western australia

winter olympics

From desert heat to Beijing cold

@JudyEv (382036)

Rockingham, Australia

February 18, 2022 7:26am CST

We have been watching a few of the Winter Olympic events and really admiring the skill of the various competitors. Tonight it is the two-woman bobsleigh event and there is an Australian team competing. The two women are Kiara Reddingius and Breeana Walker. Former heptathlete Kiara saw her first bobsled four or five months ago and her first snow in November. She spent her primary school years in Leonora, Western Australia, and her mother still lives there. Leonora is in the Goldfields-Esperance and some 833 kms (518 miles) north-east of Perth. The population is around 500 and the average daily temperature during February is 35C. Just slightly different to the weather in Beijing at the moment. There is a big cheer squad assembled in the Leonora Hotel hoping that Kiara and Breeana Walker can pull off a minor miracle. We might be late to bed tonight. The photo is a typical scene from the area around Leonora.

19 people like this

19 responses

@LadyDuck (502429)

• Italy

18 Feb 22

I have not followed the winter Olympics, I think that Switzerland won some medals.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

19 Feb 22

I thought of you every time I saw a Swiss competitor

And I also thought of our little Austrian friend every time I saw an Austrian skier.

2 people like this

@LadyDuck (502429)

• Italy

19 Feb 22

Reading the morning Swiss newspaper online I noticed they mentioned the medals won. I usually skip the sport pages.

2 people like this

@wolfgirl569 (135722)

• Marion, Ohio

18 Feb 22

Those are big differences in weather. Hope they did good

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

19 Feb 22

I think the final two heats are on this evening. They don't have much chance but at least they're in there with the other teams.

1 person likes this

@shaggin (74987)

• United States

18 Feb 22

Wow she saw her first bobsled so recently and is so good she can already compete in the Olympics that’s amazing

1 person likes this

show previous comments

@shaggin (74987)

• United States

19 Feb 22

@JudyEv could be. I’m not good at any sports

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

19 Feb 22

That's what I thought. I guess that, mostly, if you're good at one sport, you are often good at another.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

20 Feb 22

@shaggin Nor me. My saving grace at school was that I had a pony and could ride.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@franxav (14592)

• India

18 Feb 22

Hope the Australian team wins.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

19 Feb 22

Thanks but I don't think that is going to happen.

@Ronrybs (21497)

• London, England

18 Feb 22

That reminds of that Jamaican bobsled team! From the heat to the sub-zero chill! fingers crossed for the team

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

19 Feb 22

It would be like suddenly finding yourself on another planet.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

19 Feb 22

@Ronrybs When we toured England in the motor-home, we couldn't believe how hot it got from time to time. I had to go to an op shop to get some cotton tops.

1 person likes this

@Ronrybs (21497)

• London, England

19 Feb 22

@JudyEv After working in the Falklands, in June, I came back to the UK and had a similar experience, it was far too hot!

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@RubyHawk (99367)

• Atlanta, Georgia

20 Feb 22

I haven’t watched any if the Winter Olympics ? I’m really not into sports. Leo loved all sports. He watched it all.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

21 Feb 22

We don't usually watch sport but the Olympics would be on while we had our lunch and we'd find ourselves staying there watching it.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Feb 22

@RubyHawk Some people really love their sports.

1 person likes this

@RubyHawk (99367)

• Atlanta, Georgia

21 Feb 22

@JudyEv Leo would have watched every minute of it.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@snowy22315 (208869)

• United States

18 Feb 22

Good luck to the Aussie bobsledders. Ilike watching bobsleding. It is fun to watch, also the aerial skiing is entertaining. They must all have type T (thrillseeking) personalities. I think I am the opposite of that...lol.

1 person likes this

show previous comments

@snowy22315 (208869)

• United States

19 Feb 22

@JudyEv Well most have been on skis since they were 2 or aomwthung,so is very natural to them like breathing.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

19 Feb 22

It's incredible watching some of the jumps they do. I don't know how they know which way is up! And the figure skaters land on this tiny thin blade!! It's all a bit beyond me.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

19 Feb 22

@snowy22315 Some certainly make it look very easy.

