Australia has won gold at the Beijing Winter Olympics, which kicked off on Friday with a dazzling opening ceremony and in freezing conditions.

The Games are being staged as the Omicron variant sweeps the globe, but officials are adamant their hardline zero-COVID approach will keep athletes and crews safe.

Authorities have intercepted hundreds of athletes who have tested positive for COVID-19 and sent them into isolation, but conditions are even stricter outside the bubble.

On Sunday Chinese authorities sent the city of Baise – home to more than 3.5 million people – into lockdown after 98 cases were recorded.

Today on Please Explain, North Asia correspondent Eryk Bagshaw joins Bianca Hall to talk about these unique Winter Olympics.