And that, my friends, is that. Another Olympic day done. Tomorrow? The ski aerials, which got postponed from today. The snowboard slopestyle, good fun. The women’s and men’s team sprint medals in cross-country. Hockey quarter-finals. Women’s biathlon relay medals. The business end of the men’s team curling. And short-track skating medals in the 3000m relay for the women and solo 500m for the men.
As the hockey ref said, you’re outta here. I’m outta here. We’re all outta here. Until tomorrow.
Winter Olympic round-up for Day 14
Norway continued their dominance at the top of the medal table with 14 golds, adding the Nordic combined and the men’s ski big air
France won the biathlon relay gold
Italy won the men’s team pursuit speed skating, while Canada won the women’s
Germany filled the podium for the two-man bob
The tussle is tight in the men’s team curling
Sweden are about to advance beyond Latvia in the men’s hockey qualifier, by the by.
Chiba Mone is the last skater up, and Japan go one, two, four in the standings, with Alysa Liu of the USA in third.
Chiba looks to be having a lot more fun out there than most, skating to Donna Summer rather than something super serious and operatic and vast like so many skaters, and has a cheerful expression on her face the whole time. She’s tiny, and flings herself around the ice, going for a double axel and a triple lutz, no deductions, and banking a 74. There’s a slight judge query on one of the elements.
So it’s an exceptional round for the Japanese team, but the story of it is Nakai Ami, the most junior member, who produced the only flawless performance, and did so with such style. Could she possibly back that up in the free skate? Is that wishful thinking?
Schizas, Safonova, Variakojyte, Feigin, and Spours are the five who’ll miss out on progressing to the free skate, which will be on Thursday.
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Amber Glenn as the second-last to skate, the USA superstar, and I’m never going to argue with someone’s choice of Madonna, she uses Like a Prayer. Great performative value, artistic ambition, she starts her routine like Nakai Ami with a triple axel that she absolutely plants. But there’s a triple loop in there that she only lands as a double, so despite the quality of the skate otherwise, that’s an invalid element, and it’ll bring down her score sharply.
She’s in tears as she comes off. It’s a harsh sport. She scores a 67. That’s not a bad score, and she’ll comfortably qualify for the free skate, but it makes it hard to challenge for a medal.
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Subcontinental flair for Anastasiia Gubanova, the Georgian skater using San Sanana from the Bollywood movie Asoka. Scores high, 71+.
The Japanese skaters have really been the ones to watch this year though, and Sakamoto Kaori is no exception. Three-time world champ, she has already said that this will be her last Games, so with that in mind she skates to Time To Say Goodbye, and uses its emotive power. Her triple axel and triple toe jumps cover so much ground, she has such speed coming into them compared to other skaters. And her step sequence is so precise, the blades flashing like a chef’s knife. Magnificent spins…
and she still can’t pip her 17-year old teammate! Not quite. A 77.23, a point and a half behind Nakai Ami, but still a fine score. A slight technical query on one jump, I think. What a performance though.
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Isabeau Levito, the other USA competitor, does her tribute to Sophia Loren. Best wardrobe of the night, a blood-crimson sparkling number with matching gloves, it’s effortless style, and she uses it well. Lovely spins, a couple of minor deductions again thought for quarter turns on the jumps. Such small margins. She’s in the top five with a 70.84.
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Gorgeous from Alysa Liu, the USA skater who won the world champs in Boston late year, a sensitive and gentle music choice via the Icelandic singer Laufey, and her skate matches it, finishing with a graceful and aesthetic series of spins that has the audience sighing with pleasure.
She’s into second place with a 76.59, a couple of technical deductions keeping that score down from where it might have been.
We have six skaters to go in the women’s singles, and they are going to be spectacular.
Sweden leading 3-1 now in the hockey qualifier against Latvia, second period.
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Fifth in the standings for Niina Petrokina, from Estonia – excellent wardrobe to start with, a deep claret piece with matching gloves, that stands out, and another really strong routine, scoring just shy of 70. Remember that all of this round of skating is about setting up the competitors for the second round on a subsequent day. Lay a good base here from which to challenge for the main title on combined points.
Lara Naki Gutmann misses one of her jumps, an invalid element, so that tanks her score closer to 60.
I said no more clowns! Belgium’s Nina Pinzaronne uses Send in the Clowns as her backing music. Yuck. Mesmerising skate, that was, despite the artistic choices that are not in this observer’s wheelhouse. The wardrobe, too, super schmaltzy. Get this athlete a better support crew!
She scores a 68.97, which is good by the standards of her career, I expected a higher score though given her composure on the ice. Her compatriot, Loena Hendrickx, scored a 70.93 before that.
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Let’s get back to the figure skating, and what an Olympic arrival for Nakai Ami, the 17-year-old prodigy from Japan. On debut at this level, she was so focused in the warm-up, practising her spins, then she launches into senior skating with a triple axel, about as difficult as one can attempt, and nails it on the first attempt. She breaks out into a huge smile just on landing that first jump, can’t help herself. Then a triple lutz and triple toe, and gets those just as clean, and again that brief burst of a smile breaks out. Now she can get on with the rest of the business of her routine, using the Italian theme La Strada from a Fellini film, and working with a kind of Italian clown theme… and even then I don’t hate it. Keep clowns away from everyone.
But holy hell, this is a perfect skate. Her spins are divine, her form there immaculate. And she goes top of the list with a 78.71, I think that’s both a PB for her and one of the highest individual scores of the season overall.
Welcome.
