Winter Olympics live updates: Women’s free skate in progress; US women’s hockey loses in final; Brittany Bowe medals

Over the course of some temporary moments on the Beijing Olympics, the U.S. women’s hockey team was defeated by Canada in the gold-medal game and Mikaela Shiffrin’s frustration at the Winter Games continued after snowboarding out of a 3rd occasion.

(In search of a recap of Wednesday’s occasions? We have you covered here.)

Marie-Philip Poulin scored two objectives to assist Canada construct a 3-Zero lead en path to a 3-2 victory over the U.S. Canada snatched gold again from the U.S. because the Individuals did not defend their Olympic crown from 4 years in the past.

Shiffrin skied out within the slalom Thursday after dropping her steadiness at gate 10. Shiffrin nonetheless has one final probability at a medal. She has stated she plans to do the group occasion Saturday.

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US determine skater Mariah Bell ends program on excessive notice

BEIJING – Mariah Bell’s first Olympics ended on a excessive notice.

The 25-year-old, and oldest U.S. ladies’s determine skater since 1928, put collectively a clear free skate the judges dominated a 136.2 to briefly transfer into first place. However with 11 rivals behind her, ending on the rostrum stays a longshot.

Bell’s first half went easily and her harder again finish of this system was well-executed. Each triple lutz’s went based on plan for the 2021 U.S. nationwide champion.

Coach Adam Rippon had his arms within the air for these massive jumps and greeted her with a heat embrace as she stepped off the rink.

— Chris Bumbaca

US determine skater Karen Chen falls throughout brief program, won’t medal

BEIJING – A mistake-filled Olympics for Karen Chen has mercifully come to finish.

Chen nearly made it by means of her free skate with out falling however took a tough spill towards the top on a triple loop, the identical transfer she fell on within the brief program two nights in the past. Earlier within the skate, her hand touched the bottom on the primary triple loop, a bounce she expressed confidence in Tuesday night time – and described as a cornerstone of her efficiency.

Chen’s rating of 197.93 briefly positioned her in fifth. She won’t medal.

The 2018 Olympian additionally fell through the brief program of the group competitors, by which the US nonetheless took silver, however stayed upright within the lengthy program.

Chen, who completed fourth on the world championships forward of the final two Olympics, skated to “Butterfly Lovers” by Takako Nishizaki. The 22-year-old is anticipated to return to Cornell College.

— Chris Bumbaca

Whilst you had been sleeping

The U.S. ladies’s hockey group could not defend its 2018 gold medal triumph, and Mikaela Shiffrin skied out once more. This is what you missed in a single day whilst you had been sleeping: 

• The Individuals did not defend their ladies’s hockey Olympic crown from 4 years in the past, falling to Canada, 3-2, in the gold medal game. Marie-Philip Poulin scored two objectives as Canada snatched gold again from the U.S.
• In place to win her first medal in Beijing, Mikaela Shiffrin skied out in the slalom of the Alpine combined event. This was the third time that Shiffrin skied out of an occasion at these Olympics after additionally skiing out of the giant slalom and slalom.
• All four American freeskiers advanced to the Beijing Olympics final in qualifying, giving the nation its greatest probability at a podium sweep. Aaron Blunck, the top-ranked skier on this planet this 12 months, certified in first place. Olympic newcomer Birk Irving adopted Blunck in third, whereas David Wise certified fourth. Alex Ferreira, who gained a silver medal 4 years in the past, certified seventh.

Staff USA goaltender Alex Cavallini performed on torn MCL all through Winter Olympics 

BEIJING — After the US’ third sport of group play through the 2022 Winter Olympics, goaltender Alex Cavallini hinted at obstacles that just about prevented her from collaborating within the Beijing Video games.  

Requested to elaborate, Cavallini replied on Feb. 6: “We’ll discuss after the Olympics.” 

Now that the event is over, with the U.S. taking silver after a 3-2 loss to Canada on Thursday, Cavallini revealed she tore her MCL on Jan. 14 and wasn’t positive if she’d make the journey to China along with her teammates. 

“(I) did not even know if I used to be going to make it on the flight right here,” stated Cavallini, nonetheless “numb” from the defeat. “So for me to have the ability to battle – all because of our (medical) workers, and for our teaching workers to consider in me and assist me alongside the best way.” 

