Today we celebrate exactly one year until the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games kick-off and to get you well and truly up to speed on Australia's winter legends and the Games, here are ten things you need to know.
1. Team size
Australia will be sending around 50 winter athletes to Beijing 2022, making it one of our biggest teams
2. Aussie firsts
There will be multiple 'Aussie firsts,' with women's monobob (one-person bobsleigh) making its Olympic debut at 2022. (Keep an eye on "Bobsled" Bree Walker, who has won multiple medals and World series throughout the 2020/21 season.
Australia is also looking to send its first-ever curlers to an Olympic Games. Currently, mixed doubles pair Tahli Gill and Dean Hewitt are ranked fifth in the world.
3. Returning stars and new talent
Several Olympians are aiming to make their fourth Olympic Games, including Scotty James and Britt Cox.
Young athletes looking to make their Olympic debuts include Lausanne 2020 Youth Olympic Games gold medallist, Josie Baff and 15-year-old snowboarder, Valentino Guseli.
4. Medal tally
Australia has won 15 medals at the Winter Olympics - 5 gold, 5 silver and 5 bronze.
5. The first host of a summer and winter Games
Beijing will become the first city to host both a summer (Beijing 2008) and winter Olympics.
6. The Games
Beijing will welcome around 2,800 athletes from more than 90 countries across 109 medal events in 15 disciplines to compete at Beijing 2022 between 4-20 February.
7. Sustainability
Beijing 2022 has signed on for sustainability, with all venues being powered by 100% renewable energy.
They also utilised seven legacy venues including the iconic Bird’s Nest National Stadium, which will host the Opening and Closing Ceremonies; the Water Cube, which will be transformed from the Beijing 2008 swimming venue to host curling competitions; and the Wukesong Sports Centre, which hosted basketball in 2008 and will host ice hockey in 2022.
8. New events
Women’s monobob, freestyle skiing big air (men’s and women’s), and mixed team events in short track speed skating team relay, ski jumping, freestyle skiing aerials and snowboard cross will make their Olympic debut at Beijing 2022.
9. Competition zones
Beijing will host all the ice events (curling, ice hockey and skating) and four snow events (snowboard big air and freestyle skiing big air, men’s and women’s) while Yanqing, a suburban district of Beijing (80km to the northwest) and home to the famous Badaling and Juyongguan stretches of the Great Wall, is to host the alpine skiing and sliding (bobsleigh, skeleton and luge) events.
Zhangjiakou, further to the northwest in the neighbouring Hebei province, will host all the other snow events (snowboard, freestyle skiing, cross country skiing, ski jumping, Nordic combined and biathlon) in its Chongli district.
The Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway will cut travel time from Beijing to Yanqing to 20 minutes, and from Beijing to Zhangjiakou to 50 minutes.
10. Mascot
A cheerful panda called Bing Dwen Dwen has been chosen as the Olympic mascot for the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
The new Olympic mascot will serve as an ambassador for winter sports, bringing joy to those who participate in and watch the Olympic Winter Games. “Bing” means ice and also symbolises purity and strength, and “Dwen Dwen” represents children. The mascot embodies the strength and willpower of athletes and will help to promote the Olympic spirit.
Keep updated on Beijing 2022 HERE and the news from your Beijing 2022 hopefuls HERE