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In the hockey, Sweden lead Latvia 2-0 in the men’s qualifier match for a spot in the knockouts.
Germany get the full podium in the two-man bobsleigh
It’s a full house! Lochner and Fleischhauer finish it off, gold for themselves and a full deck for Germany. They don’t just hold their lead, they extend it with a fast final run of 54.91 seconds, almost half a second faster than their next few rivals. It’s comprehensive for that team, and comprehensive for the German program.
USA fourth, Romania and Switzerland the next couple in line, Italy, Latvia, Austria, France round out the top ten.
Friedrich and Schuller do their part with 55.33, the last three runs all clocking within two hundredths of a second of one another, and this pair hold onto a likely second spot.
Ammour and Schaller make no mistake, clocking 55.35, which is only one hundredth slower than the Americans, but their other three runs were faster. So they’re in top spot, the Germans, and can’t finish lower than third.
In the bob, a lot of bash ‘em crash ‘em on the USA’s run down the chute, but del Duca and Williamson still hang on to go to top spot. With only the three German pairs to go, the Americans are in position to pounce on a medal if something goes wrong.
Italy beat USA in the curling, and the curling crowd is going feral as they always do. Great Britain have gone down to Canada, and Sweden did indeed beat Norway. So here’s the state of play for the men’s team event.
Nine matches in the round robin, top four qualify for semis.
Switzerland lead and have qualified with seven wins and two to go. Canada have qualified with six wins.
Italy now jump up to third spot, Norway fourth, Great Britain fifth, and USA sixth, but all of them have four wins. Italy and Norway have two games in hand, USA and GB have one game in hand.
But Italy and Norway both have to play the top two sides, while GB and USA play each other.
So if Italy and Norway both lose both their remaining games, there are still chances for USA and GB to get through. Or if Italy or Norway lose one and win one, then the winner of GB-USA would depend on head-to-head results to go through.
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Not a good final run for GB in the bob, as Hall and Greenwood clip some sides, so they drop three spots in the end, and are on track to finish 12th unless one of the upcoming teams has a real mare.
A bit of movement in the early stages of the bob, with Chinese pair Li and Ye jumping a few spots, and the Swiss Follador and Rolli making ground, though all of these will finish well out of the medals as we go through the field.
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The final heat in the two-man bobsleigh has begun, with four runs completed out of 20. The last three spots, as in those with the fastest times across their first three runs, are all German pairs.
What’s up at the curling? Men’s round robin. The Swiss have qualified in top spot by beating Germany. The Germans might stay alive, though, if Norway lose to Sweden, which they’re currently on track to do by trailing 7-3, and then lose to Canada later, because if Germany and Norway are tied on points, Germany beat Norway earlier in the group stage and would go through on that basis.
The USA are trailing Italy, who could jump them into the top four, especially as Canada are leading Great Britain 7-5 at the moment.
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At the figure skating we’ve had 17 skaters so far in the women’s singles, and still nobody has passed Petrosian’s score from the second skate of the night. Another dozen to go.
Tormod Frostad snatches gold on the last jump
It is the biggest score of the night to close things out! Sit tuck, far left of the ramp as he takes off, nose butter, bio, 1620, and immaculate on the switch landing. There is a long wait with the three podium skiers at the bottom of the run. Forehand has one hand on gold, has held it for a couple of minutes, but then it changes possession. The score is 98.5 for Frostad, to follow 97 on his second jump and 95.25 on his first.
Forehand clocked two 95s and a 98.25, scores that would have got him gold almost anywhere, anytime, aside from tonight.
Then Svancer had a 91 and two 95s to take bronze, and he is absolutely delighted with it.
Norway, USA, Austria the podium, but seeing the composure and ambition from those final three skiers to do what they did when required, with no more chances… what a performance.
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Forehand is into gold! Forget silver! It’s a 98.25. Nose butter triple 21 with safety grab, perfect rotations, perfect landing. “Oh my god!” yells Forehand at the bottom of the run, hands on his head, and that’s before the score comes out. He knew it was good, but did he know it was that good?
Frostad has one more jump to snatch what was his gold back…
Three out of three jumps for Matej Svancer. Switch take off, switch landing, skis tightly together as he comes down, maybe missed the nose butter takeoff, the rotations were a 19…
and he’s scored a 96! Second biggest score of the night, and jumps from bronze to silver, unless Mac Forehand can take it back.
Three jumps to go. Who’s getting which medal?
No joy for New Zealand in the end, as Harrington stays upright on the landing but loses his form, one ski dragging sideways as he skews around. He knows that’ll scotch any chance of a big enough score, and has to settle for a 66. The 2025 world champs winner is done.
Troy Podmilsak nails a huge jump, three flips, 2160 rotation, scores a 94, and even that can only get him into fourth. It’s been a big night for the numbers.
The defending champ is out. Birk Ruud won gold in this event in 2022, and gold in the slopestyle this time around, but can’t land his third attempt tonight.
Seven jumps to go. Konnor Ralph lands the 21! Maybe for the first time in competition for him? That’s six full rotations! Wild. Lands it, maybe a little rough on touchdown, scores 91, which puts him fourth for now. “Aaaahhh,” he says as the leaderboard comes up, but it’s good natured, he’s beaming at having landed that one.
France’s night is done, Matias Roche losing his line and ending up way to the left of the course before skidding out on landing. Deschamps, the Canadian, gets massive distance, lands beyond the last blue line, but he bailed out of that jump halfway through. Missed his grab, gave up on the rotations and just concentrated on landing safely, knowing he wouldn’t get the points he wants after that error.
