Milano-Cortina Day 7: British History and Kazakh Miracles
Milano-Cortina Day 8: British History and Kazakh Miracles
Friday the 13th may be synonymous with misfortune, but for the athletes in Milano-Cortina, it was a day of legendary breakthroughs and raw, unscripted drama across every venue. From the grueling lung-burn of the cross-country trails to the high-stakes pressure of the ice arenas, the eighth day of competition delivered a masterclass in athletic resilience. As established favorites faltered under the immense weight of the Olympic stage, a new generation of champions emerged to seize their moment, ensuring this day would be remembered as a definitive turning point in the race for medal table supremacy.
Cross-Country
Johannes Høsflot Klæbo marched on in his quest for six gold medals out of six events, with his third gold medal of these games as he took the men's 10km freestyle, but he was pushed very close by both Mathis Desloges and Einar Hedegart who took silver and bronze, respectively, finishing 4.9 and 14. Hedegart, in particular, looked through most of the race as if he would be the one to dethrone Klæbo as he was ahead of Klæbo all the way from start through 9km, but faded really badly in the final km to lose 15 seconds and ultimately lose out on gold and silver. Great Britain's Andrew Musgrave was superb, setting a new British record for highest placement in cross-country skiing as he finished sixth, only 16 seconds off the podium in his fifth olympics adn with fellow Brit Joe Davies in 12th its not fair that they have been denyed a chance to compete in the team relay as they had a real shot at competing for the bronze medal. The other Norwegians of Amundsen and Nyenget finished in fourth and fifth and will be disappointed to miss the medals.
Biathlon
Quentin Fillon-Maillet upgraded his silver from Beijing to Gold in Milano-Cortina as he surged to take the men's sprint crown by 13.7 seconds from the Norwegian duo of Vetle Sjaastad Christensen and Sturla Holm Laegreid, who both skied brilliantly well to back up their shooting form to take a medal. Fillon-Maillet was ridiculous on the skis and in the shooting, not missing a target and skiing faster than almost everyone to never give anyone a chance to beat him. His teammate Emilien Jacquelin led after the second shoot thanks to an unbelievable 16.8-second-shoot in the standing position, but in classic Jacquelin fashion, he faded on the skis in the last lap to go from first to fourth, missing a medal by just 0.2 seconds. Sebastian Samuelsson performed well but skied too slowly on the first two laps to contend for this event, but he is in touch for a medal in the pursuit on Sunday. Botn, Perrot and Giacomel will all be bitterly disappointed in finishing 8th, 9th and 22nd respectively, despite being the three favourites coming in and now all at least 58 seconds back will struggle to medal in the pursuit on Sunday. Special shoutout to Olli Hiidensalo, who backed up his 4th place in the individual with 11th in this one, and he has hit 40 out of 40 targets so far in these games, the only athlete who can say that.
Snowboarding
Men's Halfpipe:
One of the blue ribbon events of the Winter Games saw an absolutely ridiculous competition where seven men scored over 86.5 with heights over 6 metres, and the first ever 1620 in a halfpipe ended up down in ninth. The level was just ridiculous out of this absolute mess at the top of the leaderboard, where about seven men could have won it, was Yuto Totsuka, who claimed the Gold with a score of 95, but it wasnt without controversy, as many will think Scotty James should have scored higher with his second run score 93.50 but will ultimately have to settle for silver with the Ryusei Yamada taking the bronze Ruka Hirano despite scoring 90 in all three runs could only finish fourth on 91. This will go down as probably the greatest halfpipe final ever. Just look at Valention Guseli down in fifth, despite clearing 6m out of the pipe, which is pretty much unheard of; there were at least two never-seen-before tricks done, neither of which medalled. Quite frankly, this was the best final of the Olympics so far. Unbelievable.
Women's snowboard cross:
Australia's Josie Baff took the Gold despite qualifying as 17th fastest. Baff and former Olympic bronze medallist from 2018, Eva Adamczykova, came through all the rounds together, finishing first and second in the 1/8, 1/4, semis and finals to take the gold and silver, with home favourite Michela Moioli taking the bronze ahead of Switzerland's Noemie Wiedmer. Lots of favourites exited in the early rounds with former world champion Charlotte Bankes and Beijing silver medalist Chloe Trespeuch exiting in the quarter finals, and the other two French contenders alongside Trespeuch, 2018 silver medallist Julia Nirani-Pereira and last seasons crystal globe winner Lea Casta, exiting before the final, marking a terrible snowboard cross event for the French team as they got no medals in either the men's or women's event
Speed skating
The Men's 10,000m is the longest race in the speed skating program, with over 12 and a half minutes of pure torture. The elite men can push thoughts about the pain and the building lactic acid to the back of their brains as the pain increases. It was Metodej Jilek of Czechia who managed this the best, despite only being 1,9 seeing him win by a margin of 5.65 seconds, despite a slower start, due to his consistent laps in the 29s, allowing him to slowly gain from the halfway point, showing just how well he managed his pace throughout. There were surprises on the rest of the podium with fellow youngster Valdimir Semirunniy taking silver and Dutch veteran Jorrit Bergsma, who at 40 is nearly the same age as gold and silver combined, took bronze, making him a four time olympic medalist, adding to his gold, silver and bronze from Sochi and PyeongChang across 5000 and 10000m. The pre-event favourite and 5000m champion from these games, Sander Eitrem, had to settle for 7th after fading badly late, and it was a similar story for the world record holder and home favourite Davide Ghiotto, who paced it well but was never on medal pace and finished down in sixth.
