Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Trivia Quiz

Answer: Women's monobob

Germany did not win the gold in the inaugural women's monobob (one-person bobsleigh) which was won by Kaillie Humphries of the United States. In fact, the women's monobob is the only sliding event in which Germany did not medal at all, with German Laura Nolte (who won gold in the women's two-person bobsleigh) finishing just off the podium in fourth place.

Answer: Figure skating

Kamila Valieva was the gold-medal favorite to win gold in the women's individual program. However, she tested positive for a banned substance prior to the Olympics. The positive test was not revealed until after she helped the Russian Olympic Committee win gold during the team event. Medals were not distributed during the Olympics for that event.

In the following days, the Court for Sports Arbitration allowed Valieva to compete in the individual event while the investigating into the doping allegations continued on the grounds that Valieva was a minor and had a special protection status. The decision was controversial with many sports commentators and current and former Olympic figure skaters expressed their outrage. In the United States, commentators Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir refused to give commentary when Valieva skated.

Valieva finished in first after the short program but uncharacteristically stumbled consistently throughout the free skate and landed off the podium. Before the event, it was announced that had Valieva finished in the top three, there would not have been a medal ceremony. The situation led to an international conversation about the status of minors in the Olympics Games, especially in regards to their mental health as many commentators noted the decision to allow Valieva to compete was probably worse for her mental wellbeing than banning her.

Answer: Figure skater Nathan Chen

Nathan Chen won the men's individual figure skating program after a disappointing showing at the previous Olympics which he was also a gold medal contender at.

John Shuster and Shaun White were both the reigning gold medalists from the 2018 Games. Shuster was the captain of the men's curling team in 2022 when they finished fourth and off the podium. Shaun White was a three-time gold medalist in the men's snowboard halfpipe but he too finished in fourth and retired afterward.

Alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin was a heavy favorite in several events only to not earn any medals at all. She skied out (was disqualified) in the giant slalom and the slalom which were considered her two best events. She also skied out on the parallel portion of the combined event. She finished in ninth in the super-G and eighteenth in the downhill. At the mixed team event, Shiffrin and Team USA finished in fourth after losing the bronze medal match to Norway.

Answer: False

Norway did not earn a medal in the women's relay event which was considered an upset. Overall, Norway earned six gold medals in biathlon. Johannes Thingnes Bo and Marte Olsbu Roiseland each won five medals for Norway in biathlon.

Answer: Canada and the United States

Canada and the United States met in the gold medal match for the fourth consecutive Olympics, which Canada won to reclaim their gold. Canada had won four straight Olympic golds in this event, but lost to the U.S. for the gold medal in 2018.

Finland and Russia were the matchup in the men's tournament, which was won by Finland.

Answer: Bart Swings

Hanne Desmet earned a bronze medal in the women's 1000m in short-track speed skating. Bart Swings earned the gold in the men's mass start event in the long track speed skating, becoming the first Belgian Winter gold medalist since Micheline Lannoy and Pierre Baugniet won gold in 1948 in the pairs figure skating event. With his silver medal in the same event he won in 2018, Swings is the first Belgian Winter Olympian to earn more than one medal.

Answer: New Zealand

Zoi Sadowski-Synott became the first New Zealander to earn a gold medal at the Winter Olympics when she won the women's slopestyle snowboarding event. She later won silver in the women's big air.

Nico Porteous became the second New Zealander to earn a gold medal at the Winter Olympics when he topped the podium in the men's snowboard halfpipe event.

Answer: 16

Norway earned 16 gold medals at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing which broke the record the nation (and Germany) set in 2018 with 14. Norway, however, only earned 37 medals overall, two short of the record the country set in 2018.

Answer: China

Controversially, Eileen Gu competed for China instead of her native United States where she was born, lived, (partially) trained and went to school. Gu claimed she did so to honor her mother who was born in China and because she wanted to bring winter sports to the nation.

However, allegations that Gu was bribed by the Chinese government to compete for China ran rampant in some media outlets. Gu's decision came at a time of heightened tension between China and the United States. Gu received support from Asian-American groups who noted the lack of criticism against other American athletes who competed for other nations such as snowboarder Louie Vito who competed for Italy and bobsledder Jazmine Fenlator-Victorian who competed for Jamaica.

Answer: Sweden

Sweden earned the gold in the men's competition and bronze in both the women's and the mixed doubles. This was Sweden's first gold in the men's competition. Great Britain only medaled in the men's and women's tournaments after losing the bronze medal match in the mixed doubles to Sweden.