The lowest scorers so far will start the third round. Those who are out of the running to begin, who had a couple of falls. Nordqvist first, a nice double flip 900, just to land one and feel good about it. A double backflip for Sivignon, who smiles broadly as he waits for his score, then visits his supporters at the barrier.
Samnoey only had one fall, though even a perfect 100 wouldn’t get him onto the podium here. He goes for a huge trick, gets huge distance, and can’t quite stick the dismount.
Another huge finish to the round. The Austrian, Matej Svancer, is pumped with a 95.25 score after a 1980 rotation jump. Then Mac Forehand matches that rotation, matches the landing, scores slightly under with 95 flat, but with his first-round score it sneaks him past Svancer into second place. Svancer in the bronze spot ahead of the third jump.
Highest score of the comp for Frostad! He’s the lower profile of the Norwegians behind Birk Ruud, but maybe not for much longer. Huge amplitude, tail butter on takeoff, safety grab, the rotation is a 16, and he sticks the cleanest landing to rack up a 97 after a 95.25 first up. That is a very likely gold-medal position, even without the third round.
Ruud falls on his second jump.
Nice work from the other Frenchman, Matias Roche. Sit tuck down the slope to get speed up, nose butter take-off, and way out on the very furthest edge of the ramp, all the way out on the right, so much so that his skis clip the warning flag as he rotates into the air. Switch landing, sticks it, scores an 85 after a first-jump fall.
Harrington for NZ stacks his second landing, so he’ll need a big third to make the most of his big first score.
The third Norwegian, Samnoey, stays in the comp with a safe jump on his second, scoring an 84 to give him a fallback, but Sivignon is out, the Frenchman falling on landing.
Second jumps are on, Konnor Ralph and Martin Nordqvist both falling. Ralph clocked a solid score first run, so he’s still in with a chance, but Nordqvist did not, so he’s out of the running.
Podmilsak almost loses his trick on landing, he’s hanging over the back of his skis trying not to toboggan down the slope on his butt, and just stays up. Only scores a 73, in the circumstances.
Then Deschamps, the Canadian who snapped a ski on his first jump, gets a new set and tries the same trick again: left triple 1680 from a switch beginning, and he lands it clean as a whistle. Scores 91 on his second jump, that has him in contention if he can land his third.
Huge scores in this first round! Thought that Luca Harrington might be locked in up top after the first jumps, but he’s all the way down to fourth after the Norwegians both nail a big one after him, first Tormod Frostad and then Birk Ruud with a 95.25 and a 95 flat respectively, before Mac Forehand also lands a 95 for the USA.
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All the fresh snowfall must be making the ramp really fast. So many jumps already have ended way down the ramp, on or beyond the fifth marked line where normally you’d see skiers landing well within those.
The US in top two spots so far, Troy Podmilsak with a huge 90.5, that provides a big floor under his tilt for the podium from here.
We’ve got falls for Deschamps of Canada, Samnoey of Norway, and Roche of France, while the other French skier Timothe Sivignon misses his tail grab and loses a bunch of points there. He’s still third, until Luca Harrington goes a double grab on a switch right triple and scores 94! Goes to the top, the New Zealander.
The biggest of big air, Martin Nordqvist of Sweden gets way more distance than I think he was intending. Huge trick, left triple 19, gets the rotations but his landing is so far down the ramp that he’s got more distance to fall, and it messes up his ability to get back on the ground securely.
“That landing was absolutely monstrosserous,” says our commentator, which is inventive.
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The men’s freeski big air is go. Still snowing, but not too heavily, and we’ll get a start. Konnor Ralph for the USA lands a big score to start! A switch left triple 18 that nets 86+.
The GB men’s curlers really need a win over Canada today, their second-last match. They’re tied on points with the USA in the group, sitting fourth and fifth, and those teams will play each other last. Fourth spot will make a semi-final, fifth will be done. Italy or Germany could still jump either of those teams too, with a couple of wins and other results going their way.
There’s a weather delay on the men’s freeski big air, though it’s clear enough that some of the entrants are having practice jumps. They’ll review the start time 15 minutes after it was scheduled.
Heat 3 of the two-man bobsled is rattling along, with the Great Britain pair of Greenwood and Hall well back in the order. The three German teams are leading, but there are plenty of third races yet to be run. There will be four heats in total, and the times will be combined.
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Curlingpalooza has begun with another men’s round-robin session: Germany playing the Swiss, the USA against Italy, Canada and Great Britain, and Sweden versus Norway.
Don’t double touch, anyone!
Five entrants so far at the women’s figure skating, Viktoriia Safonova with a pleasant routine to start, and the 18-year-old Zhang Ruiyang scoring a 59.38 in a promising performance for the future. Adeliia Petrosian, the other neutral Russian skater, has the confidence to try something different, and a lot of sass in the routine as well as hitting a higher technical level than her teammate, although it is puzzling how celebratory work still gets made about Michael Jackson despite all we know about the other parts of his life – all of that gets brushed off so that people can enjoy movies, stage shows, and currently an Olympic skating routine reflecting his dress and his music. Petrosian lodges the first really big score of the round at 72.89.
Kristen Spours for Great Britain is fifth in the order, and puts down a strong performance but for an invalid element in the middle that drops her technical score, a costly miss as she comes in behind the others at 45.54.
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Czechia through to the quarter-finals after a frenzied final flurry from the Danes, forcing a couple of saves, another shot wide, as they kept smashing the puck into the thickets of players around goal. But disciplined defence from the Czechs meant that the shots were at longer range, and nothing found its way through. The Danish men’s team leave the tournament here.