Figure skating
The men's singles figure skating delivered a major shock as Mikhail Shaidorov secured Kazakhstan’s first-ever Olympic figure skating gold medal with a breathtaking free skate that capitalized on the total collapse of the favorites. Shaidorov, sitting fifth after the short program, delivered a technical masterclass featuring five quadruple jumps to surge to the top of the podium with a total score of 291.58. The night was defined by the stunning fall of American world champion Ilia Malinin, who entered the final as the heavy favorite but dropped to eighth place after a disastrous routine plagued by multiple falls. Japan rounded out the podium with Yuma Kagiyama claiming his second consecutive Olympic silver and Shun Sato moving up from ninth to snatch the bronze, but the story remained Shaidorov’s emotional victory, which marks the highest achievement for Kazakh skating since the late Denis Ten’s bronze in 2014.
Skeleton
The women's skeleton runs one and two left Austria's Janine Flock ahead of a flock of Germans, with Susanne Freher, Jacqueline Pfeifer, and Hannah Neise in 2nd, 3rd and 4th, respectively, quickly followed by the British duo of Tabitha Stoecker and Freya Tarbit. The top three are very tight, with only 0.13 between first, second and third, making this anyone's game, and if they slip up, Neise, Stoecker, Tarbit and Dan Zhao are lurking not too far away if an error occurs from the top three.
Curling
Men's morning session:
Italy 9-7 Great Britain: Joel Retornaz and his Italian rink sent the home crowd into a frenzy with a massive victory over the tournament favourites. The game turned on a shocking opening end where Bruce Mouat missed a difficult double-takeout, allowing Italy to steal a massive 4 points. Though Great Britain displayed incredible resilience to fight back and level the score at 7-7 in the ninth, Retornaz remained unflappable. With the hammer in the tenth, he executed a perfect draw to score two and keep Italy undefeated.
Canada 6-3 USA: Brad Jacobs led Canada to a methodical win over Daniel Casper’s American squad in a defensive masterclass. Canada took an early lead and neutralised every American attempt to build an end by playing a clean, high-percentage hitting game. The U.S. struggled to find their draw weight on the swingy Cortina ice, and by the tenth end, they found themselves out of options and stones, eventually shaking hands to give Canada their second win.
Switzerland 7-3 Czechia: Yannick Schwaller’s Swiss rink proved why they are top-tier contenders with a clinical performance against Lukáš Klíma’s Czech team. After a tight first half characterised by tactical manoeuvring, Switzerland broke the game open in the sixth end with a brilliant deuce followed by a steal in the seventh. The Czechs couldn't find a way past the Swiss guards and were forced into low-percentage shots that didn't pay off, leading to an early conclusion after nine ends.
Norway 8-6 China: Magnus Ramsfjell’s Norwegian team secured a vital first win of the round robin in a back-and-forth thriller against Xu Xiaoming. The match was highlighted by a controversial measurement in the second end that resulted in a steal of two for China. Norway didn't let the frustration affect them, slowly reclaiming control in the middle ends. A decisive three-pointer in the eighth end gave Norway the lead they needed to fend off a late Chinese charge and finalise the 8-6 scoreline.
Women's afternoon session:
Sweden 6-5 Denmark: Sweden survived their toughest test yet to remain a perfect 3-0. The match was defined by a tactical masterclass from Anna Hasselborg, who executed a precise tap-back in the eighth end to regain the lead. Denmark fought back in the ninth, but Sweden utilised a phenomenal triple-peel from Sofia Mabergs in the tenth to keep the house clean. With the hammer, Hasselborg played a simple hit-and-stay to secure the single point and the win.
South Korea 9-3 Great Britain: South Korea dominated the second half of this match to leave the defending champions winless. While Great Britain held their own early, the game broke open in the sixth end when Kim Eun-ji delivered a high-pressure draw through a narrow port to sit three. A subsequent missed double-takeout by Rebecca Morrison resulted in another steal for the Koreans, who effectively ended the contest by the eighth end.
USA 9-8 Canada: In the biggest upset of the tournament so far, USA claimed their first-ever Olympic victory over their northern rivals.
Switzerland 6-3 China: Switzerland maintained their co-leader status with a clinical, error-free performance. The turning point came in the seventh end when Alina Pätz made a clutch freeze that forced China into a difficult raise attempt that missed. The Swiss followed up with a decisive two in the eighth, using their technical consistency to run China out of options in the final frame.
