Hello from Beijing
Today is Day 7 of the Beijing Olympics. Here are AP’s coverage plans. All times are Eastern. For questions, please email Amanda Barrett at abarrett@ap.org. Find the latest Olympics coverage plans on Coverage Plan. For expanded content, visit AP’s Olympics hub on AP Newsroom. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport@ap.org or call 877-836-9477. For questions about the digital news experience or medals tables, please email Barry Bedlan at bbedlan@ap.org.
HAPPENING IN BEIJING
Legendary snowboarder Shaun White bid an emotional farewell to his sport and the Olympics when he finished fourth in halfpipe. Meanwhile, Nils van der Poel of Sweden broke his own world record and captured his second gold medal of the Beijing Olympics with a dominant victory in men’s 10,000-meter speedskating.
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TRENDING NEWS
OLY-FIG-NATHAN CHEN — U.S. figuring skating gold medalist Nathan Chen says he’s looking forward to going back to school and is undecided about what’s next for him in the sport. By Sally Ho. SENT: 624 words, photos.
OLY-FIG-SKATING'S NEW SOUNDTRACK — As U.S. figure skater Nathan Chen flaunted through the last minute of his Thursday program at Capital Indoor Stadium with such joy and personality, it was clear the 22-year-old American’s diverse musical selections marked a new, edgier dawn for winning performances. By Sally Ho. SENT: 950 words, photos.
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TOP STORIES
OLY-FIG-RUSSIAN-DOPING — Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva’s right to compete in the women’s event at the Beijing Olympics will be decided at an urgent hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The International Testing Agency said Friday it will lead an appeal on behalf of the IOC against a decision by Russia’s anti-doping agency to lift a provisional ban imposed on the 15-year-old Valieva for failing a doping test in December. By Graham Dunbar and James Ellingworth. SENT: 871 words, photos.
OLY--RUSSIA-GETTING AWAY WITH IT — Be it sports, politics, hacking or war, the recent history of Russia’s relationship with the world can be summed up in one phrase: They get away with it. By Brian Carovillano and Ted Anthony. SENT: 1,267 words, photos.
AS—VIRUS OUTBREAK — Bringing in more than 15,000 people for the Winter Olympics poses risks for a country determined to keep COVID-19 out. One week into the 17-day event, China appears to be meeting the challenge with a bubble that restricts the movement of participants so they don’t come in contact with the general population. By Huizhong Wu and Ken Moritsugu. SENT: 1,020 words, photos.
OLY-SBD-MEN'S HALFPIPE — On a bittersweet day of riding that ultimately ended in a fall, Shaun White came one spot shy of a medal. It was nothing to be ashamed of considering the massive tricks going down in what surpassed the previous Olympics as the most progressive halfpipe contest ever. By Eddie Pells. SENT: 1,001 words, photos. With: OLY--SBD-HIRANO SAVES THE DAY — Ayumu Hirano saved his best for last. By doing so, the Japanese rider might have saved snowboarding from a good, old-fashioned judging mess. By Pat Graham. SENT: 1,001 words, photos.
OLY—FIG-FIGURE SKATING DIVERSITY — The Salchow jump, the Biellmann and the Charlotte spiral. These standard ice-skating maneuvers are named after white people from the 20th century. In a century-old sport that had been largely European until just a few decades ago, some still wonder how more Black athletes can make a lasting imprint on competitive figure skating. By Aaron Morrison. SENT: 1,221 words, photos.
OLY—EXPLAINER-OLYMPICS SUSTAINABILITY — To stage the Winter Games in the Chinese capital, organizers embarked on a massive public works campaign, constructing new venues and piping millions of gallons of water up into the arid surrounding mountains to create fake snow for ski competitions. And then they proclaimed these to be the most sustainable Olympics in history. How can both these things be true? By Candice Choi and Kelvin Chan. SENT: 726 words, photos.
