The 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang concluded this week after two and a half weeks of athletes from 91 countries around the world competing across 15 sports, earning over 300 medals. Despite the tension surrounding the Olympics with the current unrest of the world, and Russia being barred from officially competing in the Olympics, the world came together to watch the best athletes on the planet compete in their respective sports.

   

The country that performed the best overall at the games was Norway by a wide margin. Norway accrued 39 total medals, eight more than the next best country, that being Germany. They also tied for the most gold medals with Germany at 14. The most remarkable fact about their medal count, is that Norway now holds the record for most medals earned in a single Winter Olympics, taking that record away from the United States, who garnered 37 in the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi. Norway jumped out to an immediate advantage, earning 4 medals in the first 5 medal rewarding events, placing them in a tie for the lead, and they never looked back.

   

The United States took fourth overall in the total medal count, winning 23 total medals. The US cleared nine gold, eight silver, and six bronze medals. The US also sent the largest delegation to the Olympics (241 athletes), more than doubling the delegation of Norway. The United States did win some surprising and unexpected medals while at the games. The women’s hockey team won gold, defeating Canada with a shootout goal to seal the medal. This is the first time that the US has won the medal since the inaugural event in 1998, with Canada winning the previous four golds. The US men’s curling team also won the gold medal in their event, winning the United States’ first ever gold medal in curling, again taking the medal away from Canada, the defending champions of the event. In other sports, Lindsey Vonn recovered from her accident in 2013, where she tore 2 ligaments in her knee, to win the bronze medal in ladies’ downhill skiing. Shaun White also won the third gold medal in his Olympic career in the men’s halfpipe.

   

Despite Russia not being able to compete, 168 athletes went competing under the official title of the ‘Olympic Athletes from Russia’, flying under the traditional Olympic flag. This comes from Russia being banned from the Olympics for being caught doping in previous Olympic games. According to the World Anti-Doping Agency report, 643 athletes were uncovered for doping in previous Olympic events, and the WADA recommended prohibiting Russia from competing in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. While the International Olympic Committee did not ban Russia from the 2016 summer games, they did bar then from the 2018 winter games, for attempting to cover up the doping. Despite the ban, the Olympic Athletes from Russia won 17 medals, including two gold, but the country still has an uphill battle to return to prominence on an international stage. According to Elite Daily, Russia will be allowed to reenter the games if they follow a list of stipulations provided by the IOC, most notably the payment of a 15 million dollar fine.