As Olympics Approach, Things to Know About Pyeongchang
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Page 8 n THE ASIAN REPORTER SPORTS January 15, 2018 Nagasu, Chen, Tennell earn As Olympics approach, things U.S. Olympic figure skating spots to know about PyeongChang By Barry Wilner By Foster Klug AP Sports Writer The Associated Press AN JOSE, Calif. — Mirai Nagasu, YEONGCHANG, South Korea — SKaren Chen, and Bradie Tennell, The Olympics are coming to one of the top three finishers at the P the most remote, ruggedly beauti- national championships, have been ful parts of South Korea, an area known for selected to the U.S. team for the icy winds, a collapsed mining industry, PyeongChang Olympics. towering granite mountains that blot out Three-time U.S. champ Ashley Wagner, the horizon, and for a tough, proud, rapidly who complained vigorously about the aging population as curious about the marks after her free skate, was not approaching foreign masses as outsiders OLYMPIC VENUE. People take to the slopes included. Four years ago, Wagner also are about the place they’re heading. SPOT SECURED. Mirai Nagasu is seen perform- at Yongpyong Resort in PyeongChang, South Korea. finished fourth but was placed on the team ing during the women’s free skate event at the U.S. With the Olympics just a few weeks The PyeongChang Olympics are coming to a remote, ahead of Nagasu. Wagner wound up with a Figure Skating Championships in San Jose, California. away, here are some answers to questions ruggedly beautiful part of South Korea known for icy bronze medal in the team event. The U.S. champ 10 years ago and a 2010 Olympian, about PyeongChang and the Korean wind and towering granite mountains. (AP Photo/Ahn “I really took time to remodel myself, Nagasu capped a sensationally sweet comeback with Peninsula: Young-joon) because I didn’t want to feel that regret,” a flowing performance at the national championships w tofu; riced steamed with mountain herbs Nagasu said during the announcement on to finish second, assuring a spot in next month’s Question: Is the Korean Peninsula safe? and some of the country’s best beef. w NBC’s “Today” show. “This has been about Olympics — a berth she was denied in 2014 by Answer: Yes, with a half-century-old Q: What’s the weather like? my journey and my goal to get here. To the selection committee. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) caveat. A: Bundle up. accomplish it last night has been a dream denied in 2014 by the selection committee. South Korea is one of the safest places in Gangwon province is one of the country’s come true.” That position for Sochi was given to the world to live and visit. People regularly leave their cellphones and bags on coldest places. The wind is brutal, and the Chen, 18, the 2017 U.S. winner, and Wagner, who had a better overall record. restaurant tables when they go to the stadium for the nighttime opening and 19-year-old Tennell, made their first Chen, the defending champion, was restrooms. closing ceremonies is open air and has no Olympics. Nagasu, now 24, was fourth at third. But it’s also an easy drive to the edge of heating system. Locals make it a matter of the 2010 Games. After overpowering the entry and two- an incredibly hostile, and nuclear-armed, pride not to complain about daily Alternates are Wagner (first alternate), footing the triple axel that no other Ameri- North Korea. Since U.S. President Donald wintertime life, but visitors risk misery if Mariah Bell (second alternate), and can woman tries, Nagasu hit six triple Trump has begun matching the they’re unprepared. Angela Wang (third alternate). Only jumps, including a loop in the final seconds w over-the-top rhetoric North Korea has Wagner has been to an Olympics among of a stirring program. She was so moved by Q: How will I get around? always favored, there have been worries those three. her performance that she broke out in A: Just in time for the games, high-speed over the possibility of war. South Koreans, U.S. Figure Skating uses a committee to tears and covered her face, trying to gain trains will whisk people from Seoul and used to decades of threats about turning decide the squad, and it went with the control of the emotions that often had the Incheon airport to the area in about an Seoul into a “sea of fire,” are still fairly results of the national championships. betrayed her in critical moments. hour, compared to three hours or more by nonchalant about the North. The presence Past performances and a variety of other She was still crying in, appropriately, car. Also available: more taxis than usual, of 