OLY—SHO-PAUL NEWBERRY-THAT’S SHORT TRACK — NASCAR and pro wrestling are not official sports at the Winter Olympics. That’s OK. We’ve got short track. By Sports Columnist Paul Newberry. UPCOMING: 800 words by 4 a.m., photos.
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SNAPSHOTS
OLY-BEIJING-SNAPSHOT-LOCAL FANS — Some local fans are getting to watch the Beijing Games in person, though it’s not clear exactly how they were selected for a visit inside the tightly controlled Olympic bubble. By Candice Choi. SENT: 204 words, photos.
OLY-BEIJING SNAPSHOT-SHOPPING LINES — If you’re shopping for souvenirs, “the closed loop” at the Beijing Olympics is the place to be. That’s because the coveted fluffy Olympic panda mascot — named Bing Dwen Dwen — is in short supply everywhere around Beijing, but available in limited quantities inside the souvenir shop at the media center. SENT: 288 words, photos.
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THE ATHLETES
OLY-SKE-WOMEN’S SKELETON — Australia has never won an Olympic medal in a sliding sport. Never even been close. The country’s best result in any bobsled, skeleton or luge race was a 10th-place showing in 2010. Jaclyn Narracott is now two runs away from changing everything. By Tim Reynolds. SENT: 735 words, photos.
OLY--FIG-DANCE DOMINANCE — One way or another, there’s a good chance Marie-France Dubreuil and husband Patrice Lauzon will be celebrating another Olympic champion by the time ice dance finishes at the Beijing Games. Their school, the Ice Academy of Montreal, has become the most dominant in any figure skating discipline, surpassing even that of the controversial Russian women’s coach Eteri Tutberidze. By Dave Skretta. SENT: 816 words, photos.
OLY—SBD-OLYMPICS-NO JAKE — For the first time since snowboarding came to the Olympics, the man who built the board with his name on the bottom will not be at the bottom of the halfpipe. Jake Burton Carpenter died in 2019, and the Beijing Games mark the first he won’t be present for since the sport he brought to the masses came to the Games. By National Writer Eddie Pells. SENT: 579 words, photos.
OLY—FRE-DEPTHS OF WINTER — American freestyle skier Winter Vinecki ran a marathon on all seven continents -- before she turned 15. Now, she’s trying to make more history: Become only the third woman from American to take home Olympic gold in aerials. By Pat Graham. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos.
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THE GAMES WE PLAY
OLY—SKI-WOMEN’S SUPER-G — Mikaela Shiffrin completed the super-G at the Beijing Olympics in a time way out of medal contention. But for the first time in three races at the 2022 Games, she made it across the finish line. By Howard Fendrich. SENT: 714 words, photos. With— OLY-SKI-WOMEN’S SUPER G-GUT-BEHRAMI’S GOLD — Lara Gut-Behrami finally has her Olympic gold medal. And it came in the event that has caused the Swiss skier so much disappointment on one of sport’s biggest stages as she won the women’s super-G at the Beijing Games. SENT: 665 words, photos.
OLY—SPD-SPEEDSKATING — Nils van der Poel of Sweden has broken his own world record and captured his second gold medal of the Beijing Olympics with a dominant victory in men’s 10,000-meter speedskating. Van der Poel added to his victory in the 5,000, which was a much closer affair. By Paul Newberry. SENT: 334 words, photos. Will be updated to 700 words by 7 a.m., photos.
OLY-HKW-US-CZECH REPUBLIC — Lee Stecklein scored 6:49 into the third period and the defending champion U.S. women’s hockey team avoided an early exit by rallying to defeat the Czech Republic 4-1 in the quarterfinals of the Beijing Olympics. By John Warwow. SENT: 601 words, photos. Will be updated. Canada-Sweden begins Friday at 8:10 a.m.