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The Danish goalie is subbed out, with two minutes to go, leaving the goal empty so they can have six attackers versus five.
Five and a half minutes to go in the hockey, and Denmark keep pressing, but can’t make up that one-goal deficit yet. Still trailing 3-2.
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Figure skating is about to get going again, we’ll have the women’s singles program first round event, which is the short program. A big field today, 29 skaters of whom 24 will qualify for the second round, the free skating.
The winner of this match will play Canada in the quarters. Sweden and Latvia play off to face the USA. The other quarter-finals are already decided: Slovakia-Germany and Finland-Switzerland.
Hello all. No sooner do the Czechs score than the Danes bite back, making it 3-2 before the end of the second period. Denmark make use of a powerplay in its dying seconds, after barely getting near the Czech goal for the first minute and a half of it, but finally set up a perimeter, pass the puck around, and eventually find Nick Olesen on the right, who manages to hold possession with his back to goal like some hockey Mark Viduka before spinning and slipping a shot across the goalie and in.
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OK, my watch is over; here’s Geoff Lemon to coax you through the evening dig.
Look at that! “That” being the legendary Cervenka dashing down the left before leathering a glorious finish into the far top corner. Czechia lead Denmark 3-1 with 7.10 left in the second.
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Denmark don’t have parity for long, Czechia switching play from flank to flank, a cross then allowing Kampf a tap-in; they lead 2-1.
Ooooh, one-two from Denmark, puck behind the goal and returned to True, who knows this much: if he shoots hard, he’s a great chance of scoring and indeed he does, firing into the net for 1-1.
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Back with the hockey, Czechia have scored to lead Denmark 1-0; there’s 12.48 to go in the second.
Otherwise, the final of the men’s big air will be a lot of fun – let’s hope conditions permit it to take place – likewise runs three and four of the two-man bob.
That Canada v GB curling match is a huge one. Results went in GB’s favour this morning, USA and Germany both losing, but Canada are second, so will take some beating. USA, who GB face in their final group game, play Italy, also not out of contention, this evening.
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At this point, it’s time to look forward to what’s to come, so:
In the ice hockey, it’s 0-0 at half-time between Czechia and Denmark.
If I’m honest, I think they’re playing it a bit too quickly. It needs to linger and be savoured.
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Here comes the anthem…
The collars on the Italy jackets are ruuuuude.
With 2.20 to go in the first period, it’s goalless between Czechia and Denmark in the playoff to reach the last eight of the men’s ice hockey.
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It’s almost time. If you can, get TNT on for Il Canto degli Italiani.
To clean up the women’s curling, Switzerland beat Korea 7-5, while Canada saw off Sweden 8-6 and Italy bettered Japan by the same score.
With nine minutes to go in the first period it’s Czechia 0-0 Denmark, winners to get splattered by Canada in the quarter-finals.
OK, I’m moving away from the speed skating to the ice hockey – though of course I’ll keep it on in case the medal ceremony is shown. Not a chance we’re missing Il Canto degli Italiani, if it’s there for us to enjoy.
An absolutely monumental performance from Canada, biding their time before letting the Netherlands have it.
🥇Canada win gold in the women’s team pursuit speed skating
They retain their title, with the Netherlands taking silver and Japan having already secured bronze.
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Not enough! The lead is increased and 0.46 at the bell!
Oh my days, Canada lead by 0.10! What do Netherlands have left?
But Canada cut the lead to 0.63; are they coming back? Yes they are, 0.43 with three laps to go!
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Canada tend to come on strong at the end but Nerherlands look so strong, now 0.66 ahead, built to 0.75.
Off we go in the final, Netherlands away well and 0.28 up after half a lap.
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Japan take bronze in the women’s team pursuit; USA were never really in that race.
Japan lead by 0.68 at the lap, build it to 0.83, USA are running out of time … and we’re now at 1.50. If Japan stay upright, bronze will be theirs.
Off ee go in our women’s B final, Japan ahead by 0.66 early doors.
Starting in a minute we’ve another playoff for quarter-final presence in the men’s ice hockey: Czechia meet Denmark, the winners to get wasted by Canada.
We’re four minutes away from the women’s bronze-medal race, featuring USA v Japan, before Netherlands battle Canada for gold.
That was fantastic, the lead swapping back and forth before the hosts roared home from behind, carried on a wave of screaming spectators. The’ll never experience a moment like this as long as they live, and I’m already buzzing for the anthem. Siiiiiiiiiii!
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🥇Italy win gold in the men’s team pursuit speed skating
USA take silver, with China having already secured bronze.
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They are so gawn they’re posthumous! Italy lead by over a second at the bell! Italy are going to take gold in an epic!
With two to go, Italy take the lead! It’s going wild inside the arena, and this is so, so intense, and are USA gawn?
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Italy cut the lead to 0.48, then to 0.24! Three laps to go!
USA have never won this event before, and they’re increasing their lead! It’s 0.65 with four laps to go, and do Italy have a comeback in them?
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And Italy respond well, up 0.01, and this is going to be something! USA split up … but they now lead by 0.30, and
Off they go, the Americans quicker, and they’re quickly into formation, the lead 0.02.
It’s USA v Italy up next, and our teams are ready. Can the home favourites bring it home for papà?
Just! A massive shock as China finish 0.09 in front, having celebrated a moment that almost didn’t exist for them; they came within an ace of tossing the bronze, but got there with a lesson learned and a medal in the pocket.
