2022 Winter Olympics – Kiss contact Lewis Gibson and Lilah Fear after the duo skated to a medley of their songs

GIBSON AND FEAR’S DEBUT SEALED WITH A KISS

Ice dancers Lewis Gibson and Lilah Fear have admitted to being shocked after being contacted by American glam rock band Kiss on social media.

“Our music choice is about us, it’s about being uplifting and being us and choosing music that shows the joy we feel on the ice. We’re drawn to the fast tempo and exciting pieces of music, we’re looking for them,” Fear said.

“It was a real pinch moment for me, they got in touch. We were hoping they would see our performance because we’re such big fans.

“They inspired us as performers, their quality of performance, talking about giving your all and attacking what you do, that’s what every athlete wants to do.”

LUCY IN THE SKY

At the Winter Olympics, it’s not how you start, it’s how you end.

Ask French snowboarder Lucile Lefevre, whose Olympic recall must have been one of the most daring and surreal of all time.

The 26-year-old decided a year ago to retire after these Games and after suffering an injury in slopestyle she knew she would not be competitive in big air competition.

Lefevere decided to borrow a tiger suit from Swiss Nicolas Huber and put it on for his final run down the slope.

She didn’t really attempt a legal jump in qualifying, choosing to just soak in the moment and finished 29th.

“It’s more fun that way,” Lefevre said. “I asked Nicolas if he could give it to me for a day. It’s for the new year of the tiger (Chinese), so everyone wants a picture with me. It was great fun.”

“I feel good, because the world should be fun. There are a lot of problems in the world.

“If everyone was peaceful and easy, the world would be a better place for sure, that’s the message I want to share.”

Lefevre even stopped in the air during a jump to salute, later explaining, “I decided to just say hello to the judge.”

ALEXANDER THE GREAT

What about Alexander Bolshunov, Vladimir Putin’s favorite skier.

More relay and long-distance events are to come, but Bolshunov has already been promoted to captain in the Russian National Guard founded and managed by Putin.

General Viktor Zolotov says Bolshunov “serves as a role model for officials and employees of the National Guard.”

Bolshunov comes from a village right on the Ukrainian border, where Russia has now gathered large forces.

According to the source, he was described as a machine, a deranged hooligan, the most hated man in cross-country skiing, a righteous hero, a calm, hard-working, humble and serious patriotic poster boy with a discipline compared to that of a monk.

For his part, he describes himself as a sweet simpleton.

GIVE A VOICE TO A PANDA

Panda mascot Bing Dwen Dwen is even more popular than Eileen Gu in China.

But there was outrage when the cuddly ailuropoda melanoleuca, we watched in passing, was interviewed on Chinese state television.

It’s fair to say that the deep male voice wasn’t what fans expected, a Chinese equivalent of a drunk Santa at your local mall.

“It’s a shock to compare Bing Dwen Dwen’s cuddly image to this voice,” fumed one Weibo user. “I’m not sure I can still buy it.”

Good luck with that. Queues at souvenir shops begin hours before they open, and the toy sells out within minutes, for ten times its face value on various websites.

OLYMPIANS DON’T LOSE THAT SENSE OF LOVE

Olympians on a “closed loop” celebrated an unusual Valentine’s Day.

Tim Koleto, an American-born Japanese ice dancer who competed in the Olympics with his wife Misato Komatsubara, brought flowers with him.

Spanish ice dancer Adrian Diaz competing with his fiancée, American Madison Hubbell, also slipped a gift into his suitcase.

British speed skaters Ellia Smeding and Cornelius Kersten, who started a coffee business to fund their Olympic dreams, were slightly less romantic.

“We’ll have to make a KFC date…it’s the only thing we can really do in the village,” Smeding said.

IN NUMBERS

Fun fact, Czech skier Katerina Neumannova is the only athlete to win an individual cross country medal on her birthday, the day she turned 29 which she celebrated with a silver medal in 2002.

Norway have won consecutive medals in 23 games, indeed before the Games their total of 121 medals comfortably beat their nearest rivals Finland and Sweden (each with 80).

Belarusian Siarhei Dalidovich has competed in seven Olympics while Bjorn Daehlie and Marit Bjorgen, both of Norway, have won eight Olympic gold medals – to sit tied with biathlon legend Ole Einar Bjoerndalen.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu asked if these would be his last Games after narrowly missing out on the podium.

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