2022 Winter Olympics: The most memorable and historic moments in women’s sports

As the 2022 Winter Olympics come to a close, On Her Turf is taking a closer look at some of the most memorable moments from women’s sports in Beijing.

In the 50th year of Title IX, it’s not a surprise that the women of Team USA led the way at the 2022 Winter Olympics. While the United States finished the Beijing Games ranked fifth in the overall medal count, Team USA claimed more medals in women’s events (13) than any other nation.

Women won a majority of Team USA’s medals at the Winter Olympics. Of 25 total medals, women played a role in winning 17 (13 in women’s events, four in mixed gender events). The U.S. women’s success is particularly remarkable when you consider that women still have fewer participation and medal opportunities than men.

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Also in Beijing, the U.S. and Canada both broke the record for most women from one nation to compete at a single Winter Olympics. The U.S. has now broken the women’s participation record at 11 consecutive Winter Olympics, a streak that began in 1984, according to Olympedia.org.

Cross-country skier Jessie Diggins was already one of the most recognizable faces representing Team USA at the 2022 Winter Olympics after she captured gold in 2018 with teammate Kikkan Randall. But the Minnesota native with the glittering cheeks – and personality to match – extended her legacy even further in Beijing. By winning bronze in the individual sprint freestyle, she became the only U.S. athlete to ever win two Olympic medals in cross-country skiing. Then, in the final women’s event of the Beijing Winter Games, Diggins won silver in the 30km freestyle – despite dealing with food poisoning a day before the race.

“That