Winter Olympics 2022 - Spectacular ceremony opens Games, first medals to come on Day 1 - Best of Beijing

BEST MOMENTS OF THE DAY Lift off! Ad/> The XXIV Olympic Winter Games are officially… open! Beijing 2022Team GB underdogs 'have to try that little bit more' — Morgan2 HOURS AGO Beijing 2022 launched with a spectacular new-age ceremony, which harnessed an 11,600 square metre LCD screen to bring the Bird’s Nest stadium to life. Fireworks, mesmerising green rods and an unavoidably cute choir, what’s not to like? Flag bearers Eve Muirhead and Dave Ryding, curling and slalom hopefuls respectively, diligently led Team GB into the arena, while China’s arrival delighted the fans allowed into the arena amid Covid restrictions. The Olympic cauldron (aka just a small flame) was intended to convey China’s commitment to tackling climate change – and all in all it was a terrific spectacle.

Roll on the Games. GB’s sweepers scrape past Aussies Australia have never won a curling match at the Olympics. Despite a land mass of 1.901 billion acres, there is not a single dedicated curling rink in the country.

So when Dean Hewitt and Tahli Gill fell 6-1 behind to Team GB double-act Bruce Mouat and Jen Dodds after just four ends, it seemed it was game over already. But they fought back magnificently, earning an extra end shootout after recovering to 8-8. Sure, they eventually lost but it was terrific effort.

Mouat and Dodds are 3-1 in the group stage, sitting second in the group with four semi-final spots up grabs, while Australia are 0-5. Four more chances for that elusive win… Skating delight We’re calling it now: the biggest duel of the Games won’t be Mikaela Shiffrin v Petra Vlhova in the women’s slalom (although that will be excellent) but Yuzuru Hanyu v Nathan Chen in the men’s figure skating singles. Hanyu is bidding to become the first