— Chris Bumbaca

Staff USA speedskater Brittany Bowe captures bronze medal in ladies’s 1,000 meters

American Brittany Bowe, who has been dominant on the distance during the last three years, gained the bronze medal within the ladies’s 1,000 meters Thursday.  

Bowe completed third in 1:14.61 behind gold medalist Miho Takagi of Japan and Jutta Leerdam of the Netherlands. Bowe, who holds the world file within the 1,000, was 1.42 seconds behind Takagi.

Despite the fact that it wasn’t the gold medal she was chasing, Bowe has had a particular Video games, carrying the flag for the U.S. group within the opening ceremony. The three-time Olympian additionally noticed her buddy and teammate Erin Jackson win gold within the 500 earlier within the week. Bowe completed first within the 500 on the Olympic trials final month. However she gave up her Olympic spot to Jackson, who slipped and didn’t routinely qualify for the Olympic group. The USA ended up getting one other spot within the race, however Bowe’s act of sportsmanship resonated.

Earlier than Bowe’s race, Jackson tweeted a photograph of the 2 collectively: “You’re a mentor. A buddy. A teammate. A sister. Thanks for enjoying an enormous half in my journey to gold.”

It is the second Olympic bronze for Bowe, who completed third within the ladies’s group pursuit 4 years in the past with Heather Bergsma and Mia Manganello.

US males have shot at sweep of medals with Four skiers in halfpipe closing

ZHANGJIAKOU, China — The U.S. males’s success within the halfpipe hardly got here as a shock, even when it did include suspense.

All four American freeskiers advanced to the Beijing Olympics final in qualifying Thursday, giving the nation its greatest probability at a podium sweep.

The veteran group, which is basically the identical from Pyeongchang 4 years in the past, entered these Video games with each skier within the prime eight of the Worldwide Ski Federation’s factors checklist.

The ultimate will probably be held Saturday.

— Rachel Axon

IOC optimistic NHL gamers will take part in 2026 Winter Olympics

BEIJING — Worldwide Ice Hockey Federation president Luc Tardif stated Thursday he is optimistic NHL players will participate in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, although he needs an settlement reached additional prematurely than this time round.

The league, NHL Gamers’ Affiliation, IIHF and IOC labored out a deal for the 2022 Video games that was not introduced till September. The NHL withdrew in late December after the omicron variant-fueled wave of the coronavirus pandemic induced mass postponements of video games, making this the second consecutive Olympics with out the world’s greatest hockey gamers.

Tardif stated he would love an settlement greater than a 12 months prematurely of the 2026 event. NHL deputy commissioner Invoice Daly informed The Related Press by electronic mail that league officers don’t anticipate a problem reaching an settlement “on a comparatively expedited foundation.”

The NHL has not participated within the Olympics since 2014, ending a run of 5 appearances in a row relationship to 1998. Gamers didn’t participate in 2018 due to disagreements over the prices of insurance coverage and journey.

— Related Press

US ladies’s hockey group falls to Canada in gold medal sport, settles for silver

BEIJING — For greater than a decade, the 2 constants of the United States-Canada ladies’s hockey rivalry have been the evenness between the 2 groups and Marie-Philip Poulin scoring objectives in Olympic gold medal video games.

Solely a type of issues was on show for many of Thursday’s gold medal contest on the Beijing Olympics, and it wasn’t parity.

Poulin scored twice and Canada snatched gold back from the U.S. in a 3-2 win, because the Individuals did not defend their Olympic crown from 4 years in the past.

The pings from two pictures that hit the put up – one from Hannah Brandt within the first interval, one other off Alex Carpenter’s stick within the third – will hang-out Staff USA for the following 4 years. The 2 misses supplied the distinction in a sport Canada largely managed, save for an impressed – and determined – third-period effort from the U.S.  

— Chris Bumbaca

Mikaela Shiffrin skis out in slalom run of mixed, won’t medal

BEIJING — Mikaela Shiffrin will need assistance from her group if she’s to win any medals on the Beijing Olympics.

In place to win her first medal in Beijing after ending fifth within the downhill portion of the Alpine mixed, Shiffrin skied out in the slalom Thursday after dropping her steadiness at gate 10 and falling to her hip two gates later, lower than 10 seconds into her race. The mixed is a run every of downhill and slalom, with outcomes primarily based on total time. 

Shiffrin had Did Not Finishes (DNF) in the giant slalom and slalom, as effectively, snowboarding off the course after the fifth gate within the first run of every race.