1 person likes this

@sjvg1976 (42727)

• Delhi, India

19 Feb 22

I have not watched the winter Olympics. Hope the Australian team wins.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

19 Feb 22

We have done quite well so far but I don't think we have much chance in this event.

1 person likes this

@rebelann (117223)

• El Paso, Texas

18 Feb 22

Is that a sunset? It's really beautiful. Snow? I thought Australia was beginning it's fall season now. Yeah, I'z confuzed.

1 person likes this

show previous comments

@rebelann (117223)

• El Paso, Texas

19 Feb 22

Ohhhh, I think I got cornfuzed

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

20 Feb 22

@rebelann That's okay. We all get confused from time to time.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

19 Feb 22

It's an outback sunset but the girl I wrote about is in Beijing competing in the Olympics.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@Fleura (34996)

• United Kingdom

18 Feb 22

I hope they do ok. As another competitor said ' If you complete the course you do better than all those who don't!'

1 person likes this

show previous comments

@Fleura (34996)

• United Kingdom

19 Feb 22

@JudyEv It's a big achievement just to be there

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

19 Feb 22

I think they might have to be happy with completing the course. But that's okay. I'm sure they're enjoying just being there and being part of it.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (323168)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

18 Feb 22

I hope they did well. I haven't seen as much of the Olympics as I planned.

1 person likes this

show previous comments

Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (323168)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

23 Feb 22

@JudyEv I've barely watched it. I plan to. I don't know how long I have with Peacock before it won't be available. I hope I can at least see the figure skating events.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

19 Feb 22

The final two runs are on tonight. We've watched a lot more than we planned.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@LindaOHio (222314)

• United States

18 Feb 22

So how did the Australian team do?

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

19 Feb 22

There are two more runs tonight but we are well down in the times.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

19 Feb 22

@LindaOHio They say they'll be happy if they get in the top 10 and they just might manage to do that which would be good.

1 person likes this

@LindaOHio (222314)

• United States

19 Feb 22

@JudyEv Sorry to hear that.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@CarolDM (203396)

• Nashville, Tennessee

18 Feb 22

Such a pretty sunset. Enjoy the events.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

19 Feb 22

We've been a bit surprised at how much we've enjoyed watching the various disciplines.

1 person likes this

@CarolDM (203396)

• Nashville, Tennessee

19 Feb 22

@JudyEv That is nice. I used to watch but not this year.

1 person likes this

@SophiaMorros (5044)

• Belews Creek, North Carolina

19 Feb 22

I bet she is feeling the cold somewhat more than most!

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

19 Feb 22

You would think so, wouldn't you? Talk about a whirlwind transition.

1 person likes this

@bunnybon7 (50970)

• Holiday, Florida

18 Feb 22

cheering and hoping for your team dear.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

19 Feb 22

Thanks. I think, for Australia, we've done quite well.

1 person likes this

@choijungeun (2710)

• Hangzhou, China

19 Feb 22

That's really an amazing experience,i seldom watch olympics,and the snow covered my balcony.If i watched,it will be a colder day

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

19 Feb 22

We wouldn't normally bother either but sometimes it's on when we turn on the TV and then we find ourselves hooked.

@FourWalls (86661)

• United States

18 Feb 22

An Australian bobsled team is kind of like the Jamaican bobsled team, you just don’t expect that. How did they do?

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

19 Feb 22

There are two more runs tonight I think but they're not going to get a medal. Quite a few of the Australians who compete in 'snow' events spend most of their time in Europe or the Americas but can still compete for Australia.

1 person likes this

@DWDavis (25797)

• United States

18 Feb 22

I hope the Australian ladies did well. We have been watching the skiing events on replay and last night watched long-track speed skating. The other night we watched the monobob events. This was the first I'd ever heard of single-person bobsleds. It looked like a lot of fun and something I might even be willing to try, unlike luge and skeleton.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

19 Feb 22

It's amazing the speeds some of these competitors achieve. They must have some scary accidents while they're learning and training for these events.

1 person likes this

@RasmaSandra (97990)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

19 Feb 22

Lovely photo, I have not been following the Winter Olympics but will take some look at what they offer on YouTube I do like to see the bobsled runs,

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

19 Feb 22

They reach incredible speeds in some of these events.

1 person likes this