Ester Ledecka becomes snow queen
It was audacious enough that the 22-year-old Czech entered ski and snowboard competitions – a decision that made Winter Olympic history– but then, incredibly, she won a shock gold in the Super-G ski before, six days later, storming home in the parallel giant slalom. It made Ledecka the first woman to win two separate events – and a bona fide star. Sean Ingle
North Korean cheerleaders
The appearance of 229 women in identical red snowsuits would have turned heads anywhere, but the presence of North Koreans singing in unison and performing choreographed routines often captured more attention than whatever event they were attending. Reactions were mixed and the cheerleaders were largely seen as a novelty, another thing to take a selfie with, but were definitely unique to the Pyeongchang Olympics. Benjamin Haas
South Korea’s Garlic Girls
The South Korean women’s curling team known as the Garlic Girls, a nod to the famed export of their Uiseong hometown where they met and formed a team as high schoolers, became an overnight sensation during their inspired run to Sunday’s gold medal match, winning hearts around the world with their steely focus and quirky personalities en route to an improbable silver medal. Bryan Armen Graham
Gus Kenworthy’s kiss
Kenworthy kissing his boyfriend just before his freestyle ski event was the kiss seen around the world. He has been a champion for gay athletes at the Olympics and slammed Mike Pence leading the US delegation. This year’s Games included the most openly LGBTQ athletes with a total of 15, including Ireen Wüst, who became the most successful Olympic speed skater ever with 11 medals. BH
Return of the shirtless Tongan
The return of the shirtless and oiled Tongan at the opening ceremony, but this time in subzero temperatures, delighted many viewers and raised Pita Taufatofua’s profile. He had not seen snow until two years ago but qualified for a cross-country ski race in an effort to inspire others to dream big. Nigeria’s women’s bobsled team, a first for Africa, also carried a motivational message. BH
Chloe Kim launches out of a halfpipe into the hearts of the world
There are many Olympic gold medallists but stars are harder to come by. Chloe Kim, the 17-year-old Korean-American snowboarder who entered these Olympics with the weight of two countries on her shoulders, placed herself squarely in the latter camp when she delivered on her long-held promise with a transcendent run for Olympic halfpipe gold. Light-years beyond her rivals, she has a future of limitless promise: 2022, 2026, 2030 … and beyond? BAG
Billy Morgan takes bronze in big air
It seemed impossible that Morgan would surpass partying with a toilet seat around his head in Sochi. But in Pyeongchang he claimed a brilliant bronze, before celebrating by being driven around the Olympic Village on a trolley. The 28-year-old former builder clearly has cojones the size of breezeblocks – and is funny and a bit mad with it. SI
Lizzy Yarnold wins gold for Britain
A week before the Winter Olympics Yarnold was a 28-1 outsider to retain her skeleton title due to various niggles and mixed performances. Worse still, she was also suffering from a brutal chest infection and at one point thought she feared she would have to pull out. Yet, once again when the pressure was highest, Yarnold delivered – with gold. SI
Diggins and Randall make history
No American woman had ever won a medal in cross-country – much less a gold – until Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall overtook Sweden and Norway on the final lap to win the team sprint freestyle. The shocker was especially sweet for Diggins, the bubbly talisman of the US team, who had finished in the top six but off the podium in each of her first four events. BAG
Canada’s sweethearts keep us guessing
Canada’s self-professed platonic darlings Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir punctuated their brilliant careers with a second Olympic gold medal in ice dance – and record fifth medal overall – with a free skate of emotive resonance, technical precision and smouldering sexual intensity that managed simultaneously to eclipse and underscore the are-they-or-aren’t-they riddle at the heart of their mystique. BAG
