Do you grab a seat around the television every 4 years to watch the Winter Olympics? The Winter Olympics allow people to watch the best athletes from around the world to compete in winter sports. People love to watch the skiing, skating, and sledding events.

Skiing requires a great amount of leg strength and balance. There are 6 different skiing events: Alpine, Cross-Country, Nordic Combined, Freestyle, Ski jumping, and Snowboarding. Many people underestimate skiers and the conditions they sometimes have to compete in. Olympics skiers wear very little clothing to prevent getting caught on anything and slowing down. This can be very hard for the skiers because they sometimes have to ski when it is very cold and windy.

Did you know that there are 3 different skating events in the winter Olympics? The first skating event to be a part of the Winter Olympics was introduced in 1924.  There is the elegant sport of figure skating, and the fast-paced and intense sports of speed skating and short track speed skating. Many people love to watch the routines of the figure skating pairs and singles on the ice. While others enjoy watching the fast-paced speed skating events. 
Out of the three major winter Olympic sports the one that most people have enjoyed doing is sledding. Many people have childhood memories of themselves sledding in fresh white snow with their families on a cold winter day. But sledding isn’t all fun and games for these athletes; it's a fast and dangerous sport filled with chances for disaster. For example, many people have been killed because of course malfunction. Luge competitors must wear skintight body suits in order to gain maximum speed. Even though you may think of sledding as a fun past time, these athletes think of it as an intense and dangerous sport.

It is fun to watch professional athletes compete in things we use to do as a kid. Have you ever wanted to try skiing at high speeds together with a team? Or maybe you’ve always wanted to sled in events instead of just for fun. But not everyone can dance as elegantly on the ice as the the Olympians can. Imagine sitting in the arena, cheering as you watch your country take the gold.