Winter Olympics Sochi 2014: Day 16 and 17

For the last time....

The Results:

Speedskating: Ladies' Team Pursuit

1. Netherlands, 2:58.05 Olympic Record
2. Poland, 3:05.55
3. Russian Federation, 2:59.73

Speedskating: Men's Team Pursuit

1. Netherlands, 3:37.71 Olympic Record
2. Korea, 3:40.85
3. Poland, 3:41.94

Alpine Skiing: Men's Slalom

1. Mario Matt, Austria, total time: 1:41.84
2. Marcel Hirscher, Austria, total time: 1:42.12
3. Henrik Kristoffersen, Norway, total time: 1:42.67

Bobsled: 4 Man

1. Russian Federation: Alexey Negodaylo, Dmitry Trunenkov, Alexey Voevoda, Alexander Zubkov, total time: 3:40.60
2. Latvia: Daumants Dreiskens, Oskars Melbardis, Janis Strenga, Arvis Vilkaste, total time: 3:40.69
3. USA: Christopher Fogt, Steven Holcomb, Steven Langton, Curtis Tomasevicz, total time: 3:40.99

Men's Hockey

1. Canada
2. Sweden
3. Finland

Look who got her medal today...... Mikaela Shiffrin

My recap....

Some things have become certain in these Olympics. The Dutch are great speedskaters, the Canadians dominate hockey. Russia proved to be warm and welcoming hosts, but they also were forces to be reckoned as competitors within the various events of these games. The Americans seemed to dominate many of the newer events like snowboarding, and overall, we had an impressive team this time around. They didn't live up to the hype in sports like speedskating, short track, and alpine skiing where they were expected to win far more medals. However there were many firsts and surprises. Meryl Davis and Charlie White were the first US ice dancers to win Olympic gold. Bode Miller became the oldest to win an alpine skiing medal and Mikaela Shiffrin became the youngest to win gold in the same sport. Sage Kotsenburg and Jamie Anderson were the first gold medalists in the new snowboarding event, slopestyle, and both were members of Team USA. Some members of Team USA returned to prove that they still have it. Julia Mancuso added a bronze to her arsenal of medals. Noelle Pikus Pace won the medal that had alluded her for her entire career in skeleton. Bode Miller proved age is not a factor when you have the talent, and Mikaela Shiffrin proved similar.

Some members of Team USA had stories I will never ever forget--- bobsled's Steven Holcomb, Lauryn Williams and Lolo Jones, snowboardings Alex Deibold, figure skating's Jeremy Abbot, speedskating's Shani Davis, and short track's JR Celski.  

There were inspirational stories of athletes from other countries as well.---

Russia's figure skating team exhibited fight and poise. They were the comeback kids of these Olympics. Plushenko returned and exited in grand fashion. Yulia Lipnitskaya's personality proves she will be around for a while, perhaps, a force to be reckoned with in 2018. Adelina Sotnikova reigned as queen when others threatened a space that she had her eyes set on since childhood.

Victor An, formerly representing Korea represented the Russian Federation, his new home, a country that accepted him and recognized his talent and allowed him to make a come back following what many believed were injuries that would be career ending.

Zbigniew Brodka from Poland was probably the least likely to win a speedskating medal, and not only overcame the odds but beat the best in the process.

Tatiana Voloszhar and Maxim Trankov of Russia had different partners before they had each other, but something said they were destined for gold together. It was written, they became legends like so many before them.

There are so many more stories and not enough time and thought to tell them all. Each Olympic Games that I watch takes me back to my childhood. I think the first Games I remember is 1992 in Barcelona. To me, the Games don't just represent competition, they represent so many other things. They represent the joy of victory; the sadness of defeat. They represent years of practice, determination, and discipline. There is an element about the Games which is so beautiful and that is the coming together of nations from all over the world, even if only, for a little over two weeks, every two years. The Games represent humanity and the best in people. We could only wish, hope, and dream that the human race could always come together as they do so faithfully for an Olympiad.

    Farewell Sochi! from Sochi 2014 website

Winter Olympics Sochi 2014: Day 7

Day 7 in Sochi was full of action and the unexpected.

The US men completed the sweep in freestyle skiing's slopestyle event. This is the third time in Winter Olympic history that Team USA has completed a sweep. The great thing about each of these young men is that there's something special about each of them. Josh Christensen, the gold medalist, dedicated his medal to his late father. Silver medalist Gus Kenworthy wants to adopt some stray dogs from Sochi and bring them back to Colorado with him. Finally, bronze medalist, Nick Goepper, almost didn't make it to Sochi. Years ago when he became interested in the sport he had to work and raise his own money to train and pay for equipment. His parents couldn't afford the sport, so Nick shoveled neighbors' driveways.
Of his win today, “The stars lined up for me,” Christensen said.

                                            Gus Kenworthy and stray pup

    AP Photo

The Results:

Freestyle Skiing: Men's Ski Slopestyle

1. Josh Christensen, USA, run one: 95.80, run two: 93.80, best: 95.80
2. Gus Kenworthy, USA, run one: 31.00, run two: 93.60, best: 93.60
3. Nicholas Goepper, USA, run one: 92.40, run two: 61.80, best: 92.40

In short track today, the ladies' 500 m took place and atop the podium was Jianrou Li from China and then in speedskating, the ladies' 1,000 m took place and atop the podium was Hong Zhang from China. One thing is for certain at the Sochi games, thus far, the US Team has not fared well. They have not even earned one medal. Surprising for a team that's been so dominant in the past. The Netherlands continued to rack up medals adding two more in speedskating, including a second medal for Ireen West who already won a gold and a second for Margot Boer who already won a bronze.

