How long do Olympic athletes train anyways? Do they really eat Wheaties for breakfast? If you find yourself asking these types of questions while watching the Olympic games on television, Reddit now has a place for you to do that. Ahead of the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Reddit is launching its conversation series (Ask Me Anything, or AMA) with more than 25 U.S. athletes. In the AMA, Reddit users (Redditors) can ask the Olympians themselves about their training, preparation, goals, etc. The AMA – Reddit’s first-ever Olympic AMA – launches on July 19 and lasts until December 6.
The Olympic AMA runs weekly, with a new AMA guest every Wednesday from 1 to 2 p.m. (EST). The series profiles athletes scheduled to represent the U.S. next February.
The conversations kick off with Hilary Knight, a U.S. Women’s National Hockey Team player who has already won two silver medals at the 2010 Vancouver and 2014 Sochi games — considered by many to be one of the top female players in the world. The series continue across multiple events, from bobsledding to figure skating, in both the Olympic and Paralympic games
Each AMA, Reddit says, will give users a glimpse at what it’s like to go for the gold. The discussions are expected to include questions about training and the overall experience, as well as less serious “Reddit Gold” puns. Reddit says that Redditors have long shown an interest in the games: They launched the discussions for the 2018 Winter Olympics right after the 2016 games closing ceremonies, asking questions and producing original content including funny GIFs.
Reddit expects to add some surprise guests, but the current schedule is slated to include:
- Hillary Knight, Women’s Hockey, July 19
- Aja Evans, Bobsled, July 26
- Nick Goepper, free skier, August 2
- Ashley Wagner, figure skating, August 9
- Lindsey Jacobellis, snowboard, August 16
- McRae Williams, free skier, August 23
- Gracie Gold, figure skating, August 30
- Maddie Bowman, free skier, September 6
- Chris Mazdzer, luge, September 13
- Josh Pauls, sled hockey, September 20
- Jamie Sinclair, curling, October 4
- Mike Schultz, para snowboard, October 11
- Adam Rippon, figure skating, October 18
- Maddie Mastro, snowboard, October 25
- Travis Ganong, alpine skiing, November 1
- Madison Chock and Evan Bates, ice dancing, November 8
- Erin Hamlin, luge, November 22
- Amy Purdy, para snowboard, December 6
Again, each conversation begins at 1 p.m. EST. The first discussion with Knight will begin on the r/hockey Reddit page.
