Olympics 2022 live updates: Eileen Gu wins gold in Big Air, Nathan Chen set to open men’s skating

The search for gold continues on the 2022 Beijing Olympics as the disappointments seem to have outnumbered the successes up to now for Workforce USA. 

(In search of a recap of Monday’s occasions? We’ve got you covered.)

Chinese language-American Eileen Gu thrilled the group in her adopted house nation with a stellar closing run to win the gold medal within the ladies’s Huge Air freestyle snowboarding competitors. The San Francisco resident is competing for China, the place her mom grew up.

The boys’s particular person determine skating competitors begins, however one of many American medal contenders will not be on the ice. After serving to the U.S. win silver in the team event on Monday, Vincent Zhou tested positive for coronavirus and is out of the boys’s competitors. Five-time national champion Nathan Chen would be the USA’s finest hope for a medal.

Probably the most dominant performances of the Video games so far for Workforce USA have been in ladies’s hockey. A highly anticipated showdown with Canada has lastly arrived with each groups sporting 3-Zero data within the opening spherical. 

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Speedskater Casey Dawson battling the clock even earlier than arriving in Beijing

ZHANGJIAKOU, China – Neglect the race. Simply making to the beginning line has been a mad sprint for American speedskater Casey Dawson.

The 21-year-old had been set to compete in his first Olympics earlier than testing constructive for COVID nearly 4 weeks in the past. He thought he would be capable to clear two unfavourable assessments in time to journey, and he did try this. However he realized he would want 4 and to get them from a unique lab, one thing that delayed his journey till Sunday.

Dawson launched into a trek that might take him from Salt Lake Metropolis to Atlanta to Paris after which lastly to Beijing, all in lower than two days. Having already missed the 5,000 meters, Dawson is racing to get right here in time for the 1,500 later Tuesday right here in China.

Dawson logged his journey on Instagram, and he arrived in Beijing round 7 a.m. One downside – his baggage didn’t.

Dawson informed NBC’s Gadi Schwartz that he had all he wanted to race in his keep it up, aside from his blades.

Dawson made it to the village by 10 a.m. native time, but his luggage had not yet made it to him.

“My blades are literally in my swimsuit case, and form of want these to skate,” he mentioned.

Dawson continues to be awaiting the outcomes of his COVID take a look at upon arrival on the airport. As soon as cleared, he’ll have a matter of hours to prepare for the 1,500.

— Rachel Axon

Path to skating gold goes by way of Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu

Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan is the two-time defending champion in Olympic males’s determine skating, profitable gold medals in Sochi (2014) and Pyeongchang (2018). 

Hanyu suffered a sprained ligament in his proper ankle from a fall in observe on Nov. 9, and didn’t compete in any of the Grand Prix determine skating occasions this fall. However he should not be counted out.

He’ll compete towards American Nathan Chen and others within the males’s determine skating quick program on Tuesday. Hanyu is scheduled to skate at 12:19 p.m. in Beijing (11:19 p.m. ET, Monday).

— Steve Gardner

Chinese language-American Eileen Gu overcomes strain to achieve Huge Air closing

BEIJING — There isn’t a greater star in China at these Olympics than Eileen Gu, the 18-year old freestyle skier from San Francisco who’s headed to Stanford after these Olympics. 

Regardless of her American roots, Gu selected in 2019 to compete for China, the nation the place her mom grew up and the place she has grow to be a style mannequin and a breakthrough star.  

Given the hype surrounding her debut on the Beijing Video games, Gu admitted there was some strain to carry out nicely Monday within the first Huge Air competitors for snowboarding ever on the Olympics. 

“I’d not really feel happy if I didn’t make finals,” she mentioned. That final result was in query until Gu nailed her last run, placing her excessive and in place to problem for a medal in Tuesday’s closing.

— Dan Wolken

Nathan Chen hoping historical past would not repeat itself 

BEIJING — It is a large day for Nathan Chen.

The presumptive gold-medal favourite will take the ice in Beijing on Tuesday (Monday within the U.S.) for the primary half of the person competitors. He’ll be performing his quick program, set to “La Boheme” by Charles Aznavour, simply after midnight on the East Coast.