China split up, Netherlands turn it up, and they’re closing! China think the medal is theirs, but is it?
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It seems China took it easy in the semi, knowing they didn’t have two huge races in them, conserving to get a bronze. Netherlands are so far out of this it’s ridiculous, the lead 1.51 with a lap to go.
It’s still China, still extending their lead, now up to 1.62 with four laps to go. Netherlands have a problem – they’ve barely contested this race and, in the time it takes me to type that, the lead increases to 1.96. This is over.
China are away the better, nicely ensconced in elephant formation; Netherlands are 1.11 down with six laps to go, not easily retrievable.
Our teams are ready to go for bronze. Netherlands have better helmets, and off they go!
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We’re five minutes away from the B final in the men’s pursuit – that’s Netherlands v China – before USA take on Italy in the men’s. That should be a nice, quiet night in at the library. NOT! I don’t think!
In the women’s curling, USA have rousted Denmark 10-3, while Switzerland, a spot behind them in third, lead fourth-placed Korea 5-4.
This is my favourite of today’s selection.
I look forward to these.
And, in the meantime, there’s women’s curling, our latest scores as follows:
Korea 3-5 Switzerland
Italy 5-4 Japan
Sweden 4-4 Canada
Denmark 3-6 USA
Coming up next: at 3.22 and 3.28, we’ve the bronze and gold-medal races in the men’s team pursuit speed skating, with the women’s to follow at 3.41 and 3.47.
Phew, what a race that was. The combination of cardio, skill and precision is a brilliant way of causing people stress, which makes for great viewing.
Perrot collapses, I’m not sure whether with exhaustion or emotion. Martials surround him, he lies flat, and he’s what I once heard described as “good-tired”. Well done him.
🥇France win their first-ever gold medal in the men's biathlon relay!
Norway take silver, with Sweden claiming bronze.
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Perrot digs deep and forces his way towards the line. He’s bringing France home for their first ever biathlon gold!
It’s a great event, this, an epic contest with so much scope for stuff to go wrong. But it looks like Perrot’s first round of shooting will make the difference here.
Perrot extends France’s lead and, for the first time, it feels like he’s broken the back of this. History has its eyes on him.
Christiansen took 10 seconds out of Perrot at the shooting, but he’s got so much work to do; Perrot is, we’re advised the World Cup leader, and puts in a monstrous shift up a hill that takes him closer to gold. The gap is down to 7.7, but if this is to be a contest, it needs to come down far more savagely and far more quickly.
Perrot, gold medalist in the mixed relay and sliver medalist in the individual, ploughs on and arrives at the shooting. He hits twice, he misses, he misses again, then hits and off he goes, but Christiansen whumps five from five, and the chase is on; he’s 8.5 behind…
Oooh, Perrot is now 15 seconds clear of Norway, with Sweden 22 or so behind that; if he nails his shooting, he wins, it’s that simple – though of course it’s not remotely simple at all.
Perrot must just have secured his team gold with that deadeye display of superhuman behaviour. France have never won this event but lead by around nine seconds, while Sweden are a further five behind, I reckon; I’llconfirm when we get the splits.
They lie, and Perrot is there first! He’s five from five and off he goes; Christiansen has to reload and is behind, likewise Samuelsson, who’s a brilliant skier but leaves himself a lot of work to do.
Samuelsson leads for Norway, but behind him Perrot of France, who already has a silver and gold at these Games, is looking strong. But as I type, Christiansen of Norway, who took silver in the sprint, forges in front, and the pressure on the shooting, coming up in a second, will be monumental. Here we go!
France pass Norway as they near the stadium and the pair have caught Sweden! It’s all set for a final-leg barnburner, and they tag in the anchor, France now leading from Sweden from Norway.
But here comes Ponsiluoma! I wondered if he was tired from the individual events, so didn’t have anything to come back at Laegried, except here he now is, roaring up a hill to leave the other two spluttering in the powder.
What a nuts event this is, flog yourself to freezing exhaustion, then try and calm your breathing to shoot accurately, with frozen hands. As I type, Laegried, seeking a fourth medal of the Games, passes Ponsiluoma, and the three leaders are way ahead of the rest but extremely close to one another.
Fillon Maillet arrives at the shooting and misses the fourth of his five shots … and, in the meantime, Ponsiluoma of Sweden, winner of the individual pursuit, and Laegried, nail five out of five. So now it’s Sweden who lead, by 0.2 from Norway, with France a further 1.7 behind. This is going to be a serious finish.
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Laegried shoots clean and he’s closing the gap on Fillon Mailltet of France, who leads by 6.5s … but no, he’s extended it to 9.6s. There is, though, a long way to go,
We’re now on to the third legs, Laegrid of Norway the bloke who made himself famous not for a medal but for an indiscretion.
Surely a coincidence…
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We’re halfway in the biathlon, Jacquelin leading for France, as we learn that Botn of Norway is famous for getting gozz on his coupon. There’s no zoom to show us, but with that kind of rep to protect, we can assume.
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In the women’s curling, Sweden, currently 6-0, are 3-1 down to Canada, who are fifth just outside the qualification spots, while USA, second lead Denmark 3-2. Switzerland, third, are level with South Korea at 3-3, with Italy 4-1 up on Japan.
Thanks Yara and hi again everyone. It’s France leading in the biathlon, but there’s still a way to go.
That is all from me today. Daniel Harris is back to take you through the rest of the afternoon.
Biathlon: France back in the lead! Émilien Jacquelin has had an incredible leg so far and has made up for his teammate’s struggles in the first leg.
