Winter Olympians take crash course in physics

Sometimes Olympic dreams and physics are on an unenviable collision course.

Athletes have literally crashed out of competition, ending their quests for a medal by smashing into siding, toppling over amid a crowded cross-country skiing field or simply pitching face-first into the snow. Their hopes live and die on the edge of their skate, snowboard or ski.

For a public accustomed to watching Olympians flawlessly execute superhuman feats, a tussle with gravity is a reminder that even athletes in the most rarefied of circles are all too human.

Japan's Kokomo Murase competes during the women's slopestyle finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Julia Taubitz, of Germany, crashes during the luge women's singles run 2 at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, in the Yanqing district of Beijing. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)

Ren Ziwei, left, of China, Brendan Corey of Australia, and Itzhak Laat, centre, of the Netherlands, crash in their quarterfinal of the men's 1,000-meter during the short track speedskating competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, in Beijing.

Kazakhstan's Akmarzhan Kalmurzayeva falls as she competes during the women's aerials qualification at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Monday, Feb. 14, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Canada goalkeeper Eddie Pasquale is knocked down by teammate Alex Grant (20) during a preliminary round men's hockey game against the United States at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Nina O'Brien of United States falls during the women's giant slalom at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, in the Yanqing district of Beijing.(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Kim Boutin of Canada, falls in her heat of the women's 1000-meters during the short track speedskating competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

China's Shao Qi falls as she competes during the women's aerials qualification at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Monday, Feb. 14, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Mac Forehand of the United States crashes as he lands during the men's freestyle skiing big air finals of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Pietro Sighel of Italy crashes during his heat of the men's 1,000-meter during the short track speedskating competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Yuzuru Hanyu, of Japan, falls in the men's free skate program during the figure skating event at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Skiers fall while competing during the women's 7.5km + 7.5km Skiathlon cross-country skiing competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Austin Kleba of the United States falls during his heat in the men's speedskating 500-meter race at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Czech Republic's Daniela Pejsova, right, falls next to United States' Megan Bozek (9) during a women's quarterfinal hockey game at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Friday, Feb. 11, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Italy's Louis Phillip Vito III falls as he competes during the men's halfpipe qualification round at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

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Text from AP News story, AP PHOTOS: Winter Olympians take crash course in physics

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