The mixed was Shiffrin’s final particular person occasion in Beijing. She’d been anticipated to contend for a number of medals right here, after profitable three in her earlier two Video games, however her greatest end was ninth within the super-G. 

Shiffrin nonetheless has one final probability at a medal. She has stated she plans to do the group occasion Saturday, which options head-to-head races in a single-elimination bracket. 

— Nancy Armour

Carly Margulies reaches freeski halfpipe Olympic finals after lacking two years with knee accidents

ZHANGJIAKOU, China – For a primary competitors in additional than two years, dropping into an Olympic halfpipe isn’t a foul strategy to go.

Understandably U.S. freeskier Carly Margulies to felt some nervous, however after placing up a rating that made her considerably secure, the Olympic newcomer relaxed.

“It’s been some time since I felt that,” she stated. “It’s undoubtedly nerve racking, however as quickly as I put that first run down it was all enjoyable from there.”

Margulies’s profession as been affected by knee accidents, seven in everywhere in the final decade or so. The tally is 4 anterior cruciate ligament tears and 5 to her meniscus, two on her left knee and 5 one her proper.

Inside the previous two years, Margulies, 24, has had 4 knee accidents, together with as lately as December. After that one, she thought she may be accomplished.

“I assumed my profession was over, however after surgical procedure there was hope,” she stated.

Margulies certified primarily based on Worldwide Ski Federation factors she’d accrued earlier than she missed a lot time with damage. After her December surgical procedure, that left her simply weeks to prepare.

She certified in 10th on Thursday at Genting Snow Park, placing her in an Olympic closing simply months after she thought her profession may be over.

“It’s surreal,” Margulies stated, “however I truthfully feels prefer it goes to indicate how a lot work I put in to get right here and my means to proceed to indicate my expertise on snow despite the fact that I haven’t been capable of follow that a lot. It simply makes me actually glad that I haven’t misplaced something.”

— Rachel Axon

Hilary Knight provides US ladies’s hockey group hope

BEIJING — It’s wanting like silver for the USA in ladies’s hockey.

Canada leads 3-1 after two durations. Marie-Philip Poulin netted her second objective of the sport, knocking a rebound off Alex Cavallini’s proper pad. However Hilary Knight at the least gave the U.S. life with three minutes to go within the interval with a shorthanded objective to convey the deficit again to 2.

In keeping with NBC Sports activities, the three-goal deficit through the second interval was the biggest in a Video games because the groups first met at an Olympics in 1998.

In no shock, the U.S. leads in pictures, 24-17.

— Chris Bumbaca

IOC information convention will get political

BEIJING — A Beijing 2022 spokesperson made a number of overtly political statements Thursday at a joint information convention with the Worldwide Olympic Committee — which has for years harassed the significance of maintaining politics out of the Video games.

In a very notable trade, a reporter requested IOC spokesperson Mark Adams in regards to the group’s relationship with Anta, a sporting items producer that sources cotton from China’s Xinjiang area. The U.S. authorities has decided that forced-labor camps within the area are used as a part of the cotton provide chain.

When Adams completed answering the query, Beijing 2022 spokesperson Yan Jiarong jumped in.

“I really feel obliged to make a really fast remark,” she stated in English, earlier than persevering with in Chinese language. “I feel the so-called pressured labor in Xinjiang is lies made up by deliberate teams, and the related organizations have supplied a considerable amount of info to dispute that. And we’re towards the politicizing of sports activities. Thanks.”

Then, just a few moments later, Adams was requested to offer the IOC’s place on pressured labor camps in Xinjiang.

“I do not assume it is significantly related to this press convention. It is actually not related to the IOC,” he stated partially. “We’re very, very involved about defending human rights inside our sphere, which is throughout the Olympic Video games, throughout the staging of the Olympic Video games.”

Yan then reiterated her stance. 

“I feel these questions are very a lot primarily based on lies,” she stated by means of an interpreter.

Yan had additionally interjected earlier within the information convention, after Adams fielded a query involving the Olympic delegation from Taiwan — which, for political causes, competes as “Chinese language Taipei.”

“What I need to say is that there’s just one China on this planet,” she stated. “Taiwan is an undividable a part of China. It is a well-recognized worldwide precept, and we’re acknowledged within the worldwide group.”

These had been hardly the primary questions on hot-button points which were requested of the IOC and Beijing 2022 organizers because the begin of the Video games — although spokespeople had, till Thursday, largely gone to nice lengths to keep away from answering them immediately.