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Biathlon: Norway just about avoid disaster (aka a penatly loop) but they find themselves behind again. Germany back in front after another perfect visit to the range.
Skiing: Lindsey Vonn is back home in the US to continue treatment after she broke her leg during the downhill.
“Haven’t stood on my feet in over a week… been in a hospital bed immobile since my race. And although I’m not yet able to stand, being back on home soil feels amazing,” Vonn posted on X with an American flag emoji. “Huge thank you to everyone in Italy for taking good care of me.”
The 41-year-old suffered a complex tibia fracture after she crashed early in her downhill run on 8 February. She was initially treated in hospital in Italy and underwent several surgeries on her injured leg. She has said she will need further surgery in the US.
Read the full story below.
Biathlon: We are at the first exchange, where athletes tap their teammate going second in the race. The French, who were favourites to medal, are in 13th, 50sec off the pace, after a disappointing run from Fabien Claude.
Biathlon: Norway are back in front with Uldal. Sweden and Germany in second and third. France had to do a penalty lap after a poor showing at the shooting range.
Speed skating: The men’s team pursuit finals have been set. Italy beat the Netherlands by 1.78sec while the US were well ahead of China, racing into the gold medal race with 7.93sec to spare. The Americans were targetting an Olympic record there but their coach told them to slow down and save energy for the final.
Biathlon: Amazing from Germany’s Justus Strelow who is perfect at the range and is first to go off skiing. As he takes off, the big cohort of German fans cheer him on. Martin Udal of Norway had to reload twice and finds himself about 13sec behind in 10th.
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Biathlon: The men’s 4 x 7.5km relay has begun. Racers will ski three laps and then tag their teammate. After two laps, each racer will stop at the shooting range. If you are lapped, you are eliminated.
Ice hockey: The buzzer goes in both games. Switzerland will play Finland after beating Italy 3-0 while Germany book a quarter-final match with Slovakia after beating France 5-1. Later today, Czech Republic will face Denmark, the winner takes on Canada while the United States will meet either Sweden or Latvia.
Bobsleigh: The American bobsleigher Elana Meyers Taylor finally struck Olympic gold at the age of 41 yesterday after taking the monobob title ahead of Germany’s Laura Nolte and her fellow American Kaillie Armbruster Humphries.
Meyers Taylor was overjoyed after ending her long wait for gold, having until now accumulated three silvers and two bronze medals collectively in monobob and two-woman bobsleigh over four previous Olympics, starting at the 2010 Vancouver Games.
But the run-up to Monday’s cathartic gold had been the most difficult stretch of all. She didn’t reach the podium once in the World Cup season leading into her fifth Olympics, pushing through injuries, chronic pain, self-doubt, a horrific crash last month in St Moritz, and the logistics of raising two young sons who travel the mostly European circuit with her and a nanny: Nico, five, who is deaf and has Down’s syndrome, and Noah, three, who is also deaf.
The most challenging part of this Olympic cycle, she said, was rarely the sliding itself but the day-to-day balancing act of raising her sons while maintaining an elite career. That reality was made possible only by an unusually hands-on support network that stretched from coaching staff to federation officials to family including her husband, the former US bobsledder Nic Taylor, who works full-time back home and sometimes went six months at a time without seeing their boys.
Read more from Bryan Armen Graham in Milan.
Ice hockey: Goals in both games! Germany’s Joshua Samanski takes advantage of a power play and scores his side’s fourth against France. Nico Hischier gives Switzerland their third against Italy.
🥇 Oftebro wins gold for Norway in nordic combined large hill/10km
The first gold medal of the day goes to Jens Lurås Oftebro and the Norwegian becomes a double Olympic champion at Milano Cortina, finishing with a time of 24:45.0. Austria’s Johannes Lamparter takes silver – his second of these Games – and Finland’s Ilkka Herola almost collapses as he wins bronze.
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Nordic combined: Incredible! Herola has somehow crept in front … no wait, now it is Oftebro. These top three are interchanging positions seconds after each other with Skoglund a bit too far back now to contend for a medal.
Nordic combined: Lamparter is still in front at the halfway point of the 10km race, but his compatriots Jens Lurås Oftebro and Andreas Skoglund, and Finland’s Ilkka Herola are slowly creeping up behind him. Two more laps to go.
Nordic combined: Yamamoto, who is not the strongest cross-country skiier, has already been pipped by Lamparter, who won silver in the normal hill event at these Games.
Nordic combined: Unlike Livigno, the weather in Cortina has been OK for sporting action to continue. We are about to begin the second part of the nordic combined large hill/10km. Earlier this morning in the ski jumping portion, Japan’s Yamamoto Ryota took the lead over Austria’s Johannes Lamparter.
Now for the cross-country portion: Ryota holds an eight-second advantage over Lamparter at the start.
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Ice hockey: Italy’s Damian Clara is keeping his side in this game against Switzerland. The goalkeeper has made 30 saves so far. Philipp Kurashev and Daniel Mantenuto are penalised for roughing after the pair get in each other’s face. The second period buzzer goes.
Here are some pictures of the heavy snowfall that has led to event delays in Livigno:
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Ice hockey: Italy are down 2-0 against Switzerland in the men’s play-off but they have a power play (an extra player on the ice) after Simon Knack was penalised for cross checking (obstructing the opponent illegally with the hockey stick held horizontally in both hands).
