US athlete's Olympic Village video goes viral in China

YANQING, Beijing -- American luge athlete Summer Britcher went viral in China on Sunday after uploading a video about her experience in the Olympic Village at Beijing 2022.

Although the luge event's official Olympic training session is yet to come, the 27-year-old has trended widely in China after releasing a video on social media in which she expressed her astonishment at the smart beds in the Olympic Village.

"I have something incredible to share. Not only do we not have cardboard beds here, but it's as if the Beijing organizing committee said, 'how can we just absolutely one-up Tokyo?'" Britcher said in the video.

On Sunday, when Britcher met with Xinhua correspondents at the culture center of the Olympic Village, she praised many of the facilities.

"It's pretty nice. I like this ice wall. And there is a cool cultural center which is cool to learn a little bit more about China. There's a really cool VR room," she said.

The Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games coincides with the Chinese New Year. Although many activities have been canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Britcher did manage to learn a little more about the festival.

"They have actually a whole cultural center, so we can learn a little bit, and there was a lot about traditional Chinese herbs, that was cool to learn about," Britcher said.

Britcher hates winter. However, she recorded the most World Cup victories in singles for a U.S. luger, with five, and her third-place finish in the overall singles standings in the 2017-18 season tied the highest-ever placing for an American luge athlete.

Besides the bed and experiences in the Olympic Village, Britcher also acknowledged the necessity of the closed-loop management put in place by organizers.

"It's tough because normally at the Olympics, you can go around and see stuff, and I [would] really like to see a lot more of the country," the luger said.

"But it's important to keep everyone safe, the people that live here and the athletes, so the closed loop is a good thing, but it definitely takes away a little bit of the experience," she added.