When requested about Yan’s political statements, within the wake of the IOC’s long-standing stance that the Video games have to be apolitical, Adams demurred.

“There are various views on all types of issues, world wide,” he stated. “However our job is to make it possible for the Video games happen, and the magic of the Video games can occur, and that we are able to enhance the world by means of sport.”

— Tom Schad

Sofia Goggia leaves her skis for Mikaela Shiffrin

BEIJING — It’s gotta be the skis.

Mikaela Shiffrin put herself in place for a medal within the Alpine mixed Thursday, snowboarding the fifth-best time within the downhill portion on Sofia Goggia’s skis. The Italian, the world’s greatest downhill skier, had left the skis for Shiffrin together with a notice that stated, “Fly Mika, you’ll be able to.”

“I nearly began crying,” Shiffrin stated after the run, which left her 0.56 seconds off the lead. “I’m grateful I used to be capable of get a sense on these and, yeah, simply tried to fly as greatest as I may.”

The mixed is a run every of downhill and slalom, with closing outcomes primarily based on total time.

Although Shiffrin races downhill sparingly – she’s solely accomplished 4 races up to now two years – she solely must be aggressive to be able to give herself an opportunity going into slalom, her specialty. Of the medal contenders, she had the perfect downhill time.

The 2-time Olympic champion has had a tough go in Beijing, snowboarding off the course after the fifth gate within the first run of each the large slalom and slalom, her two greatest occasions. Goggia had her personal challenges simply attending to Beijing – the Olympic downhill champion in 2018 shredded her knee in a Jan. 23 crash — and had expressed sympathy for Shiffrin.

After profitable a silver medal in Tuesday’s downhill race, Goggia went a step additional, leaving her skis for Shiffrin.

“They’re a pair of the skis she is at the moment coaching and competing on,” Shiffrin stated. “She didn’t want them as a result of she wasn’t competing (within the mixed) right here, so I used to be capable of attempt them yesterday.”

Shiffrin had the quickest time within the downhill coaching Wednesday.

— Nancy Armour

Canada takes 2-Zero lead on US in ladies’s hockey gold-medal sport

BEIJING — The U.S. goes to should climb out of a two-goal gap to present themselves an opportunity at gold.

This was all the time going to be in regards to the U.S. taking advantage of its possibilities on Canada goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens. Hannah Brandt missed a giant one early, hitting the left put up on an open internet. Abby Roque couldn’t make something on one other probability later within the interval.

A sensible offsides problem saved the sport scoreless about seven minutes into the sport, however Canada scored lower than a minute later anyway to make it 1-Zero anyway. Canada’s Sarah Nurse has now tied Hayley Wickenheiser for many factors in an Olympic event with 17 (5 objectives, 12 assists).

With 5 minutes left within the interval, acquainted foe Marie-Philip Poulin struck once more within the massive second. The Canadian captain has scored in 4 consecutive gold-medal video games towards the U.S., and her objective made it 2-Zero after she swiped the puck from Kelly Pannek and put it previous Alex Cavallini, who must step up and provides her group an opportunity towards a high-powered Canadian assault.

— Chris Bumbaca

Birthday lady Devin Logan fails to advance, however three US ladies make freeski halfpipe closing

ZHANGJIAKOU, China — Devin Logan hoped for extra from her final Olympics, wanting her birthday to have extra motive to rejoice.

However the three-time Olympian did not advance by means of ladies’s freeski halfpipe qualifying on the Beijing Video games on Thursday, ending in 13th and one spot exterior the ultimate discipline.

Logan, who turns 29 at this time, has determined these are her final Recreation. Whereas she has centered on halfpipe right here, she lengthy competed in that occasion and slopestyle and gained a silver medal in slopestyle’s debut in Sochi in 2014.

“Positively needed extra for myself. Being one out is all the time very tough,” Logan stated. “However that is my third Olympics, and I can say I even obtained right here, which is a good achievement in my eyes. In fact I needed extra, needed to showcase my snowboarding within the finals however you’ll be listening to me tomorrow cheering on the remainder of the women.”

Logan’s American teammates all made the ultimate behind China’s Eileen Gu, who was the highest qualifier. Brita Sigourney, a bronze medalist 4 years in the past, certified eighth. Olympic newcomers Hanna Faulhaber and Carly Margulies certified ninth and 10th, respectively.

Logan didn’t rule out a return to competitors subsequent season, however she doesn’t plan to compete for one more Video games.

