The Winter Olympics start Friday. Here's how to follow along

beijing olympics
Olympic workers leap as they pose for photos with an installation near the Beijing Olympic Park at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

The 2022 Olympics kick off Friday in Beijing, promising top-tier athletics and plenty of national pride, despite the ongoing pandemic and diplomatic tensions.

Some of us armchair athletes may still feel like we’re in recovery mode from the last Olympics, since the Tokyo Games just took place over the summer. But the Winter Olympics beckon, with hundreds of world-renowned competitors participating in a record 109 sporting events (including seven new ones) over the course of more than two weeks.

It all officially starts with Friday’s opening ceremony, which will take place beginning at 7 a.m. ET at Beijing’s National Stadium and include speeches, performances, artistic spectacles and a lengthy-but-spirited parade featuring athletes from every participating country.