#16: This Is Awkward!
Figure skating is one of the most top-watched sports in the Olympics. It started in 1908 during the Summer Games but moved to the Winter Games in 1924. Initially, there were only three separate categories: men’s singles, women’s singles, and pairs, but ice dance joined the party in 1976. A new team category was added in 2014, and synchronized skating is currently vying for a spot!
Competitors in the sport at the Olympic level must be at least 15 years and a citizen of the country for which they’re competing. Team USA is the most medaled in these events, with 51 medals comprising 15 gold, 16 silver, and 20 bronze. Team Canada comes in second with 29 overall, six of which are gold, but Team Russia is the next top gold medal winner with 14.