“Accidents, age, my physique hurts. I’m all on Aleve proper now and shoulder’s taped up,” she stated. “You see the following technology pushing and it’s like, ‘OK, I feel I left my mark and I feel it’s going to be OK.’”

— Rachel Axon

US reaches males’s curling semifinals, in search of second straight gold

BEIJING – The U.S. males’s curling group can have an opportunity to defend its gold medal in spite of everything.  

With a 7-5 win over Denmark on Thursday morning, the Individuals clinched the fourth and closing spot within the medal spherical and can face prime seed Nice Britain within the semifinals. The sport will begin at Eight p.m. Thursday in Beijing or 7 a.m. ET within the U.S. 

The Individuals, led by skipper John Shuster, completed 5-Four within the spherical robin event however wanted the ultimate win to get into the semifinals. After a gradual begin, issues turned within the third finish when Shuster drew for 2 to tie the sport. Then within the fourth, Shuster was capable of arrange the board for a possible steal and Denmark skipper Mikkel Krause missed all the things with the hammer, giving the U.S. three factors.  

The Individuals performed well with the lead and by no means allowed Denmark an opportunity to place collectively a giant finish.  The U.S. gave up two within the ninth finish however nonetheless had the lead with the hammer going into the ultimate body and efficiently knocked away each Denmark stone to shut out the win.  

Team Shuster shockingly won the gold medal in Pyeongchang 4 years in the past, making the medal spherical with the identical 5-Four file earlier than upsetting Canada and Sweden to make historical past for the U.S.

— Dan Wolken

Rivalry resumes as US performs Canada for ladies’s hockey gold

BEJING — All of it comes right down to this for the U.S. women’s hockey team in their quest to repeat as Olympic champions.

Standing in the best way is rival Canada, for the fourth consecutive time in a gold-medal sport. The 2018 gold marked the primary for the U.S. since 1998, and if victorious on Thursday, will probably be the primary time the Individuals repeat.

The United States outshot Canada 53-27 in a 4-2 preliminary-round loss 9 days in the past. Canada goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens stopped 51 pictures and has been stellar all event. In the meantime, Canada’s offense has been historic; the Canadians’ 54 objectives scored in six video games are an Olympic file. The U.S. is second in group scoring in Beijing with 28 objectives right here.

Alex Cavallini begins in objective once more for the U.S. – she’s been between the pipes for all three playoff spherical video games.

— Chris Bumbaca

Mikaela Shiffrin has mixed medal in sight after strong downhill

BEIJING — Mikaela Shiffrin is in place for her first medal. 

A clear run within the downhill portion of the Alpine mixed left Shiffrin 0.56 seconds again and in fifth place behind Austria’s Christine Scheyer. However neither Scheyer nor the opposite skiers in entrance of Shiffrin are slalom specialists, giving the American an opportunity to make up floor Thursday afternoon. 

Wendy Holdener, the bronze medalist in 2018, is 0.43 seconds behind Shiffrin whereas reigning Olympic champion Michelle Gisin is 0.44 seconds behind.

The mixed is one run every of the downhill and slalom.

Shiffrin was in sixth place after the downhill 4 years in the past, however had the third-fastest run in slalom as she claimed the silver medal on the Pyeongchang Olympics. Gisin was third within the downhill and fourth in slalom 2018, whereas Holdener was 10th within the downhill and first in slalom.

The most effective technical skiers ever, Shiffrin can afford to surrender some floor within the downhill. However she has to at the least be aggressive and her expertise in downhill has been sparse lately. She has accomplished solely 4 downhill races, the final coming the primary week of December, and hadn’t even been on downhill skis in two months earlier than the primary coaching run Saturday.

“On daily basis that I get on this observe and I’m capable of take a run and simply do a strong run, prime to backside, it provides me the possibility to be a bit of extra calm in my thoughts,” Shiffrin stated after finishing 18th in the downhill Tuesday. “I are likely to assume means an excessive amount of and that makes it exhausting to ski freely. However I can’t (ski freely). I’ve to assume as a result of I haven’t actually practiced downhill in two years.”

Shiffrin was anticipated to contend for a number of medals in Beijing, however her greatest end to date is ninth place in the super-G. She did not finish either the giant slalom or slalom, her greatest occasions, snowboarding off the course after the fifth gate within the first run of each races.

