PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics Day 12

Day 12

Day 12 of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics was full of spectacular action and excitement.

Highlights:

Women's Figure Skating Short Program

Top Twenty Four out of Thirty Skaters in the Short Program will move on to the Free Skate.

The top two spots were expected to go to the two Russians. Evgenia Medvedeva is a two time world champion.

Evgenia Medvedeva of Olympic Athlete from Russia competes during the Ladies Single Skating Short Program PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Jamie Squire/Getty Images AsiaPac

Alina Zagitova is Evgenia Medvedeva's teammate. She beat Evgenia Medvedeva at the recent European Championship in November 2017. Evgenia Medvedeva was suffering from an injury at the time. She claims to have recovered now.

Alina Zagitova has a stronger technical program--she has more jumps to make up for her artistry. Evgenia Medvedeva has more artistry, and has a strong technical program, with less jumps than her rival. The stage is set for the battle of athleticism vs artistry--which holds more value in figure skating?

With the intense short program done, Alina Zagitova scored 82.92 points, breaking the record of 81.61 that Medvedeva had set about 15 minutes earlier. Both scores topped the short program mark Medvedeva set earlier in the Pyeongchang Games.

Alina Zagitova of Olympic Athlete from Russia competes during the Ladies Single Skating Short Program PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Jamie Squire/Getty Images AsiaPac

Kaetlyn Osmond of Canada was third with 78.87 points.

Kaetlyn Osmond of Canada competes during the Ladies Single Skating Short Program PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Jamie Squire/Getty Images AsiaPac

The American trio of Mirai Nagasu, Karen Chen, and Bradie Tennell all fell and stumbled with early mistakes in each of their programs. Mirai Nagasu made history as the third woman to successfully land a triple axle at the Olympics in the team event, helping to secure bronze. She was unable to repeat that feat in the short program. She placed ninth with Chen and Tennell right behind her.

My fave performers of the night were:

Kaori Sakamoto of Japan: Ethereal and Lithe

Kaori Sakamoto of Japan competes during the Ladies Single Skating Short Program PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Harry How/Getty Images AsiaPac

Kailani Craine of Australia: Delightful

Kailani Craine of Australia competes during the Ladies Single Skating Short Program PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Jamie Squire/Getty Images AsiaPac

Ivett Toth of Hungary: Best music, AC/DC!!!

Ivett Toth of Hungary competes during the Ladies Single Skating Short Program PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images AsiaPac

Aiza Mambekova of Kazakhstan: Best dressed! Who needs a gold medal when you've got a fabulous headpiece!?!

Aiza Mambekova of Kazakhstan competes during the Ladies Single Skating Short Program PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images AsiaPac

Dabin Choi of Korea: Exquisite

Dabin Choi of Korea competes during the Ladies Single Skating Short Program PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images AsiaPac

Isadora Williams of Brazil: Charming

Isadora Williams of Brazil competes during the Ladies Single Skating Short Program PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Harry How/Getty Images AsiaPac

For two years, Evgenia Medvedeva has dominated the figure skating world. Then she hurt her ankle in the fall of 2017. She stopped competing to recover. At the recent European Championship at Moscow in January 2018, her training partner, Alina Zagitova, 15, took first place, and Evgenia Medvedeva, 18, lost for the first time in over 2 years. She was second. Alina Zagitova seems to be on the rise, blossoming while Evgenia Medvedeva was recovering.

It's like Las Vegas show star Cristal Connors said in Showgirls:

There's always someone younger and hungrier coming down the stairs after you.

Cristal insults newcomer Nomi Malone. Nomi pushes Cristal down the stairs. Cristal breaks a hip. Nomi is the new star of the show.

Advice to Evgenia Medvedeva: Stay away from stairs.


The stage is set for an epic battle as the Russian ladies battle for the Olympic title. Will the reigning world champion take the gold? Or is there a new star about to outshine her? We find out tonight which star will shine the brightest!