OLY--HKO-UNBEATEN UNHAPPY RUSSIANS — The Russians are unhappy with their play two games and two shutout victories into the men’s hockey tournament at the Beijing Olympics. The defending champions and gold medal favorites have scored only twice against an opposing goaltender. Their most recent win was 2-0 against Denmark that included an empty-netter late. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. SENT: 550 words, photos.
OLY--HKO-US-SANDERSON — Jake Sanderson woke up in Los Angeles each day and looked at his phone to find out his COVID-19 test results. While his U.S. teammates were in Beijing preparing for the Olympics, the North Dakota defenseman was waiting and hoping to test negative enough times to travel. The Whitefish, Montana, native got that clearance, passed his airport test and took part in practice Friday. Now that he’s arrived, No. 5 pick in 2020 to the Ottawa Senators could have a major impact for the Americans the rest of the tournament. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. UPCOMING: 550 words by 6 a.m., photos.
OLY—NOR--OLYMPIAN SOLDIERS — Nordic combined is a niche sport, leaving Olympians looking for options to fund their dreams. To make ends meet, Ben Loomis and Jasper Good enlisted in the U.S. Army to get pay and benefits as part of the World Class Athlete Program. By Larry Lage. SENT: 545 words, photos.
OLY—SPD-SHORT TRACK SPEEDSKATING — BEIJING — Short track speedskating medals are awarded in the women’s 1,000 meters at the Beijing Olympics. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos. Begins 8:43 a.m. OLY—SPD-SPEEDSKATING — Speedskating medals are awarded in the men’s 10,000 meters at the Beijing Olympics. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos. Begins 3 a.m.
OLY--XXC-MEN'S CLASSIC — Iivo Niskanen of Finland won gold in the 15-kilometer cross country race at the Beijing Olympics on Friday to maintain his dominance in classic skiing. Niskanen crossed the line and collapsed, spread eagle, with a time of 37 minutes, 54.8 seconds. It was his third Olympic gold. By Martha Bellisle. SENT: 324 words, photos.
OLY--JUM-SKI JUMPING-LARGE HILL — Poland’s Kamil Stoch aims to win a third straight Olympic gold medal in ski jumping on the large hill. By Larry Lage. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos. Competition starts 6 a.m.
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UP TO THE MINUTE
— OLYMPICS ROUNDUP — Highlights of the day from the 2022 Winter Games.
— BEIJING OLYMPICS-THE LATEST — Real-time updates and photos from every venue around the Winter Games.
— BEIJING OLYMPICS-WHAT TO WATCH — A guide to key storylines each day. Moves after 1 a.m.
— MEDAL BRIEFS — A roundup of the day’s gold medals.
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FEATURED IMAGES
OLYBA378 — South Korea’s Kim Kyeong-ae has Bing Dwen Dwen, the Beijing Winter Olympics mascot, on her nails during a women’s curling match.
OLYTH221 — Lara Gut-Behrami, of Switzerland celebrates during the medal ceremony after winning the gold medal in the women’s super-G.
OLYBA372 — Team Sweden sweeps a rock during a men’s curling match against Italy.
OLYKS189 — United States’ Shaun White gets emotional after the men’s halfpipe finals.
OLYKS103 — United States’ Shaun White trains before the men’s halfpipe finals.
OLYAG108 — Czech Republic’s Daniela Pejsova, right, falls next to United States’ Megan Bozek (9) during a women’s quarterfinal hockey game.
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GRAPHICS
Beijing Winter Olympics Medal Tracker
AP will be offering a daily medal roundup for the 2022 Beijing Olympics, showcasing the top 10 medal winners by country.
Beijing Winter Games Top 10 Medal Tracker 1C — A 1-column wide list of the most medals won, sorted by country, at the Beijing Olympic Games; ETA updated 10:30 a.m. Eastern time daily throughout the Olympics
Beijing Winter Games Top 10 Medal Tracker 2C — A 2-column wide list of the most medals won, sorted by country, at the Beijing Olympic Games; ETA updated 10:30 a.m. Eastern time daily throughout the Olympics