The Results:

Short Track: Ladies' 500 m

1. Jianrou Li, China, 45.263
2. Arianna Fontana, Italy, 51.250
3. Seung Hi Park, Korea, 54.207

Speedskating: Ladies' 1,000 m

1. Hong Zhang, China, 1:14.02
2. Ireen Wust, Netherlands, 1:14.69
3. Margot Boer, Netherlands, 1:14.90

Martin Fourcade of France won a second gold medal today in biathlon for the Men's Individual 20 km, only three days after winning his first gold in the 12.5 km Pursuit. What's even more notable is that at one point in today's event he almost lost his balance and fell, but Fourcade battled through it, and proves he's tough competition in biathlon. At only 25 years of age, he has many more years left in him. The US had one of their highest finishes ever in biathlon.

The Results:

Biathlon: Men's Individual 20 km

1. Martin Fourcade, France, 49:31.7
2. Erik Lesser, Germany, 49:43.9
3. Evgeniy Garanichev, Russian Federation, 50:06.2

8. Lowell Bailey, USA, 50:57.4

Perhaps the marquee event of these games, many would argue, is figure skating. Tonight, the men skated their short programs and took a step towards determining who would be the men's Olympic champion. Of course, all this would not go down without some drama. Just before the event would start, Evgeni Plushenko withdrew from the competition saying that he would in fact retire. Plushenko had a rough practice yesterday and fell several times while attempting triple axels. Plushenko has been plagued by injury throughout the years, having around 12 surgeries for his knees and back.

US front runner Jeremy Abbott took a hard fall during his short program and he sits in 15th place. Nineteen year old Jason Brown who many saw as a longshot for the American team sits in 6th place in medal contention. Many have called his long program perfection so that's what I am hoping for when he skates tomorrow.

The Standings, after the Short Program:

Men's

1. Yuzuru Hanyu, Japan, 101.45
2. Patrick Chan, Canada, 97.52
3. Javier Fernandez, Spain, 86.98
4. Daisuke Takahashi, Japan, 86.40
5. Peter Liebers, Germany, 86.04
6. Jason Brown, USA, 86.00
7. Brian Joubert, France, 85.84

    Farewell Evgeni........ thank you for so many breathtaking performances, for lots of drama, and for                 wonderful memories.

Winter Olympics Sochi 2014: Day 2

Sochi, Russia has been impressive thus far, but what has been the most impressive has been the athletes themselves.

Here are the highlights from Day 2..... 

American, Sage Kotsenburg, 20 years old was the first Team USA medalist of Sochi, and his medal was gold, and to top it all off, he won it in the new snowboarding event of Slopestyle. Although I didn't appreciate Sage's style as much as I liked Canadian Mark McMorris's style, I do appreciate him grabbing a medal for Team USA!

The Results:

Snowboarding: Men's Slopestyle

1. Sage Kotsenburg USA 1st run: 93.50 (1), 2nd run: 83.25 (5), best: 93.50
2. Staale Sandbech Norway 1st run: 27.00 (11), 2nd run: 91.75 (1), best: 91.75
3. Mark McMorris Canada 1st run: 33.75 (9), 2nd run: 88.75 (2), best: 88.75

The Dutch were dominant in the Men's 5,000 m speedskating event, they swept the podium. Many are asking whether or not Sven Kramer is one of the best of all time. He isn't one of the best of all time, but an argument could be made that he is one of the best at this distance and the 10,000 m. Kramer set an Olympic record, and retained his title from four years ago in Vancouver.

The Results:

Speedskating: Men's 5,000 m

1. Sven Kramer The Netherlands, 6:10.76 Olympic Record
2. Jan Blokhuijsen The Netherlands, 6:15.71
3. Jorrit Bergsma The Netherlands, 6:16.66

In Women's Hockey, the US women won their first game against Finland, 3-1

Reigning US Ladies' Moguls Champ Hannah Kearney made it back on the podium four years later, but it wasn't the result she hoped for. On her final run, Kearney hit too much air on her first jump and lost too much time; she ended up with a bronze. Not the result Kearney was hoping for as this was believed to be her last Olympics at the age of 27, and she wanted to end her career on top. After the results were announced, she was clearly upset and she wanted to go back out and fight but announced that this would indeed her last Olympics and then she turned away from the camera and sobbed. Two of the three Dufour Lapointe sisters made it on to the podium but it was 19 year Justine who took it all and became the youngest freestyle skier to win gold, and at 22 Chloe took silver.

The Results:

Freestyle Skiing: Ladies' Moguls

1. Justin Dufour Lapointe Canada, 22.44
2. Chloe Dufour Lapointe Canada, 21.66
3. Hannah Kearney USA, 21.49

What most surprised me today? Well, it's actually from Thursday night.... I was so surprised to see Evegeni Plushenko at the age of 31 back and skating in amazing form for the Russian Federation. In the team event, not only is he the clear leader but Russia is leading the way with Canada and USA hot on their trail. The US ice dancing team and defending World Champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White won their round with a confident short program. US women's team member Ashley Wagner had a sexy short program, but yet ended up in 4th place, as a 15 year old Russian took first for the ladies.

Today what surprised me was that at the age of 40, Ole Bjoerndalen overtook a younger group of competitors and won the gold in Biathlon in the Men's 10k Sprint. Bjoerndalen now has a total of 12 medals which equals an all time record. This is his seventh gold and goes along with his four silvers and one bronze! Bjorn Daehlie, also from Norway has collected 12 medals in his Olympic cross country career as well. Wow! 

The Results: Biathlon: Men's Sprint 10 km 1. Ole Einar Bjoerndalen Norway, 24:33.5 2. Dominik Landertinger Austria, 24:34.8 3. Jaroslav Soukup Czech Republic, 24:39.2

photos are taken from the official website of the Sochi Games!