A medal within the mixed could be Shiffrin’s fourth on the Olympics, tying her with Julia Mancuso for many by a U.S. girl. Along with her silver from the mixed, Shiffrin has golds in slalom (2014) and large slalom (2018).

— Nancy Armour

Gold medalist David Sensible overcame adversity to make it again to 3rd Olympics

David Sensible couldn’t understand it as he lay atop an Austrian mountain feeling his hip transfer and his foot fall limply, however the damaged femur wouldn’t simply form his snowboarding profession.

The damage, the worst he’d endured, would alter how the two-time Olympic gold medalist noticed himself, would change his relationships and would put together him for the life-altering adjustments the coronavirus pandemic would convey months later.

Now, practically three years later, the 31-year-old Wise takes the perspective that the adversity has given him and uses it to prepare for his third Olympics, the place he’ll attempt to win his third consecutive gold within the freeski halfpipe. Qualifying is scheduled to start at 11:30 p.m. ET.

“In some methods I felt like perhaps breaking my leg sort of ready me for the world to go loopy as a result of I used to be going by means of a lot on a private facet that I sort of developed this thankfulness to be alive, only a thankfulness for nonetheless with the ability to do what I needed to do,” Sensible stated. 

And his snowboarding, effectively, the lead-up to those Video games hasn’t seemed as dominant because it did up to now two quadrennia. However few would depend Sensible out, and his experiences lately have given him a brand new perspective.

“I’m much less and fewer tied, by way of identification, to a pair of skis,” Sensible stated. (Read the full story here.)

— Rachel Axon

Lipinski, Weir saved quiet whereas calling Kamila Valieva’s brief program

Usually NBC’s Olympic skating analysts Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir by no means cease speaking. Their enthusiasm for the game they each excelled in is their calling card — every triple axle described as a miracle of science, grace and sweetness. 

Nevertheless, when Russian determine skater Kamila Valieva competed within the brief program after failing a pre-Olympics drug test, they had been uncharacteristically quiet.

Lipinski and Weir simply noted Valieva’s jumps every so often, and their silence made the occasion unusually tense, even for such a high-pressure discussion board.

When Valieva was accomplished, she broke down in tears. Weir stated, merely, “All I can really feel like I can say is that was the brief program of Kamila Valieva on the Olympics.”

When you’ve watched any skating in the previous couple of years, what a shock that’s.

Beforehand Lipinski stated, “I don’t know what number of instances over the previous 12 months I’ve stated that she is the perfect determine skater I’ve ever seen, and simply saying that no longer solely makes me confused, but it surely makes me indignant, and once more, I’m disoriented by all the things that I assumed I knew.”

After the top of the ladies’s brief program, her rating of 82.16 landed Valieva firmly in first place, although a well-known retired Olympic and world determine skating choose, who co-wrote the standards for this system parts on which the game’s artistry is predicated and judged, told USA TODAY Sports’ Christine Brennan that she should have finished third.

Afterwards Weir posted a brief video on Twitter, calling it “the toughest occasion I’ve ever needed to cowl.”

The ladies’s free skate is about for Thursday night in Beijing (Thursday morning within the U.S.).

— Invoice Goodykoontz

Mikaela Shiffrin seeks to overcome mixed once more

Mikaela Shiffrin has one closing probability to take a medal residence from Beijing, and he or she equipped for the Olympic mixed by setting the quickest time in a downhill coaching session on Wednesday. 

The mixed, which provides the instances from one downhill run and one slalom run, is scheduled to start Thursday at 10:30 a.m. (9:30 p.m. ET) with the downhill portion. American Isabella Wright would be the first to ski first with Shiffrin scheduled to run ninth.

The 2-time Olympic champion to date has did not win a medal on the Beijing Video games, skiing out in the giant slalom and the slalom – the 2 occasions she has gold medals in – and ending ninth in the super-G and 18th in Tuesday’s downhill.

Shiffrin is the world champion in mixed and likewise won silver in the event at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.

The 26-year-old Shiffrin is way much less skilled within the downhill however completed Wednesday’s coaching session 0.93 seconds forward of Switzerland’s Wendy Holdener, who gained bronze within the mixed in Pyeongchang, behind Shiffrin and Swiss teammate Michelle Gisin.

— Related Press

Can Individuals sustain with Eileen Gu in freeski halfpipe?

ZHANGJIAKOU, China – Eileen Gu’s final step towards a 3rd Olympic medal through the Beijing Video games begins with qualifying.