Men's evening session:
Germany 6-5 Italy (EE): The host nation’s perfect start came to a heartbreaking end in an extra-end thriller. Italy seemed poised to move to 3-0, but the momentum shifted in the tenth end when Joel Retornaz uncharacteristically missed his penultimate draw, leaving it just short of the house. German skip Marc Muskatewitz pounced on the error, clearing the Italian shot rock to force an extra end. With the hammer in the eleventh, Germany navigated a crowded house with clinical precision, culminating in a pinpoint hit-and-roll by Muskatewitz for the winning point, silencing the home crowd.
Canada 8-6 Sweden: In a feisty rematch of the Sochi 2014 final, Brad Jacobs kept Canada unbeaten by inflicting a devastating third straight loss on the defending champions. The match turned in the eighth end; staring at a house where Canada lay three, Niklas Edin attempted a high-risk triple takeout to save the game but caught the angle thin, leaving all three Canadian counters in place. Jacobs calmly drew for a massive score of four to take control. Despite a Swedish deuce in the ninth, Canada played a clean tenth end, with Jacobs executing a final draw to secure the win and leave Edin’s rink at a shocking 0-3.
Switzerland 9-7 China: Yannick Schwaller’s Swiss rink survived a high-scoring scare to remain tied at the top of the standings. After a tight opening, Switzerland looked to have broken the game open with a series of deuces, but Xu Xiaoming led a resilient Chinese fightback to keep the pressure on until the final stones. The Swiss experience proved decisive in the tenth end; with China sitting two and threatening an upset, Benoit Schwarz-van Berkel delivered a perfectly weighted draw to the button, securing the victory and moving Switzerland to 3-0.
Norway 7-4 Czechia: Magnus Ramsfjell led Norway to their second win of the day, utilising a defensive strategy that frustrated the Czech squad for ten ends. The game was won in the middle frames, where Norway manufactured a series of steals as Lukas Klima struggled to find the correct weight on the swingy Cortina ice. By the ninth end, the Czechs were forced into low-percentage raises that failed to pay off, allowing Norway to coast through the final end and level their tournament record at 2-1.
Ice Hockey
USA 6-0 Italy: The Americans clinical march toward the gold medal continued as they dismantled the host nation in front of a spirited Milan crowd. Italy managed to hang tough through a gritty first period, trailing only 1-0 after a Megan Keller goal, but the floodgates opened in the second frame. Kendall Coyne Schofield netted two goals in quick succession, while Laila Edwards, Britta Curl, and Hannah Bilka added tallies to complete the rout. The U.S. defense was impenetrable, allowing just six shots on goal as they secured their fourth consecutive shutout of the tournament and booked a semi-final date with Sweden.
Sweden 2-0 Czechia: In the day's true upset, Sweden reached their first Olympic semi-final in twelve years by blanking a highly-rated Czech side. The game was a goaltending masterclass from Ebba Svensson Träff, who turned aside all 29 shots she faced to keep the Swedish dream alive. After a scoreless opening period, Hanna Olsson broke the deadlock on a second-period power play. The Czechs threw everything at the Swedish net in the final minutes but couldn't find a way through, and teenage star Hilda Svensson sealed the victory with an empty-netter with 25 seconds remaining.
Men's preliminary round:
Canada 5-1 Switzerland: Team Canada flexed its muscles at the Santagiulia Arena, securing Group A with a game that was as much about high-speed skill as it was a physical grind. The newly formed attack of Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and 19-year-old Macklin Celebrini combined for eight points, with McDavid netting his first-ever Olympic goal on an early power play. Sidney Crosby added to the tally in the third, bringing him within two points of Jarome Iginla's Olympic record for NHL players. However, the mood turned somber late in the game when Swiss star Kevin Fiala suffered a lower-leg injury following a collision with Tom Wilson; he was stretchered off the ice and has since been ruled out for the remainder of the tournament.
Finland 4-1 Sweden: In the latest chapter of one of hockey's fiercest rivalries, Finland returned to its defensive identity to stifle a high-flying Swedish squad. After Sweden’s dominant opening win against Italy, they were frustrated by a disciplined Finnish neutral-zone trap and the elite goaltending of Juuse Saros, who made 34 saves. Anton Lundell and Mikko Rantanen led the scoring for the Finns, while Rasmus Dahlin provided the only response for a Swedish side that struggled to find space. The result muddies Group B, leaving both nations at 1-1 and chasing the undefeated Slovakians.
Slovakia 3-2 Italy: Slovakia maintained their perfect record in a tense encounter that silenced the home crowd in Milan. Juraj Slafkovský was the standout performer, bullying the Italian defense and setting up Libor Hudáček for a critical power-play goal. Italy displayed incredible heart, making a tactical goaltending swap to bring in prospect Damien Clara and scoring a late goal to push for an equalizer, but the Slovakian structure held firm. With two wins in two games, Slovakia now controls their own destiny for a quarterfinal bye.
Czechia 6-3 France: After being shut out by Canada in their opener, the Czechs survived a major scare against a resilient French team. France stunned the favorites by taking a 3-2 lead in the second period behind a brace from Louis Boudon, but the Czech depth eventually proved too much. David Pastrnak scored his first goal of the Games to ignite a four-goal run, with Matej Stransky netting a vital short-handed game-winner late in the second to restore order and keep Czechia in the hunt for a high seed.
Comments
Post a Comment