(PYEONGCHANG, South Korea) – The AP reports, the 2018 Winter Olympics have officially opened following a ceremony that displayed an extraordinary demonstration of unity.Both North and South Korean nations sat next to each other while fireworks represented a moment of peace on the peninsula. The sister of North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, shook hands with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North and South Korean athletes entered the Olympic Stadium together while waving flags.
The highlight of the evening came as two athletes from the joint Koreas women’s hockey team climbed to the cauldron with the Olympic torch.They then handed off the flame to former South Korean Olympic champion figure skater Yuna Kim, who lit the cauldron as the home crowd roared.One notable absentee from the opening ceremonies was U.S. speeds-kater Shani Davis in what many will perceive to be a show of protest after the five-time Olympian was not chosen to carry the American flag.
Davis lost a coin flip to luger Erin Hamlin for the honor after the two tied in voting by fellow athletes, then bashed the process in a Twitter post while suggesting that race played apart in the decision. A U.S. Speed skating spokesman said Davis, who is black, had previously planned to skip the event due to his training schedule. The two-time Olympic champion is slated to race in the 1,500 meters on Tuesday.
Charlotte Kalla won the first gold medal of the Olympics a few hours before Lim Hyo-jun earned host country South Korea its first gold. In the first medal event, Kalla won the women’s 15-kilometers kiathlon by more than seven seconds. Later in the day, Lim crossed the finish line first in the men’s 1,500-meter short-track speed skating event, setting off a huge roar from a capacity crowd.The historic women’s hockey team that features three North Koreans playing with South Korea didn’t fare as well, falling 8-0 to Switzerland in its first game.
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