Nathan Chen won gold against a backdrop of Elton John songs. But who shelled out for the music license?

OLYMPICS
Freeskiers have been making their own rules since the inception of their sport. Here’s the skinny on why some choose to forgo the poles.
Skiers and snowboarders have to contend with sun and snow—speed skaters don’t. So what are their glasses for?
It’s kinesiology tape, usually used to relieve muscle pain. But Olympic athletes co-opted it for another purpose.
Figure skaters have the same neurological processes that cause dizziness in the rest of us. Here’s how they counteract them.
Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu probably has enough plush Winnie the Poohs to open a store. But he’s not the only skater who gets stuffed animals—here’s why.
Months after the Norwegian women’s beach handball team protested the bikini mandate, the International Handball Federation has updated its rules.
Maria Andrejczyk earned her first-ever Olympic medal this summer after battling back from bone cancer. She immediately sold it in order to help an 8-month-old in need.
When Olympic equestrians pictured going for the gold, they probably didn’t expect a sumo wrestler’s ample backside to get in the way.
It’s especially impressive if an Olympic runner wins a gold medal from lane 8 or lane 1. But is it really about the lane?
Thanks to shooter Alessandra Perilli, San Marino knocked Liechtenstein off a very specific—and very tiny—Olympic throne.
When Tom Daley heads to the showers post-dive, the diving pool gets a little shower of its own. Here’s why.
Renowned landscape architect Charles Downing Lay beat the odds to become a champion town planner at the 1936 Games in Berlin.
LeBron James’s last Olympic basketball appearance was back in 2012. But he and his fellow NBA players have good reasons for skipping the Games.
“Tokyo 2020” is all over the 2021 Olympics coverage—athlete gear, advertisements, etc. Why didn’t anyone change it?
Spend a few minutes watching Olympic water polo, and you’ll realize the players' bonnets have holes in them. If they’re not keeping water out, what are they for?
Simone Biles is the most decorated female gymnast in history, and this super slow-motion video demonstrates why.
And how much gold is in an Olympic gold medal, anyway? Not enough to make it worth melting down for parts.
When were the first modern Olympic Games held? How many Olympic medals does Michael Phelps have?
The Summer Olympics opening ceremony wouldn’t be complete without a cauldron lighting—revisit past ones in this supercut.
Women’s beach volleyball players aren’t the only Olympic athletes who compete in bikini-style uniforms. But do they have to?
Rhythmic gymnastics is all about ribbons and balls, while artistic gymnastics is all about flips and tricks. But there’s a little more to it than that.