A 15-year-old is the new queen of the ice with a first Russian gold. The Netherlands and Canada have also sccoped gold while Germany are looking to make the ice hockey final. Follow it live here! +++ Please refresh for the latest (All times are CET) +++
Gold Medal Events Day 14
Men’s 4×7.5km Biathlon (12:15)
12:59 – And the Norwegians have smelt blood in the shoot. They leave the gallery hot on the heels of the Czechs. AAd Arnd Peiffer has made up a lot of ground for Germany, just 17 seconds behind now.
12:52 – At the third change, the Czechs still lead, around 10 seconds ahead of Austria and Sweden with Norway just a second behind.
12:35 – Over to the Biathlon and the 4×7.5 km men’s relay. Halfway through the scond leg, the Czech Republic have a wafer-thin advantage over Austria and Sweden. Germany are 43 seconds behind in fifth place.
12:21 – GOLD FOR NETHERLANDS! And Nuis has done it! 0.04 seconds better! He looks up at the scoreboard and starts the celebrations. Gold in the 1500m and now gold in the 1000m speed skate. Silver for Norway and bronze for the South Korean Kim.
12:18 – The big favorite takes to the ice. Kjeld Nuis of the Netherlands, who took gold in the 1500m. and he’s forced to wait as his partner makes a false start.
12:12 – But that didn’t last long … 1:07.99 for Norway’s Havard Lorentzen!
12:08 – The decibel level is raised to just short of deafening. South Korea’s Kim sets a new track record of 1:08.22 and is ono track for gold.
12:01 – No, is the short answer. Joey Mantia of the USA skates home in 1:08.56 in the very next pairing.And incredibly, Japan’s Oda posts exactly the same time. Tie for gold at the moment.
11:58 – Germany lead in the speed skating! Nico Ihle posts a 1:08.93 in the final round. But the big guns are still to come. Will it be enough?
11:43 – BREAKING – Second Russian doping case confirmed. The president of the Russian Bobsled Federation says a bobsledder whose crew finished 12th in the women’s competition has tested positive for a banned substance. The news comes after a Russian curler was stripped of his bronze medal for doping.
11:26 – 16-year-old Korean Chung moves into second place, but it could have been even more. A slight mistake on the third lap has cost him the lead in this first round.
11:14 – And that lead did not last … South Korea’s Cha sets the crowd alight with a time of 1:09:27 with five pairs still to go.
11:12 – We’ve finally cracked the 1:10 barrier in the final Japan’s Tsubusa Hasegewa skates a time of 1:09:83 to assume the lead. That still won’t be enough to win gold though, I’m sure.
11:00 – And we’re off to the men’s 1000m speed skating final. Ten pairs will face off against each other. And Rukke from Norway takes the first race.
10:52 – That is that in the hockey. In the dying seconds of the third period, OAR score a third goal to cruise into the final against either Canada or Germany.
10:19 – BRONZE FOR SWITZERLAND. A double takeout by Benoit Schwarz in the final throw and a real shock in the curling. Canada go home empty-handed.
10:17 – Kevin Koe has to keep his calm now, he has the chance to keep Canada in this, but misses the chance of a double take-out. Too much curl on it.
10:06 – Canada try to limit the Swiss to one in the ninth, which they do. 7-5 to Switzerland with one end left to play. Meanwhile, over in the hickey, OAR now lead 2-0 over the Czechs at the end of the second period.
09:53 – Great curl by Koe. Knocks the Swiss stones out and lands his last shot on the button to cut the deficit. 6-5 now with two to play.
09:44 – AND THE GOAL STANDS! The video review proved the goal was OK and OAR lead (thanks to VAR?)
09:40 – Goal in the hockey! OAR take the lead. A rocket shot from Nikita Gusev puts the favorites in the driving seat at the halfway point. But i’s been challenged by the coach… DId the czech defender push the Russian forward into the crease? If he didn’t, the goal will be disallowed.
