Star Tribune writers Rachel Blount and La Velle E. Neal III are on a long journey to China to spend most of the next month covering the Beijing Winter Olympics. Blount is heading back to Asia for an Olympics just six months after the Tokyo Summer Games ended.
Rachel Blount, La Velle E. Neal III depart for China to cover Olympics for Star Tribune
This will be Rachel Blount's 13th Olympics, and La Velle E. Neal III's first.
January 29, 2022 at 5:05PM
This will be Blount's 13th Olympics, and it comes 24 years after her first: the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. Neal, named sports columnist almost a year ago, will be covering his first Olympics.
Our two writers will be following the exploits of 30 (yes, 30!) Team USA athletes with Minnesota ties, including nine members of the women's hockey team and nine members of the men's hockey team.
The Opening Ceremony is Friday, but Minnesota's Olympians begin competing before then, starting with Duluth's Chris Plys in mixed doubles curling on Wednesday and the women's hockey team playing its opener against Finland on Thursday.
Our preview coverage of the Games continues all this week, as we introduce you to our Minnesota Olympians, help you navigate the 14-hour time difference, try to decipher NBC's TV coverage plan and more.
Once the Games begin, you'll see Rachel and La Velle's coverage each day online and in print, and you'll get to hear from them often on our Daily Delivery podcast.
Enjoy the Games.
The Afton, Minnesota native talks success, pressure, focus, and fun in this Q & A.
