The 7 best moments from opening weekend of PyeongChang 2018

With PyeongChang 2018 now in full swing, we look back at the most memorable moments from the opening weekend of Olympic action in South Korea.

Oily encore: Tongan flag bearer does it again

Shirtless and shimmering, Pita Taufatofua once again made the opening ceremony his playground. Tonga's now-iconic flag bearer, following up on his unforgettable Rio 2016 introduction, made another memorable entrance in PyeongChang, slathering his (much slimmer) torso in coconut oil to steal the show during the otherwise understated gala that officially opened the games.

Other athletes entered the PyeongChang Olympic Stadium bundled up to combat the frigid temperatures, but the 34-year-old, slated to compete in cross-country skiing, wasn't going to let his chance to shine - quite literally, as it turns out - go begging.

17-year-old Gerard goes big to win gold

Chances are there aren't many 17-year-olds who enjoyed a better weekend than Redmond Gerard.

Sitting well outside the medals heading into his final run of the slopestyle final, the diminutive teenager brought home the United States' first gold of PyeongChang 2018 by throwing caution to the wind, capping a ridiculous run with a backside triple cork 1440 on his last jump.

After bailing on his first two runs, the youngest competitor in the event said he was "super psyched" to come through when it mattered most.

Related: Red Gerard's family was 'shotgunning beers at 8:30 a.m.' before gold-medal win

He wasn't the only one:

McMorris caps remarkable comeback

Every Olympian has to persevere, in one way or another, to realize their dreams of medalling - or simply competing - at the Games. In their own way, each of those stories is inspiring.

And then there's Mark McMorris' tale.

In a vacuum, the Canadian snowboarder's bronze medal in men's slopestyle was an impressive accomplishment on its own. The fact that he stood on an Olympic podium less than a year removed from almost dying, though, makes his triumph truly remarkable.

The 24-year-old was left "on a deathbed" just 11 months ago when, while filming in the Canadian backcountry, he crashed into a tree and suffered a collection of horrific injuries that nearly killed him.

"I'm trying not to think too much about the past today," he said after capturing the second medal of his Olympic career. "A lot of times I need to pinch myself. There have been some low times, but these high times make it worthwhile."

He added: "I probably shouldn't even be here, so I'm pretty stoked."

King Kramer: Dutch star makes it 3 in a row

Watching dynastic athletes can be polarizing: some are entranced by being able to witness sustained sporting excellence, while others tire of seeing the same performers constantly sitting atop their field.

Whatever your stance, though, it's impossible not to appreciate the work that goes into crafting a resume like that of Dutch speedskating icon Sven Kramer. The dominant 31-year-old made Olympic history this past weekend by becoming the first man to capture gold in the 5,000m race on three consecutive occasions, and he made it look effortless.

His smooth strides and unrivaled power will be missed whenever he decides to hang up his skates.

Canadians love a photo finish

Canadian athletes are making a habit of eking out results by the slimmest of margins in PyeongChang. A pair of incredible photo finishes at the two speedskating ovals got Canadian hearts racing over the weekend, as both Ted-Jan Bloemen and Charles Hamelin came out on the right side of thrilling conclusions in their respective races.

Bloemen captured silver in the men's 5,000m when he edged Norwegian Sverre Lunde Pedersen to the line by .002 seconds:

While he ultimately couldn't defend his gold in the 1,500m from four years ago, Hamelin got into the final of the event by that same margin, grabbing second place in his semifinal race by .002 seconds over South Korea's Yira Seo.

Zagitova, Medvedeva throw down the gauntlet

Evgenia Medvedeva and Alina Zagitova aren't messing around.

The superstar Russian figure skaters, 18 and 15 years old, respectively, are expected to go head to head for gold in the women's singles event, and they gave the world a sneak peek of the impending heavyweight tilt with their stunning performances in the team competition.

The Olympic Athletes from Russia ultimately came away with a silver in the event - Canada took home the top prize - but Medvedeva, skating the short program portion, and Zagitova, taking responsibility for the free skate, absolutely blew away their respective competition.

With each at the top of their game, an event that has long been one of the crown jewels of the Winter Olympics has a tantalizing storyline to follow.

Americans Nagasu, Mazdzer make history

Unprecedented accomplishments are a staple of the Olympics, and a pair of Americans ensured PyeongChang 2018 had its fair share of history right off the bat.

Mirai Nagasu, skating during the team event, became the first American woman to ever land a triple axel at the Olympics - and only the third woman to accomplish the feat on this stage, full stop.

There was also a landmark moment for the Americans on the outdoor ice, as Chris Mazdzer won the nation's first-ever medal - a silver - in men's singles luge.

"I'm still processing what happened last night. It honestly doesn’t even feel real yet!" he wrote on Twitter after his historic run.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)