Thanks Daniel and hello all. If you are just joining us the heavy snow has scrambled the schedule for the events in Livigno as organisers postponed the women’s snowboard slopestyle medal event and reworked the start times for freestyle skiing aerials.
Officials decided it was too dangerous to start the qualifying round for women’s aerials this morning under a steady snowfall, which could limit visibility and impact speed on the steep jump at the Livigno Aerials and Moguls Park. They rescheduled the event for the afternoon as workers used shovels to keep the buildup of snow on the course to a minimum.
Competitors in the women’s aerials qualifying had completed practice rounds just before organisers postponed the event’s start. Moving the women’s aerials forced a postponement in the men’s qualifying round that had been set for the afternoon. A new date and time for the men’s event has not yet been announced. Across town, organisers cancelled the women’s slopestyle final scheduled for the afternoon and said they would move it to another day.
Righto, it’s time for me to take a break, so here’s Yara to hang with you for the next bit.
Our teams are back out for the second period of their quarter-final eliminators.
End of period one in both hockey matches. Switzerland lead Italy 2-0 and Germany lead France 3-0; the winners will face Finland and Slovakia respectively.
It’s going to be a long afternoon for France, Peterka rounding Junca to put Germany 3-0 up with a minute and change to go in the first.
This is really nice.
A long-range punt from Josi, an NHL all-star … and Switzerland lead Italy 2-0. Bradley, though, s back on the ice.
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Why are Germany playing in yellow? I mean, I know it’s in their flag, but I’ve always associated them with white home kit and green change.
Germany score again, Tiffels intercepting and firing inside the near post. They lead France 2-0 with nine minutes remaining in the first.
I mentioned this last week, but the Netflix doc on the miracle on ice, the story of USA’s gold-medal win at Lake Placid in 1980, is enjoyable. Its cold-war analysis is basic and parochial, to say the least, but the personal stories of the lads involved are really moving.
And now Switzerland score, leading Italy 1-0. The winners of this match face Finland, who beat the latter 11-0 in the group, while Germany or France will meet Slovakia, who themselves whacked Finland 4-1.
Oh man, Bradley of Italy flies into the barrier, just 20 seconds in, and that looked a low-quality laugh. He goes off, while Germany already lead France 1-0.
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We’re about ready for hockey. But here’s something I just read and enjoyed – not directly to do with Winter Olympics but at the same time relevant to all sport – that you might too.
Still a banger of a coat.
And puts one in mind of this.
Women's snowboard slopestyle postponed by snow
Ach, the women’s slopestyle final has been postponed.
Heavy snow scrambled the Winter Olympics schedule in Livigno on Tuesday as organisers cancelled the women’s snowboard slopestyle medal event and delayed the start of the qualifying round in freestyle skiing aerials.
Aerials was placed on hold as officials monitored the weather to see if the snow would clear enough to begin the event later in the day. Workers used shovels to try to clear the steep jump that skiers were preparing to ride down at the Livigno Aerials and Moguls Park. Temperatures hovered at a chilly -6 Celsius.
Across town, organisers cancelled the women’s slopestyle competition scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at the Livigno Snow Park and said they would move it to another day.
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As such, we’ve a 20-minute hiatus, then it’s Germany v France and Switzerland v Italy in the men’s ice hockey quarter-final qualification matches.
Checking back in with the women’s aerials, I’m afraid we’ve been deferred by another 45 minutes – at least. There’ll be no action until midday at the earliest.
Men’s curling standings:
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…and it too is there! Czechia beat Germany 9-7, recording their first win of the competition, meaning defending champions Sweden are now bottom of the pool.
…and it’s there, a beauty! China beat USA 8-5, moving GB up to fourth, while Czechia will shortly seek to to see off Germany. But controversy! I think one of the players might’ve touched a stone when measuring a potential shot … no, it’s agreed nothing changed. So here comes the final effort of the match, Czechia to win it…
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Meantime, China have a shot to beat USA, the last of the match, with the score currently 5-5. Here it comes….
Germany are running out of time as their skip lets one go … and he overcurls, offering Czechia, who have the hammer, a chance at two with their final rock. Here comes their penultimate one and it’s a goodun; I’m not sure how Germany get out of this, as there are three reds tiles in the house.
I think it’s much the same as with NZ (who garnered the southern hemisphere’s first medal in 1992, then nothing more until 2014 after which multiple medals each time),” reckons Ben Barnards, “in that new sports have come in which both countries are prominent players – snowboarding, ski cross, both big air variations etc. Neither have suddenly starting competing in biathlon, ice hockey or ski jumping, but these ‘wacky’ new sporting disciplines are ones in which each are recreationally and later competitively active.”
Yes, that makes sense – people doing stuff for fun, then getting good at it.
But it’s Czechia with a stone on the button, guarded by two others, and Germany have a shot to knock it away … and it looks good, but will it be good enough for two? It certainly will, taking one off, just far enough while also leaving one on, and they lead 7-6 going into the 10th.
It’s all going on. USA have shot for three … and it’s there. They’re level at 5-5 with China after nine, while Germany are well placed to do likewise, at 6-6, with Czechia.
On Australia, of course funding has lots to do with it, but also wonder if, culturally, an outdoorsy lifestyle, competitive bent and penchant for adrenaline are also part of it. It’s certainly a turn of events I don’t find at all surprising.
No way! Czechia now lead Germany 6-5 playing the ninth, and this could be disastrous for their hopes of reaching the last four.
News from the aerials: there’ll be no start before 11.15am. People are sweeping snurr and so on, but it’s still coming down heavily, so who even knows when we’ll get action.
