This story has been made freely available to our readers as part of our Olympics coverage. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing . The Winter Olympics officially opened in Beijing this evening and, for a moment at least, the athletes who will fly down the slopes, glide across the ice and soar through the air took centre stage. Against a backdrop of Covid-19 and international tensions, the pageantry of the opening ceremony will be analysed and dissected for its political implications as much as its cultural ones. Still, history is being made in China, with the capital becoming the first city to host both a Summer and Winter Games. Hong Kong speed skater Sidney Chu carried the city's flag tonight, and was greeted with applause by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Relive all the action as it happened with Friday's blog. Reporting by Josh Ball, Matt Eaton, Nic Atkin, Andrew McNicol, Jess Ma, Harvey Kong, Mia Castagnone.