HOW is Spain getting on at the Winter Olympics? The country's medal count has never been anywhere near that of the mainstream summer Olympics, and many of this year's competitors have never won any international titles, meaning Spain was fielding a fairly green team – in fact, for eight out of the 14, Peking 2022 is their first-ever Games.
Halfpipe snow-boarder Queralt Castellet defies the odds…and gravity
But history has already been made within the first few days, thanks to the now-legendary Queralt Castellet, who has bounced back from a very dark place and finally seen her sporting fortunes turn around.
Others have broken their personal records or achieved more than they hoped for – or exactly what they hoped for – whilst a handful have been left disappointed, but for first-timers, nobody expects to see them on the podium just yet.
After all, Spain has only won five Winter Olympic medals in total, showing it's no easy feat.
Here's how it's looking for Team Spain a week in.
First diploma for Spain: Newcomer Javier Lliso is walking on (Big) Air
Madrid-born Javier, 24, joked that his teacher told him off for watching Sochi 2014 under the desk on his phone in class, not realising that her errant pupil would be representing their country in the next-but-one Games.
It's his first time in the Winter Olympics, and he has not yet reached a podium in an international tournament – although his 15th overall ranking and 8th in his class in Big Air freestyle skiing earlier this season, coupled with his finishing 12th in the World Cup in Slopestyle, means he set off for the Chinese capital with the status of being the highest-placed Spaniard at both levels in his sport.
“Take that, Teach!” We're sure Javi Lliso (left)'s old form mistress is very proud of her naughty pupil for earning a sixth-place diploma for Spain at his first Winter Olympics (photo by the Spanish Olympic Committee, or COE)
Peking 2022 is the first year Big Air has been included in the freestyle category at the Winter Olympics, and has gone off with a bang for Spain and for Javi – his best international result yet, the gravity-defying youngster came sixth after taking a calculated risk in the first round, earning him and his country their first Olympic diploma of the year.
“I knew where the moves I did were going to leave me, but my main plan was to do a Switch 18 instead of a safety with a tail which would have given me crucial extra points,” Javi admits.
“In the second round, I opted for a safer double 16 and, in the third, to go all out and risk it.
“I tried to use my head more than my heart to try to get the result that I did in the end – and it worked!”
Javi's best two jumps out of a possible three gave him 171.50 points, only 9.5 below bronze medallist Henrik Harlaut – the Swedish veteran earned 181, pipped at the post by the USA's Colby Stevenson with 183 for the silver, whilst Norway's Birk Ruud was crowned champion with 187.75.
Given Javi's age, he should in theory be good for at least another two Winter Olympics, so it's very likely that hopes will be pinned on him before the decade is out to up Spain's historic medal count.
And talking of medals...
Halfpipe snow-boarder and bronze medallist at the most recent World Championships, Barcelona-born Queralt Castellet is the most experienced of the Spanish Winter Olympic squad – and she's now the only living female from Spain with a medal from the Games.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com