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It’s getting tight in the curling! Czechia have made it 5-5 against Germany, playing the eighth, and at the same stage, it’s still USA 2-2 China. We might just be getting ourselves some extra ends and I’m sure GB’s men will be watching; they’ll want Czechia and China to win and, as I type, an error from USA gives the latter a three-pointer. Moving into the ninth, they lead 5-2.
I can only imagine how this lad felt.
He might want to call Coco Gauff.
Earlier, we mentioned the absence of a women’s Nordic event.
What a coat.
Email! “My six-year-old daughter really got into the figure skating,” says Kári Tulinius, “and we watched the pairs final this morning, as it had been too late for her last night. I had managed to avoid the results, so was legitimately shocked by Miura and Kihara’s win. It’s not often that reality resembles a sports movie, but there’s absolutely nothing that has to change for the film version. Coming behind from fifth, setting a world record, and breaking down in shock at the end. I can’t remember many such absurdly cinematic stories at the Olympics. My daughter and I had an absolute blast watching it.”
Lovely stuff and agreed, a great, great Olympic moment.
Yeah, Sweden closed the gap, but in no time at all they’re shaking hands and out of the competition, clattered 9-4; the Swiss are on a roll.
Otherwise, we’ve ice hockey at 11.10, Germany taking on France and Italy facing Switzerland for a place in the quarters of the men’s competition, then it’s the women’s snowboard slopestyle final at midday.
BBC have taken us to the curling pending weather improving for the aerials, and champs Sweden are back in it against league-leaders Switzerland, closing from 1-6 to 4-6.
The difference between aerials and big air – we’re told! – is that the spins are on axis, with more traditional tricks performed like in gymnastics and diving.
Back with the curling, China have equalised and are now tied 2-2 with USA playing the seventh end. And moving outside as promised, for the women’s aerials, it’s snowing pretty heavily and also windy, not what you need when you’re 60 feet in the air, and the competition has been delayed on that basis – but the telly reckon we’ll be away soon.
Lamparter of Austria insinuates himself into second in the Nordic, landing a jump of 136.0; he goes second behind Yamamoto, who leads going into the cross-country portion.
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Sweden, defending champs in the men’s curling, are down 6-1 to Switzerland, who are cleansing everyone; Germany lead bottom-placed Czechia 4-2, while it’s still USA 2-1 China playing the sixth.
At 9.45, we’ve got the quallies for women’s aerials, which I think I’ll move to. But in the meantime, Skoglund of Norway jumps 132, which takes him second on 146.1, with Ilves of Estonia landing a 137er to go third on 144.0.
Goodness me, Yamamoto of Japan rinses a jump of 136.5. He now leads on 150.0.
Heinis of France is in the air, it feels hein just looking at him, and he jumps 129, giving him 133.8 points; he moves above Karhumaa and into the lead.
I’ve also got the curling on and, if you’ll excuse my parochialism, I’m not watching pool leaders Switzerland monstering defending champions Sweden, rather USA v China, for reasons of relevance to GB. The Americans now lead 2-1 playing the fifth.
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Currently, Karhumaa of Finland leads with 129.5; Yachi of Japan is second with 129.3, Vrhovnik of Slovenia third with 121.9.
Nordic combined is the only event which is men only. The rationale, I believe, is that there’s low participation, lack of viewing interest and competitors coming from a narrow range of countries, but looking at the list, I’m seeing Finland, Japan, China, France, Slovenia, Poland, Ukraine, Estonia, Kazakhstan, USA, Italy, Czechia, Germany, Norway and Austria, so.
BBC are showing us yesterday’s action, so I’m on TNT for the Nordic combined – this is the large hill ski jump bit. And, because they’re using the Gundersen method, all but the winner will have time penalties in the cross-country bit.
In as far as all this relates to GB men, they could do with USA failing to beat China – and Germany failing to beat Czechia, but that looks unlikely.
Now, with that in mind:
Czechia 1-3 Germany, playing the fifth
USA 1-1 China, playing the fourth
Switzerland 4-1 Sweden, playing the fifth
Let’s start with some curling latest…
Preamble
Buongiorno a tutti e benvenuti alle Olimpiadi invernali 2026 – undicesimo giorno!
Rio Ferdinand once said he didn’t feel right in the morning until he’d done a rondo, and we’re getting to that point with curling – which is just as well, given that’s how we open today, and there’s more to come mid-morning.
In between times, we’ve got men’s large hill ski jumping as part of the Nordic combined along with women’s aerials, then Germany play France and Switzerland take on Italy for a spot in the men’s ice hockey quarter-finals.
But the centrepiece of our early activity comes at high noon, with the final of the women’s snowboard slopestyle. Mia Brookes didn’t qualify, but Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, New Zealand’s reigning champion, absolutely did, likewise Melissa Peperkamp of the Netherlands; they’ll take some beating.
Into the afternoon, we’ve the quallies of the men’s aerials, medals to be handed out in the men’s large hill 10km cross-country and 4x7.5km biathlon relay, then a whole world of speed skating, building to the men and women’s team pursuit final around teatime.
There’s a short break thereafter, which we’ll use to reflect om what we’ve seen and prepare for what’s to come, then it’s into women’s singles figure skating and run three of the men’s two-man bob, German driver Francesco Friedrich going for a record fifth gold. Currently, though, he sits second behind his teammate, Johannes Lochner.
Next, a must-win match in the curling, with Great Britain facing Canada, after which we’ve the final of the men’s big air and the conclusion of that two-man bob.
Esattamente! Andiamo!
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