Mixed doubles curling at Ice Cube is Games’ 1st competition

BEIJING (AP) — Competition at the Beijing Olympics began with four curling stones sliding down sheets of ice in the venue where Michael Phelps won a record eight swimming gold medals at the Summer Olympics 14 years ago. The clanking of granite stones slamming into each other and the shouting and sweeping of the curlers were more pronounced than normal in the mostly empty arena. There were only a few hundred spectators in the venue that holds 3,700 due to COVID-19 protocols. Curling is being held on four sheets of ice at the Ice Cube, which was converted from the Water Cube, the swimming and diving venue for the 2008 Summer Games.