Gu, the American-born teen who competes for her mother’s native China, competes within the freeski halfpipe on Thursday. The highest-ranked skier on this planet in that occasion, Gu is trying to advance to Friday’s closing and declare her third medal of those Olympics after capturing gold in big air and silver in slopestyle.

No freeskier has medaled in all three occasions, which lately joined the Olympic program with halfpipe and slopestyle being added in 2014 and large air first contested right here.

Veteran U.S. skier Brita Sigourney enters the Olympics coming off a silver medal at X Video games final month. The three-time Olympian took bronze in Pyeongchang 4 years in the past

Olympic newcomer Hanna Faulhaber comes into the competitors ranked fifth on this planet and with two world cup podiums this season, together with X Video games bronze final month.

Three-time Olympian Devin Logan, a silver medalist in slopestyle eight years in the past, is competing in her closing Video games. And Carly Marguilies skies in her first Olympics.

— Rachel Axon

Ladies’s determine skating comes right down to free skate

With the brief program within the rearview mirror, consideration turns to the ladies’s free skate and the medals that won’t be awarded in determine skating following their completion if Kamila Valieva, who failed a pre-Olympic drug test, finishes within the prime three.

However on the ice, the competitors ought to nonetheless be fierce. The ladies’s free skate occasion is anticipated to begin at 6 p.m. Thursday in Beijing and 5 a.m. ET within the U.S.

Karen Chen, who’s within the second of 4 teams, would be the first American to skate at roughly 6:47 a.m. ET. The third group options Individuals Mariah Bell at roughly 7:23 a.m ET and Alysa Liu at roughly 7:46 a.m. ET.

The medals, although, are more likely to be determined amongst the skaters within the fourth and closing group, which begins round Eight a.m. ET. Valieva skates final of the six skaters on this group at roughly 8:49 a.m. ET.

Valieva was first in the short program, however a well-known retired Olympic and world determine skating choose, who co-wrote the standards for this system parts on which the game’s artistry is predicated and judged, told USA TODAY Sports’ Christine Brennan that she should have finished third.

Eileen Gu begins quest for Olympic medal trifecta

ZHANGJIAKOU, China – Eileen Gu is aware of she skis higher underneath strain.

Gu, who was born and raised in the US however competes for her mom’s native China, won gold in the Olympic debut of freeski big air final week and took silver in slopestyle on Tuesday. Thursday, she’ll start her quest for a 3rd Olympic medal when  qualifying begins in freeski halfpipe.

“The trifecta has all the time been my greatest objective. It’s undoubtedly lofty, however I do know it’s one thing I can do.”

However the halfpipe is bound to hold a singular strain for Gu.

Although she was born and raised in San Francisco, she determined in 2019 to compete for China. She has grow to be the most important star of those Video games, beloved by the few followers chosen to attend, and cheered by the Chinese language press. She is ubiquitous in media, showing in seemingly most commercials airing throughout Olympic competitors.

She’s more likely to face strain once more in ending her trifecta, although it’ll be acquainted. Gu gained medals in all three occasions on the 2020 Youth Olympic Video games in addition to X Video games and world championships in 2021 – profitable two occasions in every of these competitions.

So Gu is aware of the right way to navigate this. 

“My grandma’s popping out at this time, so she’s gonna watch me compete in halfpipe, which suggests the world to me,” Gu stated. “She’s by no means watching me compete earlier than, so hopefully I can placed on a great present for her.”

— Rachel Axon

Newest developments in Valieva doping case

An investigative web site referred to as The File Heart, revealed a doc displaying that Kamila Valieva took three legal substances: Hypoxen, L-carnitine and supradyn in further to the banned coronary heart medicine trimetazidine.

Valieva’s grandfather is a part of her protection and saying that she might need been uncovered to trimetazidine by means of him.

“The grandfather didn’t testify on the listening to,” based on a quick synopsis within the doc. “In his pre-recorded video (shot in a automobile), he claimed to make use of trimetazidine periodically when he suffered from ‘assaults’ and confirmed a packet of trimetazidine medicine to the digicam.”

– Tom Schad 

Staff USA medal depend rising

Heading into Thursday’s motion in Beijing, the US sit fourth within the total medal haul with 19, one forward of Canada.

Norway leads the total medal count with 28, with 13 golds. The Russian Olympic Committee soared into second with 24 complete medals, with Germany profitable 20 medals to date, together with 10 gold.