09:36 – Oops, he did it again. Kevin Koe’s struggles continue as he misses the chance to get rid of some strategic Swiss stones. And now they’ve left the Swiss with a stone in the button. And their last shot is perfect! Switzerland lead 6-3 with just three ends to play
09:18 – Missed opportunity for Kevin Koe. With the final curl he could have picked up four, but he over hits it and ends up with a solitary point. Switzerland lead 4-3 going into the seventh end. And Switzerland have the hammer.
09:09 – So, goalless in the ice hockey after the first period and in the curling, four Canadian stones in the target with a solitary Swiss one. One stone left each but Canada look good for levelling or even taking the lead.
08:56 – And as a quick reminder, there is the small matter of the ice hockey. Czech Republic and OAR have faced off in the semi-final…
08:49 – Canada are back on song! And a broad smile spreads across Kevin Koe’s face as he smashes three Swiss stones out of the button. But the Swiss strike back and lead 4-2 at after the fifth end.
08:31 – The final stone for Canada in the fourth end and they may hav a shot for three, looking to take out a guard and Swiss stones in the button. AND HOW CLOSE HE IS! Great shot from Kevin Koe. He needed to dig deep in his locker and he came up with almost the perfect curl to take two. All-square again and the Canadian fans are dancing in the aisles.
08:17 – Switzerland must be counting their lucky stars. Canada fail to clear up again and give Switzerland their second steal. Tehy now lead 2-0 after a stunning lapse of concentration. Losing back-to-back steals is very unusual for Canada. And the Canadian fans are in a willing suspension of disbelief…
08:11 – Switzerland still in control in the third end as Canada look to clear the the target of Swiss stones. But they leave one in there! And now Switzerland take a time-out to discuss how to make the most of this advantage.
08:01 – Final throw of the end and Benoit schwarz places it on the edge of the button, behind a guard. The tightest of gaps for the Canadians to find now. And there is cenitmeters in it! Canada place the stone on the edge of the button and the Swiss steal it the first point. Great start by Switzerland.
07:56 – This is getting interesting now. Switzerland have a stone in the bullseye, which Canada keep failing to dislodge. Time and again, Switzerland keep curling a well-placed guard.
07:51 – All a bit cat-and-mouse at the moment. Scoreless after the first end.
07:45 – Having said that, Switzerland suffered an absolute mauling at the hands of Sweden in the semis and their confidence will have taken a real blow. The Swiss are usually much more reserved than the Canadians on the ice so it will be interesting to see how these teams recover from their respective disappointments.
07:35 – We’re off to the curling now, with Switzerland and Canada just getting their men’s bronze match underway. The Canadians are still reeling from their semi-final defeat to the US and Switzerland could spring a surprise here.
06:53 – Some disgruntled tones coming out of Germany’s skiing camp. The country’s ski cross sport director called today for the course to be toned down for the 2022 Olympics.
“I will fight to see that we don’t experience it again like this, but nicer, in four years,” Heli Herdt said.
The decision to make the course more spectacular was one Herdt was against, and it clears he has been proven right as the number of injuries, particularly serious ones, have been notable. Sounds like trouble…
06:28 – What a start to the day! Plenty more drama and fun left to enjoy as well. In an hour, Switzerland play Canada for the men’s curling bronze – the two women’s semifinals are at midday.
In just over two hours, the first of the men’s ice hockey semifinals gets started with the Czech Republic looking to take the confidence of beating the US in the quarterfinals into their clash with OAR. Later on, Germany play Canada.
After that, there’s speed skating and biathlon medals up for grabs.
06:17 – Recovered from that drama yet? Not sure I have to be honest.
It feels a bit like when Michelle Kwan missed out on a medal to 15-year-old Tara Lipinski in Nagano in 1998, but it begs the question, what is the definition of top skating? More jumps or more performance?
06:02 – GOLD for Russia! But it’s not Medvedeva’s! The drama! What an upset. Less than a point in it, but it’s Zagitova who snatches gold off the world number one. The look on Medvedeva’s face when she finds out… The anguish and the tears come pouring out. The gold evades her. The record score from Zagitova in the short program is what proved to be the difference as both scored the same incredible 156.65 in the free skate. Wow.
That’s the first time since 1998 that the same country has gone 1-2 in ladies’ figure skating and it’s also OAR’s first gold of the Games.