Women's Alpine Downhill

Some really gnarly crashes in the Women's Downhill. Thankfully, they all got up and walked away. These are some tough skiers.

Michelle Gisin of Switzerland crashes during the Ladies' Downhill PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images AsiaPac

Nadia Fanchini of Italy crashes during the Ladies' Downhill PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images AsiaPac

And when the snow dust settled, Sofia Goggia of Italy took the gold with the fastest time of 1:39.22; she becomes the first Italian woman to win the Olympics Downhill event.

Sofia Goggia of Italy competes during the Ladies' Downhill PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018  South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images AsiaPac

Lindsey Vonn finshed 0.47 seconds afterwards, unable to reach the top spot. She settles for second as the race continues.

Lindsey Vonn of the United States competes during the Ladies' Downhill PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images AsiaPac

Ragnhild Mowinckel of Norway then comes later and blasts down the mountain to finish 0.09 seconds behind Goggia, taking the second spot! She surprised everyone who assumed that Vonn and Goggia would fight over the top two spots. Ragnhild Mowinckel adds silver to another silver she won in the giant slalom.

Ragnhild Mowinckel of Norway competes during the Ladies' Downhill PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images AsiaPac

Lindsey Vonn takes the bronze, and only 33, she is the oldest female alpine skier to medal at the Olympics. I don't think that 33 is old at all! But in a sport where crashes and serious injuries are common, I suppose it's safer to retire while you can still stand and walk. It may not be the gold she was hoping for, but it's better to make the podium than walk away with nothing.


Men's Freestyle Skiing Ski Cross

The most dangerous and horrific race today was the Men's Freestyle Ski Cross. The mad dash down the mountain began with serious crashes in the qualifiers. Unlike the women's alpine downhill event, most of the men who crashed hard had to be stretchered out.

Terence Tchiknavorian of France is helped by the emergency services after a crash in the Freestyle Skiing Men's Ski Cross 1/8 finals PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac

Christoph Wahrestoetter of Austria crashes in the Freestyle Skiing Men's Ski Cross 1/8 finals PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images AsiaPac

Terence Tchiknavorian of France reacts after a crash in the Freestyle Skiing Men's Ski Cross 1/8 finals PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac

Christoph Wahrestoetter of Austria, Erik Mobaerg of Sweden crash in the Freestyle Skiing Men's Ski Cross 1/8 finals PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images AsiaPac

Christoph Wahrestoetter of Austria is taken off court after he crashes in the Freestyle Skiing Men's Ski Cross 1/8 finals PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images AsiaPac

Francois Place of France competes in the Freestyle Skiing Men's Ski Cross Seeding PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images AsiaPac

I know that crashing is a part of the sport, but I still cringe and hope that the athletes are okay. Extreme sports are called extreme for a reason. I know it's definitely not for me. But I do get anxious and excited to watch the skiers race.

And in the final event, the crashes continued. Brady Leman of Canada led a wild and furious race. The chasers followed him closely. Then fellow Canadian Kevin Drury smashed into Russian Sergey Ridzik. That cleared the way for Switzerland's Marc Bischofberger to challenge for the lead. But Brady Leman holds on and crosses the finish line first. He takes gold for Canada.

Brady Leman of Canada in front of Marc Bischofberger of Switzerland in the Freestyle Skiing Men's Ski Cross Big Final PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images AsiaPac

Marc Bischofberger claims silver for Switzerland.

And Olympic Athlete from Russia, Sergey Ridzik, recovers and captures the bronze.


Women's Hockey Bronze Match

Lyudmila Belyakova #10 of Olympic Athlete from Russia attempts a shot as she runs in to Noora Raty #41 of Finland in the second period during the Women's Ice Hockey Bronze Medal game PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Jamie Squire/Getty Images AsiaPac

Finland beat Russia to claim bronze. Noora Raty has stopped 20 shots to lead Finland to a 3-2 victory. Petra Nieminen, Susanna Tapani and Linda Valimaki scored for Finland.