28,500 U.S. military personnel and a data are included in the decision. the kiss and cry area when the marks 150 free inter-city busses and shuttle massive amount of U.S. and South Korean The remainder of the team includes showed Nagasu she had shattered her busses that connect with major hotels and firepower aimed at North Korea helps. three men, three ice dance couples, and personal best by nearly 20 points with a the local airport. Officials hope to reduce North Korea’s dictatorship values its one pair. 213.84. traffic by restricting locals’ car usage. existence above all things, and knows that Rising star Tennell’s near-perfect free Chen’s big season last year had not Outsiders driving in can choose from seven it could not win a war with South Korea skate earned her first national crown. translated into achievement this parking lots near the Olympic venues, and its U.S. ally. This has tempered the Tennell, a long shot entering the season, campaign. She put those struggles to an then take free shuttles to stadiums. threat since the Korean War ended in w was spotless in the short program, then as icy death with a superb showing that had 1953. Q: What else is there to do in Pyeong- the final skater in the long program, she one flaw toward the end. She, too, was w Chang and South Korea? didn’t miss a trick under tremendous overcome by tears for a 198.59 score. Q: Do people speak English? A: PyeongChang County is famous for pressure. Her top competitors, Nagasu Tennell made it a trio of tears with her A: Not many. winter sports, with plenty of area ski and Chen, already had put down superb career best of 219.51. Tennell announced But the government has paid for English rental shops. Just driving among the routines. herself as an Olympic team threat with a lessons for some people in the service massive granite peaks and frozen streams “I just had to keep calm and focus on third place at Skate America. Hardly ice industry; there will be translation apps can be breathtaking. For scenic views, try what I knew I could do,” Tennell said. shattering, but then she ratcheted up and English-speaking volunteers; phone Odaesan National Park and the “There’s the initial butterflies, but I kind of everything for nationals. hotlines are available. Adding to these Woljeongsa Buddhist temple, which offers start to lose myself and keep going. Wagner had the crowd going for most of efforts will be South Koreans’ natural overnight stays. You can hike Mount “I don’t think it’s sunk in quite yet. I’m her energetic routine, but a flawed lutz as hospitality and curiosity. Seonjaryeong and visit sheep ranches in still kind of shocked. It’s indescribable to her final jump was costly. She responded w Q: Where, exactly, am I going? the mountain town of Daegwallyeong. me.” to the fans with a deep bow when she A: To a lovely, frigid land of mountains, Jeongseon, with one Olympic venue, the Nagasu, U.S. champ 10 years ago and a finished, yet was shaking her head “no” streams, and clean air. But also to a more downhill skiing course, has the country’s 2010 Olympian, capped a sensationally when her marks were posted. temperate, coastal region known for its only casino where Koreans may gamble — sweet comeback with a flowing perfor- Hours later, after she verbally seafood and beach. Gangwon Land. You can pedal “rail bikes” mance to finish second, assuring a spot in campaigned to be placed on the Olympic The Olympics are actually being held in amid the mountains at the Jeongseon next month’s Olympics — a berth she was team again, Wagner was left off. three areas: PyeongChang, known for Railbike Park, an abandoned coalmining Nathan Chen dazzles with five mountains and winter sports; Jeongseon, a railway track, or walk over a cliffside blue-collar former mining region; and see-through floor at the Jeongseon Ski quad jumps to win U.S. nationals Gangneung, the biggest of the three Walk on Mount Beyongbangsan. Gangneung has the vibrant Sacheon By Janie McCauley using his head, and being more expressive Olympic towns by far and a bustling port and vacation area along the Sea of Japan, and Gyodong districts near the city’s The Associated Press with his body. famous Gyeongpo Beach and hosts five “I still need time to really wrap my head known here as the East Sea. Together they AN JOSE, Calif. — Nathan Chen Olympic venues handling skating, curling, around this,” Chen said. “But this whole take up South Korea’s northeast corner, skated once more in a victory lap of and hockey. The Ojukheon House and S season has gone exactly as I wanted it to in not far from the border with the North.