05:55 – On. The. Money. Medvedeva shows the competition and the world what it is to be the best skater in the world. Technically brilliant, emotional and impressive. Is it enough for gold? Chris is right. I wouldn’t want to be making the call.
05:50 – Dressed like Black Swan, Canada’s Kaetlyn Osmond dances to Swan Lake and delivers a massive season’s best to jump into second to bump Miyahara down into third. Now, can the number one and two-time world champion show the world why, again? Evgenia Medvedeva steps onto the ice to dance to the soundtrack from Anna Karenina.
05:42 – OH. MY. GOODNESS. Alina Zagitova is just 15-years-old and two days after setting the new world record in the short program, she delivers a 156.65 free skate score (10 better than Miyahara). It’s brilliant, but not a season’s best (she got that in the team event earlier on in Pyeongchang). After not taking her first jump, Zagitova reacted to the miss quickly to deliver a performance near technical perfection. She leads, but will it be gold?
Mind you, I remember playing football in the back garden at 15 so the fact Zagitova is there is remarkable enough, let alone in with a chance of winning it all. Joey relates.
05:29 – Only seven skaters in the final are over 20 years old. Two of the ladies tonight are just 15. Just think about that for a moment. An Olympic final. Mind-blowing. Japan’s number two drops into third with a well choreographed performance which was perhaps better than Kostner’s. Now for the record-breaker…
05:23 – Italy’s Carolina Kostner delivers the second best score of the night so far, but has a look of a woman who knows that her time in the top group is all but over. She won bronze in the Singles in Sochi and has kept coming back after falls, but the 31-year-old is now surrounded by bold and brilliant teenagers. That’s tough for anyone, but she leaves with a smile.
05:08 – What a start! Satoko Miyahara gets remarkable height for someone standing at just five feet tall, and that performance is very, very good and she knows it. She throws her hands into the air with joy afterwards, picks up a soft bunny wearing a handmade version of her dress and bows with joy as she records a season’s best 146.44 – a huge score in the free skate by the way. Her total of 222.38 is the one to beat. Gauntlet thrown down…
05:01 – It’s time for the final six, three of them will be the medalists unless something bonkers happens. OAR might well win their first gold at these Games too. If you’re having trouble spotting the difference between the performance, one of the keys to look for is confidence with the jumping, the same speed coming out of the jump as coming in and how good their performance it is. In essence, are you feeling something when you’re watching. Think Lionel Messi or Roger Federer on ice.
05:00 – Mirai Nagasu, aka the triple-axel queen after delivering the move in the event, seems to shy out of the favored move. Performing to Miss Saigon, the 24-year-old from California is all smiles but she finishes in fourth.
04:52 – The crowd loves a local and Choi Da-bin is South Korea’s final skater of the Games I believe. To the haunting and yet magical music from the film Doctor Zhivago, the 18-year-old delivers a flawless technical performance. It’s a season best of 131.49 and that means we have a new leader! A fantastic moment for her at a home Games.
04:45 – Such a tough watch when it goes wrong, figure skating. Canada’s Gabrielle Daleman suffers a four-point deduction and she bursts into tears at the end of her performance. She won gold in the team event, but the Canadian national champion won’t have a medal for her efforts today.
Always a difficult moment to watch an Olympic athlete react to knowing they didn’t deliver their best. Team Canada cheers her own. I’m sure she’ll get plenty of support after this. She already has plenty online.
04:38 – Next up, another American and another mixed bag. Bradie Tennell does a lot of good things, but two trips today (after one yesterday) will frustrate the US champion. That being said, like Chen, the 20-year-old is just getting started. Cinderella music for Tennell, and despite taking second spot she might not go to the ball (the podium in this analogy).
04:29 – American Karen Chen has a couple of falls amidst some explosive jumping. She choreographs her own performances, and that one might need some reviewing. She smiles as the score comes in, but only out of the side of her mouth. Difficult moment for her, but at 18 I’m sure it won’t be the last we see of her.