The US will play Canada for gold later. Women's hockey debuted at Nagano 1998. Finland has won bronze three out of the six Olympics women's hockey has been contested. Meanwhile, the US has faced Canada for five out of the six Olympics, except for Torino 2006 when Sweden pulled an upset over the Americans. At Nagano 1998, the US win gold. The Canadians have won gold every Olympics after.

Meanwhile, the US men, lacking the usual professional National Hockey League power, has been eliminated from play by the Czech Republic. The thrillng quarterfinal game tied 2-2 and had to go into overtime. It came down to a shootout, and the Czech Republic scored 1 goal and blocked all US attempts.

The Czech Republic will face off Olympic Athletes from Russia in one semifinal while Canada will face off Germany in the other semifinal.


Women's Cross-country Skiing Team Sprint Freestyle

It was a historic race in women's cross-country skiing freestyle team sprint.

For the first time ever, the US wins gold in cross-country skiing. It is a fantastic surprise win for Americans Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall, who posted the fastest time in the qualifiers, to come from behind in the last 100m and clocked in a time of 15 min, 56.47 seconds, edging Sweden for the gold by 0.19 seconds, and coming in nearly three seconds ahead of Norway.

Jessica Diggins of the United States (14-2) stretches across the finish line to win gold ahead of Stina Nilsson of Sweden (12-2) during the Cross Country Ladies' Team Sprint Free Final PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Getty Images AsiaPac

Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall are the first Americans, men or women, to win a gold in cross-country skiing. They are also the first women to win any cross-country medal at the Olympics. They join Bill Koch, a silver medalist in the 30km event at Innsbruck 1976, as the only US skiers to make an Olympic podium in a sport dominated by Scandinavians.

Sweden’s Stina Nilsson won silver alongside Charlotte Kalla.

And Norway’s Marit Bjørgen, 37, and teammate Maiken Caspersen Falla have claimed a historic bronze. With this bronze, Norway’s Marit Bjørgen has surpassed compatriot Ole Einar Bjourndalen for the most ever medals at the Winter Olympics. Norway’s Marit Bjørgen is now the most decorated Winter Olympian with 14 Olympic medals.


Men's Cross-country Skiing Team Sprint Freestyle

Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo and Martin Johnsrud Sundby have captured gold in the men's team sprint, winning the event in 15 minutes, 56.26 seconds, 1.71 seconds ahead of OAR.

L-R) Silver medalists Denis Spitsov and Alexander Bolshunov of Olympic Athlete from Russia, gold medalists Martin Johnsrud Sundby and Johannes Hoesflat of Norway and bronze medalists Maurice Manificat and Richard Jouve of France celebrate on the podium during the victory ceremony at Cross Country Men's Team Sprint Free PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Lars Baron/Getty Images AsiaPac

It is Norway's 13th medal in cross-country at the Pyeongchang Games, tying an Olympic record set by the Soviet Union at Calgary 1988. Norway has set a record of 6 gold wins in cross-country skiing at a single Olympics.

OAR’s Denis Spitsov and Alexander Bolshunov overcame France’s Maurice Manificat and Richard Jouve for the silver by just 0.31 seconds! It’s Spitsov’s and Bolshunov’s third medals of the game, each with two silvers and a bronze.

It was the third gold medal for Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, tying him with French biathlete Martin Fourcade for the most at the Pyeongchang Games. For Klaebo's partner Martin Johnsrud Sundby’s, it is his third medal of the Games--two golds and a silver.

Johannes Hoesflat of Norway (1-2) approaches the finish line to win gold during the Cross Country Men's Team Sprint Free Final PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images AsiaPac

Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, 21, became the fourth male athlete to win three gold medals at the Winter Games before turning 22. He joins American speedskater Eric Heiden, Austrian Alpine skier Toni Sailer, and Korean short-track speedskater Ano Victor.


