See Pivotal Moments From the Beijing Winter Games

In a Winter Olympics full of unexpected victories and losses, decisive moments often happened in just a fraction of a second. These are some of the most visually stunning high-speed scenes captured by New York Times journalists.

Women’s Figure Skating Short Program

Karen Chen, 22, of the United States, competed in both the women’s short program and the free skate event. Throughout her career, Chen has worn sparkling skate dresses meticulously sewn by her mother. She won a silver medal in the team event.

Photographs and composite image by Jeremy White

Women’s Aerials

Kong Fanyu, 28, of China, fell on her final jump during the women’s aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou.

Photographs and composite image by Emily Rhyne

Chloe Kim’s Ride to Gold on the Halfpipe

Chloe Kim of the United States soared through the air on Thursday, Feb. 10, to win the gold medal in the women’s halfpipe snowboarding event. For Kim, 21, this was the second consecutive gold medal in the event.

Photographs and composite image by Jeremy White

Women’s Slalom

Paula Moltzan, 27, of the United States, placed eighth in the women’s slalom and 12th in the giant slalom.

Photographs and composite image by Jeremy White

Men’s Downhill Skiing

Beat Feuz of Switzerland, at 34, won the men’s downhill, crossing the finish line a mere 10th of a second ahead of the silver medalist, Johan Clarey of France. Clarey, 41, became the oldest Alpine Olympic medalist.

Matthias Mayer

Austria

1:42.85

Beat Feuz

Switzerland

1:42.69

Johan Clarey

France

1:42.79

Matthias Mayer

Austria

1:42.85

Beat Feuz

Switzerland

1:42.69

Johan Clarey

France

1:42.79

Photographs and composite image by Joe Ward

Yuzuru Hanyu’s nearly landed quadruple axel

Two-time Olympic gold medalist, Yuzuru Hanyu, 27, of Japan, attempted a quadruple axel — a jump requiring 4.5 rotations — in his free skate program on Feb. 10, the first such attempt in Olympic history.

Photographs and composite image by Weiyi Cai

Men’s Large Hill Ski Jumping

Marius Lindvik, 23, of Norway, flew 140 meters before landing during his gold medal-winning jump in the men’s large hill ski jumping final.

Photographs and composite image by Emily Rhyne

Men’s Skeleton

Samuel Maier, 22, of Austria, rounded one of the 16 curves at the Yanqing National Sliding Center during the training heats for men’s skeleton, an event in which athletes go head first down an ice track at upwards of 130 kilometers an hour.

Photographs and composite image by Emily Rhyne

Short-Track Speedskating

Bence Nogradi, 19, of Hungary; Itzhak de Laat, 27, of the Netherlands; and Katsunori Koike, 21, of Japan, raced during the finals of the men’s 5000m relay.