04:19 – Refreshed and ready? OAR’s Maria Sotskova (17) gets this group started with a brilliant performance to the wonderful classical piece of Clair de Lune. A very clean skate and she takes the lead overall with 134.24 in the free skating (198.10 overall).
04:02 – The 15-minute break in between these sessions is a tricky one for those peaking through heavy eyelids. A good time of the night to get a snack or a cup of tea in, if it is the early hours of the morning where you are right now. While the tension mounts, don’t forget to get in touch with us to tell us how you’re enjoying the Games – or how you’re staying up to be honest.
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03:50 – We finish off the second group of skaters with a personal best from Slovakia’s Nicole Rajicova and decidedly disappointed Isadora Williams from Brazil. Twelve skaters to go…
03:29 – And so we turn to the other overnight medal, and that’s on the ice. We are approaching halfway, and currently Elizabet Tursynbaeva from Kazakhstan is leading. Germany’s Nicole Schott performs to music from the film Schindler’s List. It’s a very moving piece, but sadly her performance doesn’t hit the same notes.
03:19 – GOLD for Canada! Kelsey Serwa gets a great start and never looked back. She goes one better than her silver in Sochi. What a race from Brittany Phelan as well. A slow start looked to have ruined her chances, but she battled back and snuck in late on to take the silver. Remarkable for a woman who swapped from Slalom in Sochi to Ski Cross in South Korea. That’s another one-two for Canada in this event, their second consecutive. Dominant. Fanny Smith takes bronze.
03:15 – France’s Alizee Baron wins the Small Final. It might sound like the wooden spoon race, but it’s important for the rankings, funding and the sheer joy of competing in an Olympic race.
03:08 – We have our Ladies’ Ski Cross finalists! Will it be more than one medal for Canada though?
03:04 – Well that’s one way to do it! South Korea’s Hanul Kim bucks the trend to perform to classical music and dances to an ABBA medley. Certainly a dancing queen, for now anyway…
03:00 – The first semifinal is a breeze for Sandra Naeslund (Sweden) and Fanny Smith (Switzerland). Crashes for Kennedy-Sim and Andersson make progression to the final easy for the favored pair.
02:51 – There’s even a helmet camera on one of the skiers to show how crazy this sport is. I fancy a gold for Canada here, to match the one in the men’s. Brittany Phelan just won her quarterfinal comfortably. Her motto, I hear, is: “Danger is real, fear is a choice.” Is she wearing that on a t-shirt? If not, she might have just started something.
02:42 – Just a reminder of how brutal this sport is, with a different kind of photo-finish from our colleagues over at Eurosport.
02:37 – We are back racing in the ski cross and already on to the quarterfinals. Two crashes in the first heat, as one of the more favored riders, Austria’s Andrea Limbacher slides out. Australia’s Sami Kennedy-Sim wins. The Aussies have won three medals here, but no golds yet…
02:23 – Ouch. Canada’s day gets worse as India Sherret hits the packed snow hard and the race has taken a break as she is stretchered off. Hope she hasn’t suffered anything too serious!
02:21 – SHOCK! The defending champion in the Ladies’ Ski Cross is already out! We will have a new champion.
02:18 – Also underway is the Ladies Single Skating final. After the short program the day before yesterday, today is the free skate. Around 20 skiers to get through before we get closer to knowing about who might medal, but for everyone left in the field it’s a chance to be in an Olympic final and perform. Swiss Alexia Paganini makes the most of that, delivering a respectable 101.00 score for the free skate, and a total score of 156.26 (around 15th in Sochi).
02:04 – The first stages of the Ladies’ Ski Cross is underway. A lot of crashes, one concussion and a broken pelvis in the men’s event on Day 12. Time to find out whether the top female ski cross racers are in for the same kind of battle!
01:40 – Good morning! After the madness of yesterday, Day 14 promises a slightly quieter affair – but only on paper. The first focus of the day will be the mayhem of the ski cross – tonight is the ladies’ event. Starting at the same time is the ladies single skating final. Who will star and who will slip when the pressure is on? Also, today is also the day for the men’s ice hockey semifinals. Can Germany keep their incredible tournament going and beat pre-competition favorites Canada? Day 14 in Pyeongchang will provide all the answers.
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