Beijing Olympics Digest

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The Beijing Winter Olympics gets underway this week. They will run Feb 4-20. Find our latest plans in Coverage Plan. For the latest stories, video and photos, visit the Olympics hub in AP Newsroom. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport@ap.org or call 877-836-9477.

Here are AP’s coverage plans for Tuesday. All times are Eastern.

OLY--HKW-CANADA-CAPTAIN CLUTCH: Marie-Philip Poulin blushes at the mention of her “Captain Clutch” nickname. It’s one that is well-earned for the Canadian national women’s hockey team captain, who seems always to be in the right place at the most critical time to score a gold medal-winning goal, as Poulin did in securing a 3-2 overtime win over the United States in the World Championships title game in August. By Hockey Writer John Wawrow. SENT 950 words, photos.

OLY--SKI-EXPECTATIONS FROM EVERYWHERE: Two-time Alpine skiing gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin has been thinking a lot about the stress and pressure that gymnast Simone Biles and swimmer Caeleb Dressel discussed during last year’s Tokyo Olympics. And Shiffrin knows that she will face similar burdens when her races at the Beijing Winter Games begin next week. By National Writer Howard Fendrich. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.

OLY--SBD-WHITE'S FAREWELL: Shaun White is making a curtain call. The big question is whether his finale will include a stop at the medal stand. The 35-year-old American will be in his fifth Olympics next week in Beijing. He says he’s at peace calling it a career and isn’t as concerned about his result as he once was. He says it’s great to still be competing against some riders half his age. White is in the conversation for a medal. But the three-time Olympic champion has struggled in the lead-up to the Games while dealing with ankle injury, a bout with COVID-19 and some less-than-stellar results. By Eddie Pells. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.

OLY-CUR-AUSTRALIA’S-FIRST-CURLERS: An Australian curling team has made history as the first curlers from Down Under to qualify for the Olympics. Tahli Gill and Dean Hewitt’s bid for an Olympic medal in the sport’s mixed doubles event comes despite being the only curlers competing in Beijing without a designated curling rink in their home country. By Kristen Gelinau. SENT: 1,300 words, photos.

OLY--VIRUS CASES: Beijing Olympics athletes and team officials are testing positive for COVID-19 at much higher rates than other people arriving in China for the Winter Games. UPCOMING by 9 a.m. ET.

EXPLAINERS

OLY--WINTER GAMES-EXPLAINER: The Winter Games, a different kind of Olympics. By Stephen Wade. SENT: 600 words and photos.

— The AP