Kamila Valieva’s Olympic dreams are hanging by a knife-edge as the bewildered teenager was pitched into a battle between the International Olympic Committee and Russia. Valieva, just 15, was meant to be the face of these Games but news that she had tested positive for banned substance Trimetazidine, which is used to treat angina, sent shockwaves through the Games though the case was complicated by a lack of details and her minor status.
American snowboarding star Shaun White narrowly missed out on the podium, the three-time Olympic champion taking fourth spot in what he said was his final Games. Meanwhile, Mikaela Shiffrin, who returned to the slopes to compete in the super-G after dramatically failing to complete runs in both the giant slalom and slalom, earned ninth spot in the race. The three-time Olympian and two-time Olympic Alpine gold medalist finished the race 0.79 seconds behind Swiss skier Lara Gut-Behrami, who takes the Olympic gold medal.
Britain’s men suffered their first defeat in the curling round robin stage, losing 9-7 to defending gold medallists Team USA, but Bruce Moaut’s men bounced back from the loss to convincingly beat Norway 8-3. GB’s women fell to defeat after a 9-6 loss to Korea, and Eve Muirhead’s team will need to bounce back strongly tomorrow against the USA. Follow the latest update below.
WINTER OLYMPICS 2022 RESULTS AND UPDATES
- Britain’s men’s curling team beat Norway in round-robin match
- Russian 15-year-old figure skater faces Winter Olympics ban after failing drug test
- Kamila Valieva’s failed drugs test exposes Russia and IOC’s broken relationship
- Great Britain’s women beaten 9-6 by South Korea
- Shaun White misses out on gold in halfpipe to bring close to legendary career
Finn Niskanen flying high with new classic gold
Iivo Niskanen may not be a fan of the altitude at China’s National Cross Country Centre but he is still flying high in classic cross-country skiing, adding another gold to his 50km title from Pyeongchang in 2018.
The Finn’s consistency laid the foundations for a convincing victory over Alexander Bolshunov, representing the Russian Olympic Committee, and Norway’s Johannes Klaebo, and he adds it to a pile of wins this season.
“I made it my own race today and if you look at the last maybe 16 to 17 15km classic intervals, I have been on the podium around 14 times. I felt pressure today to take this gold medal,” he told reporters.
“I’m really proud that I managed to win (for the) third time in a row at this distance this season. It’s never easy to go to the start position as a favourite.”
Dylan Terry
Ukrainian skeleton slider uses Olympic spotlight to call for peace
Ukraine’s Vladyslav Heraskevych used his moment in the Olympic spotlight to make a gesture of peace regarding the tense situation on Ukraine’s border with Russia.
After completing his third run in the men’s skeleton event at the Yanqing National Sliding Centre on Friday night the 23-year-old briefly flashed a paper sign reading “NO WAR IN UKRAINE”, he said speaking to reporters after the race.
Though he showed it too quickly for most cameras to catch, he explained his action to reporters after his fourth run.
“It’s my position, like any normal people I don’t want war. I want peace in my country and I want peace in the world, so nobody wants it. That’s my position, I fight for that, I fight for peace,” he said.
“At home in Ukraine it’s really nervous now, a lot of news about guns, about weapons, about some armies around Ukraine so it’s not OK. Not in the 21st century.”
Dylan Terry
U.S. overcome Czech challenge in women’s quarter-finals
Defending Olympic champions the United States beat Czech Republic 4-1 in a tougher-than-expected women’s ice hockey quarter-final at the Beijing Olympics on Friday.
While the American hockey powerhouse rarely find themselves on the backfoot, the twice gold medallists did not claim the lead until the third period, when U.S. assistant captain Lee Stecklein broke a tense 1-1 tie.
After a scoreless first period, Czech forward Michaela Pejzlova drew first blood five minutes into the second to wake up a furious American team that retaliated 48 seconds later when four-time Olympian Hilary Knight knocked a rebound into the net.
The Czechs had a chance to regain the momentum after officials sent U.S. forward Dani Cameranesi to the penalty box for five minutes on a boarding call but could not break through the American defences.
A shot from Stecklein ricocheted off a Czech defender’s stick and through the legs of netminder Klara Peslarova to give the Americans the lead midway through the third period. Savannah Harmon knocked one into the bottom corner to add to the advantage 10 minutes later and captain Kendall Coyne Schofield wrapped up the win with seconds left on the clock.
It was more of a test than the twice gold medallists expected from the Czechs, who are making their Olympic debut.
Dylan Terry
Peerless German policeman Grotheer wins men’s skeleton gold
Not content with his country merely dominating luge, Germany’s Cristopher Grotheer took gold in the men’s skeleton in a peerless performance that further cemented the status of this year’s German crop as one for the history books.
The 29-year-old police officer smashed through four runs along the 1,615-metre track of the National Sliding Center in Yanqing in a sensational 4:01.01.
He was 0.66 faster than his countryman Axel Jungk, a yawning gap by skeleton standards and a big leap from his seventh finish in Pyeongchang four years ago.
It was also a remarkable race for China, with Yan Wengang claiming the country’s first ever medal in the sliding sports as he took bronze.
Dylan Terry
Women’s ice hockey: Canada 11-0 Sweden
That’s the final whistle. Canada win 11-0 (11-0!) in an Olympic Games quarter-final.
They are a force to be reckoned with and one that everyone left in the tournament will be wary of moving forward.
Next up for the Canadians is a clash against either the Russian Olympic Committee or Switzerland in the last four.Dylan Terry
Women’s ice hockey: Canada 11-0 Sweden
Make that 11. Canada really sending a message to defending Olympic champions USA in this one-sided quarter-final.
The silver medallists from PyeongChang are showing no mercy.Dylan Terry
Canada hit 10 in ice hockey
Canada have eased off somewhat since going 9-0 up against Sweden in their women’s ice hockey quarter-final.
But they have just struck a 10th in the final third as they seal a perfect performance with yet another strike.
They are marching towards the quarter-finals.Dylan Terry
Winter Olympic Games medal table
The Winter Olympics 2022 medal table is up for grabs in Beijing and Norway are the favourites to top the charts once more, having pipped Germany to top spot four years ago in Pyeongchang.
Both nations won 14 gold medals in Korea, but Norway’s greater total of 39 medals overall gave them the edge over Germany, who won 31.
But who is top of the 2022 charts so far? Check out the table as of midday today (GMT) via the link below:
Winter Olympics medal count: Who is winning Beijing 2022 so far?
Olympics medal tableDylan Terry
Switzerland beat Canada in men’s curling
Switzerland have secured a hard-fought 5-3 victory over Canada in the men’s curling. Here is the current top five in the round robin tournament so far:
- Sweden
- Canada
- Great Britain
- Switzerland
- USA
Dylan Terry
German double in the skeleton
Christopher Grotheer and Axel Jungk have secured a sensational double for Germany in the men’s skeleton.
What a performance from the pair of them!