The 2018 Winter Olympics ended Sunday evening in Pyeongchang, South Korea, with a closing ceremony featuring fireworks, K-pop performances, the reappearance of Tongan cross-country skier Pita Taufatofua sans shirt, and a dance party that brought athletes onstage, eager to let loose and celebrate their games.
Norway is taking home the most Winter Olympic medals this year, 39 total — 14 of them gold. The U.S. came in fourth in the medal count, winning 23 — its lowest number of medals since 1998, when it won just 13. (The gold medal count has stayed consistent at nine since 2006.) Host South Korea won 17, and its athletes took part in a joint North-South women's ice hockey team.
The games delivered late, unexpected curling victories for the U.S. men (gold) and South Korea's women (silver). The U.S. women's ice hockey team, too, scored a historic win against longtime gold medalist Canada.
As doping violations continued to dog the Russians, its doubles curling team forfeited a bronze medal when one member failed a drug test. Frigid winds disrupted some events and caused others to be rescheduled. There were a few tiffs and episodes of poor sportsmanship. But these were not the games' defining moments.
Throughout it all, there were the athletes, nearly 3,000 of them from 92 countries, embracing the Olympic spirit — and, win or lose, doing their best in sports they love. Here's a look at some of the highlights.
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