MORE than 100 million Americans have watched the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, where many U.S. athletes continue to show their talents, skills and sportsmanship and share memorable experiences inside and outside competition venues. The popularity of the ongoing event among ordinary Americans and the friendship between U.S. and Chinese Olympians showcased in the Games have lampooned the Washington-led farce of a so-called “diplomatic boycott” of the Games, and convincingly attested to the new Olympic motto of “Faster, Higher, Stronger — Together.” It “definitely sent a positive message that the world will endure,” Marianne Chase, a retired elementary school teacher in Houston, the southern U.S. state of Texas, told Xinhua about the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics. “We all need that right now.” Chase was among the 16 million viewers in the United States tuning in to watch the technology-driven, visually pleasing kickoff of the Games earlier this month despite a time difference of at least 12 hours across multiple NBCUniversal platforms. More than 100 million Americans have since watched the Games on the networks of NBCUniversal, the U.S. media conglomerate has announced, adding it has also become “the most streamed Winter Games ever with 2.23 billion minutes consumed.” “Considering that Olympic videos on YouTube and TikTok are going to rack up hundreds of millions of views, I wouldn’t be surprised if these Olympic Games end up being one of the most-viewed video events in U.S. history,” Michael Socolow, a media historian at the University of Maine, was quoted by The Washington Post as saying. While most winter sports fans across the United States have watched the Games and cheered for their favorite teams and athletes at home or game-watching parties, others have chosen to have a try on their own. Over the past weekend, amid romantic vibes, residents and visitors in Washington, D.C. had fun skating inside the ice rink at the National Gallery of Art’s Sculpture Garden. Many Olympians from the United States have turned to social media to share athletic highlights, honorable and emotional moments, and behind-the-scene stories at the Olympic Village. “Everyone at home, thank you. Snowboarding, thank you,” legendary U.S. snowboarder Shaun White said in a short video posted on TikTok on Saturday, which also featured pictures of him at the Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou. The 35-year-old snowboarder finished in fourth place in the men’s halfpipe final last week, ending his career as a three-time Olympic gold medalist. While staying at the Olympic Village, White has been more than ready to respond to questions asked by some of his 1.5 million followers on TikTok. One of the viral clips showed him delightfully introducing traditional Chinese dishes for which he has a keen appetite, including “Sweet and Sour Pork,” “Kung Pao Chicken” and “Dandan noodles.” Tessa Maud appeared to have been a “part-time reporter” when she was not competing in the women’s half pipe. Apart from a “Chinese food series” launched on TikTok, the U.S. snowboarder produced content on her training, pins she had exchanged with other athletes, and even packing procrastination. “Brings me to tears every time,” Maud captioned in a short video recording her entry into the China’s National Stadium in Beijing, or the Bird’s Nest, during the parade of athletes at the opening ceremony. She said “Ni Hao” — meaning “hello” in Chinese — to dancing and cheerful volunteers who responded by saying “Welcome to China.” (Xinhua) | 