration of the mixed team parallel event. They held off Germany in the final. SENT: 899 words, photos.
OLY-CUR-WOMEN'S GOLD MEDAL — Eve Muirhead led Britain to the Olympic women’s curling gold medal — the first for the sport’s homeland since 2002 — pulling away with a four-ender in the seventh on Sunday for a record-setting 10-3 victory over Japan. By Jimmy Golen. SENT: 669 words, photos.
OLY-HKO-GOLD MEDAL GAME — The Finns are finally flying home with Olympic hockey gold. Finland knocked off the favored Russians 2-1 Sunday to win the tournament without NHL players at the Beijing Games, capturing an Olympic gold medal for the first time in the nation’s history. The defending champions had to settle for silver instead of going back to back. By Stephen Whyno. SENT: 760 words, photos.
OLY-HKO-RUSSIA'S REGRETS — The silver medal is the prize no one wants to wear after an Olympic hockey final. So Ivan Fedotov didn’t. The Russian goaltender held his medal in his hand instead of putting it around his neck after a 2-1 loss in the gold-medal game Sunday to Finland, the country of his birth. By James Ellingworth. SENT: 506 words, photos.
OLY--BOB-FOUR MAN — Double gold in Pyeongchang, double gold in Beijing. Francesco Friedrich won everything the Olympics had to offer once again. The world’s best bobsledder finished off a dominating Olympics by the world’s sliding superpower by winning the four-man race at the Beijing Games. By Tim Reynolds. SENT: 776 words, photos.
OLY-XXC—WOMEN'S MASS START — Norwegian great Therese Johaug won her third gold medal of the Beijing Olympics on Sunday and Jessie Diggins took silver for the best result by an American in an individual cross-country skiing event since 1976. By Martha Bellisle. SENT: 703 words, photos.
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UP TO THE MINUTE
— OLYMPICS ROUNDUP — Highlights of the day from the 2022 Winter Games.
— BEIJING OLYMPICS-THE LATEST — Real-time updates and photos from every venue around the Winter Games.
— MEDAL BRIEFS — A roundup of the day’s gold medals.
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FEATURED IMAGES
OLYRM488 — A member of the France’s 4-man team reacts after the heat 4.
OLYYA190 — Japan’s Chinami Yoshida, left, and Japan’s Satsuki Fujisawa cry during the medal ceremony for women’s curling.
OLYJL162 — Norway’s Therese Johaug celebrates as she nears the finish line during the women’s 30km mass start free cross-country skiing competition.
OLYDP162 — Finland celebrates defeating the Russian Olympic Committee in the men’s gold medal hockey game.
OLYJL188 — Jessie Diggins is comforted after crossing the finish during the women’s 30km mass start free cross-country skiing competition.
OLYRM507 — Johannes Lochner, Florian Bauer, Christopher Weber and Christian Rasp, of Germany, celebrate winning the silver medal in the 4-man.
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GRAPHICS
Beijing Winter Olympics Medal Tracker
AP will be offering a daily medal roundup for the 2022 Beijing Olympics, showcasing the top 10 medal winners by country.
Beijing Winter Games Top 10 Medal Tracker 1C — A 1-column wide list of the most medals won, sorted by country, at the Beijing Olympic Games; ETA updated 10:30 a.m. Eastern time daily throughout the Olympics
Beijing Winter Games Top 10 Medal Tracker 2C — A 2-column wide list of the most medals won, sorted by country, at the Beijing Olympic Games; ETA updated 10:30 a.m. Eastern time daily throughout the Olympics