For the last two weeks, the world has tuned in to watch the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang and has seen the world come together under the Olympic flame. During the opening ceremony, the both North Korea and South Korea walked in together under one united Korea flag.

Not only were North Korea and South Korea united at the opening ceremony, they were united in their women’s hockey team. When they scored their first goal, the stadium erupted as if they had won a gold medal. Although they didn’t medal in the event, the statement was worth more than a medal. It was that if we come together to create unity, anything can happen.

Speaking of women’s hockey, the United States won its first gold medal in 20 years. The last time was in 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Canada has dominated women’s hockey ever since Nagano.

Madison’s Amanda Kassel was on the U.S. hockey team. Kassel is not the only connection Madison has to the in the Olympics. Tony Granato, who is the head coach of the Badger men’s hockey team was named the head coach for the men’s team. Granato’s team didn’t make it to the medal round.
The United States won its first ever gold medal in curling. What makes it more special is that one of the Olympians is from McFarland: Matt Hamilton. Also on Hamilton’s team was John Shuster, Tyler George, John Landsteiner, and John Polo.

There were also surprises on the slopes, too. Ester Ledecka made Olympic history by winning two gold medals in two different sports. Ledecka, of Czechoslovakia won two gold medals in alpine skiing and snowboarding.

Also in snowboarding, Shaun White came for redemption after his performance in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. In 2006 and 2010, he won gold in the halfpipe, but he failed to medal in Sochi. Here White did what he came to do, winning his third gold medal.

The one thing the past two weeks has reminded us is that we are all connected.

Sports and the Olympics tend bring us together.

We are cheering on athletes from our own country, then sometimes we find ourselves cheering for other athletes from other countries.

And that’s something worth celebrating.