Chen, 22, had a near-flawless efficiency with this identical program a number of days in the past, setting a brand new season-best en path to a victory within the workforce competitors. However this occasion, the quick program, can also be the one which doomed him in 2018.

Chen’s major competitors will come from Japanese skaters Yuzuru Hanyu and Shoma Uno, who completed first and second respectively in Pyeongchang. Hanyu is a two-time defending gold medalist. He is struggled with accidents this season and was a dramatic late arrival to the observe rink on Monday.

— Tom Schad

‘QUAD KING:’ Get to know five-time U.S. national champion Nathan Chen

COVID, quarantine make life troublesome in Olympic Village

BEIJING – Athletes are talking out about the conditions they faced or observed in quarantine hotels in China utilized by athletes who take a look at constructive whereas on the 2022 Winter Olympics. They described “inedible meals,” little or no entry to coaching gear and a complicated and at instances seemingly illogical COVID-19 testing regime. 

Quick monitor speedskater Natalia Maliszewska of Poland examined constructive for coronavirus on Jan. 30, when she was dominated out of Saturday’s qualifying race for the 500 meters, her strongest occasion. However Maliszewska was unexpectedly launched from isolation on the eve of the race, solely to check constructive a number of hours earlier than it began and was instantly ushered again into quarantine. The following day – Sunday, the day after the qualifying occasion – she was launched after once more testing unfavourable.

“My coronary heart cannot take it,” Maliszewska wrote in an Instagram publish.

Russian biathlete Valeria Vasnetsova used Instagram to complain in regards to the meals she acquired in her quarantine facility. On Feb. Three she posted a picture of what she claimed was “breakfast, lunch and dinner for 5 days already.” The photograph consisted of some plain pasta, charred meat, an orange-looking sauce and no obvious greens. 

— Kim Hjelmgaard

‘This rivalry is like no different:’ USA, Canada meet once more in ladies’s hockey

The US and Canada have performed one another for Olympic gold in ladies’s hockey 5 instances (out of six tournaments), with the Individuals winning in a shootout four years ago in Pyeongchang.

“I feel each teams prefer to play one another as a result of it brings out the very best in them, and on the identical time, they don’t like one another. I feel that’s OK,” U.S. coach Joel Johnson mentioned. “I feel that’s what makes an amazing rivalry. After I watch them play, it’s thrilling. I want I might have skilled that as an athlete myself. Now it’s enjoyable to be part of.” 

Each groups are sporting 3-Zero data in opening-round play heading into Tuesday’s conflict. Though the one factor on the road is seeding within the subsequent spherical, count on each groups to play like a gold medal is at stake.

“This rivalry is like no different,” U.S. defender Savannah Harmon said. “I feel there’s lots of delight on the road every evening. We positively benefit from each recreation we get to play towards them and I feel that reveals on either side.”

— Chris Bumbaca

After constructive COVID take a look at, Vincent Zhou out of males’s determine skating competitors

U.S. determine skater Vincent Zhou said in an Instagram post on Monday he has to withdraw from the person occasion after testing positive for COVID-19. 

In a five-minute video, an emotional Zhou mentioned he examined constructive as a part of a routine COVID screening after which obtained extra testing. He mentioned it was “fairly unreal that of all of the individuals, it could occur to myself,”

Zhou was anticipated to compete within the particular person competitors, beginning with the males’s quick program. He is not going to get replaced within the males’s particular person occasion.

‘HE DESERVES TO BE UP THERE:’ Zhou misses medal ceremony, celebration 

Are these nuclear reactors on the Olympic video games?

BEIJING – There’s no nice want or demand for everlasting venues to host a sport as area of interest as Huge Air, however the Chinese language went forward and did it anyway. It’s a towering, dramatic construction rising above a former industrial park the place they used to mill metal, flanked by cooling towers that evoke pictures of nuclear winters moreso than the Winter Olympics. 

And but it might just be the best idea the Chinese have had at these Beijing Video games. 

“It’s superb, the power is loopy,” mentioned Norway’s Birk Ruud, who posted the very best qualifying rating within the males’s competitors.

“It’s positively cool being in a stadium vibe,” mentioned Darian Stevens, the only American who made the women’s final. “That’s not sometimes a factor.” 

— Dan Wolken