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California Athletes & Team USA Head To Beijing Winter Olympics 2022

The red carpet was rolled out as U.S. Olympians boarded a jet on their way to compete in Beijing.

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Freestyle skier Mac Forehand does a backflip as he conducts an interview before boarding a plane to Beijing for the 2022 Beijing Olympics at a Delta Airlines terminal Thursday in Los Angeles.
Freestyle skier Mac Forehand does a backflip as he conducts an interview before boarding a plane to Beijing for the 2022 Beijing Olympics at a Delta Airlines terminal Thursday in Los Angeles. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)

CALIFORNIA — Members of the U.S. Olympic team departed for Beijing on Thursday as they prepare to compete in the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

The U.S. team consists of 224 athletes, 29 of them from the Golden State. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the team is traveling to Beijing in stages. On Thursday, about 100 team members departed for the Games. The first wave of Americans took a Delta charter jet to Beijing.

The games begin officially this week, with the opening ceremony set for Friday.

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Here is a collection of photos showing Team USA members departing for the Games.

Speedskater Erin Jackson wears a mask as she waits to board a plane at a Delta Airlines terminal Thursday en route for the 2022 Beijing Olympics. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)
Members of the U.S. Olympic bobsled team pose for a photo at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles before departing on a Delta Airlines flight for the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games. (Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for USOPC)
Members of the U.S. Olympics team walk on a red carpet at a Delta Airlines terminal in Los Angeles on Thursday before boarding a plane en route to the 2022 Beijing Olympics. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)
Members of the U.S. speedskating team pose for photos at a Delta Airlines terminal in Los Angeles on Thursday before boarding a plane to the 2022 Beijing Olympics. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)
Short-track speedskater Maame Biney smiles before boarding a plane Thursday at a Delta Airlines terminal in Los Angeles en route to the 2022 Beijing Olympics. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)
Members of the U.S. winter Olympics team pose for selfies Thursday at a Delta Airlines terminal in Los Angeles before boarding a plane en route to Beijing. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)
Members of the U.S. Olympic women's hockey team wave as they board a plane at a Delta Airlines terminal Thursday in Los Angeles to go to the 2022 Beijing Olympics. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)
Delta Airlines employees wave flags Thursday at a terminal in Los Angeles as a plane carrying U.S. Olympics athletes backs up prior to takeoff for the 2022 Beijing Olympics. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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