Speedskating Women's Team Pursuit

Heather Bergsma, Brittany Bowe, and Mia Manganello earned bronze in the women's team pursuit, clocking in at 2 minutes, 59.17 seconds in the B final against Canada. Canada finished in 2 minutes, 59.70 seconds. The bronze is the US' first long track speedskating medal at PyeongChang 2018, the first since Vancouver 2010 and being shut out at Sochi 2014. The last US woman to medal in long track speedskating was Jennifer Rodriguez took home bronze in the 1500m at Salt Lake 2002.

In the exciting gold match, World Champions and record holder Japan took on defending Sochi 2014 champion The Netherlands. Japan took an early lead, but flagged in the middle. Then they kicked it up in the last two laps, setting an Olympics record and taking the gold. They break the Olympics record set by the Dutch in the qualifiers.

Sisters Miho and Nana Takagi with Ayano Sato clocked in at 2 minutes, 53.89 seconds to beat the Dutch team of Lotte van Beek, Ireen Wust, and Marrit Leenstra by 1.59 seconds.

Nana Takagi, Miho Takagi and Ayano Sato of Japan compete during the Speed Skating Ladies' Team Pursuit Final A against the Netherlands PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images AsiaPac

Japanese women have now won five speed skating medals at the Pyeongchang 2018, beating a record four medals overall they won prior to the Games.



Speedskating Men's Team Pursuit

Defending Sochi 2014 champions The Netherlands took on New Zealand in the bronze match. The Dutch team of Sven Kramer, Jan Blokhuijsen, and Patrick Roest clocked a time of 3 minutes, 38.40 seconds to take bronze.

New Zealand's Peter Michael, Shane Dobbin and Reyon Kay finished 5.14 seconds behind with a valiant effort.

In the gold medal match, Norway’s Havard Bokko, Simen Spieler Nilsen and Sverre Lunde Pedersen clocked in at 3 minutes, 37.32 seconds, and held an edge of 1.20 seconds over South Korea.

Sverre Lunde Pedersen, Havard Bokko and Simen Spieler Nilsen of Norway compete at Men's Team Pursuit Speed Skating PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images AsiaPac

The Norwegians also set an Olympics record of 3 minutes 37.08 seconds in their semifinal match against defending Sochi 2014 champions, The Netherlands.

Motivated by the cheering home crowd, Lee Seung Hoon, 29, and his teen teammates, Kim Min-Seok, 18, and Chung Jae-Won, 16, take silver for South Korea. At 16 years and 245 days, Chung Jae-Won is the youngest man to collect a long track speedskating medal.



Women's Bobsled

Mariama Jamanka and Lisa Buckwitz of Germany slide during the Women's Bobsleigh heats PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images AsiaPac

Pilot Mariama Jamanka and Lisa Buckwitz won Germany’s latest gold in a sliding sport at PyeongChang, defeating Team USA’s Elana Meyers Taylor and Lauren Gibbs' sled by 0.07 seconds. Mariama Jamanka has never won any World Cup races. This is her first time at the top of the podium. Germany has now won five golds in the sliding events at PyeongChang 2018.

(L-R) Elana Meyers Taylor and Lauren Gibbs of the United States, silver, Lisa Buckwitz and Mariama Jamanka of Germany, gold, and Kaillie Humphries and Phylicia George of Canada, bronze, celebrate after the Women's Bobsleigh PyeongChang 2018 February 21, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 20, 2018 - Source: Clive Mason/Getty Images AsiaPac

It is Elana Meyers Taylor second silver, the first she won at Sochi 2014, adding to a bronze from Vancouver 2010.

Two-time defending champion Kallie Humprhies of Canada, who had a different brakeman for each gold, was riding with Summer Olympian Phylicia George take bronze. In her three Olympics, Kallie Humprhies has made the podium.


And so ends an exciting Day 12 of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics. A fantastic surprise win by some, and a well earned reward for others who had trained for this moment for so long.