Beijing Winter Olympics 2022: Opening ceremony, ‘sleeping Putin’ & extra
Workforce Nice Britain have certified for the semi-finals of the curling blended doubles regardless of dropping 6-2 to Norway within the penultimate fixture of the spherical robin stage. After Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds beat hosts China 6-5 within the morning, a second victory of the day would have assured qualification, however Norway have been too sturdy as they stored their hopes alive. Ultimately, although, it didn’t matter as outcomes elsewhere confirmed Workforce GB’s place within the final 4.
In the meantime, the US received its first silver of the 2022 Olympics as Julia Marino bagged second place within the snowboarding slopestyle ultimate. She was bested solely by Zoi Sadowski Synnott, who received a historic first Winter Olympics gold for New Zealand. There was additional historical past made as Jakara Anthony received Australia its first gold medal in 12 years within the girls’s moguls.
Elsewhere, there have been a complete of seven medals up for grabs in right this moment’s occasions and up to now 16 nations have made the rostrum. Norway and Slovenia are main the tally with two gold medals every, whereas Workforce GB is but to get its first medal.
Comply with the most recent updates:
Kramer skates for ultimate time
The Netherlands’ Sven Kramer skated in his final Olympic 5000m race in Beijing on Sunday, signing off from an occasion he as soon as dominated with three consecutive gold medals to determine a popularity as one among his nation’s prime sportsmen.
His final long-distance particular person race noticed him place ninth out of 20 skaters as his Olympic report was damaged twice – first by fellow Dutchman Patrick Roest after which by Swede Nils van der Poel nL4N2UH06T, who received gold in six minutes 08.84 seconds.
“After a 6:17.04, I believed I might have walked a bit sooner by way of all this (the media interviews), however that didn’t work out,” Kramer stated after his race with amusing.
“I believe I can take that as a praise. Not for right this moment’s (consequence), however for the previous 15 years. The ethical of the story is simply that this was my final 5000m.”
Ben Burrows6 February 2022 20:28
Kobayashi wins ski leaping gold
Japan’s Ryoyu Kobayashi transformed the shape that has made him the dominant drive in ski leaping this season into Olympic gold when he stored his nerve to ship a strong final leap of the competitors and win the conventional hill title on Sunday.
In a fast-moving competitors made thrilling and unpredictable by altering winds, Manuel Fettner of Austria took silver and Poland’s Dawid Kubacki the bronze.
Kobayashi is likely one of the most profitable athletes on the circuit, routinely scooping World Cup titles and making the rostrum a exceptional 43 occasions.
Nevertheless, his return from the most important occasions has been meagre, with seventh and Tenth-place finishes in his solely Olympic look 4 years in the past, and he has missed the person podium in his 4 world championship occasions.
Ben Burrows6 February 2022 19:45
Nice Britain safe shot at curling medal
Nice Britain’s blended curling duo will combat for a spot within the Olympic ultimate in Beijing on Monday after confirming their place within the prime 4 with one recreation of the round-robin section to play.
Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds exited the ice unaware of their achievement after a 6-2 defeat to Norway, and got the information having accomplished post-match interviews as they awaited a bus again to the Athletes’ Village.
The British pair progressed as a result of they boast a superior head-to-head report over two of the three groups with whom they may conceivably tie behind the round-robin leaders Italy.
“We’ve simply had a hug,” stated Mouat. “We’re clearly very excited. We’ve nonetheless received a job to do tomorrow and we wish to end the round-robin with a win that may set us up nicely for the semi-finals.”
Mouat and Dodds will end the group stage on Monday morning in opposition to the US in a section which can decide the id of their last-four opponents, whom they’ll then face at round noon on Monday UK time.
Victory within the final 4 would make sure the pair solely the fourth British curling medal for the reason that sport was restored to Olympic programme in 1998, 20 years after Rhona Martin famously led her group of Ayrshire housewives to gold in Salt Lake Metropolis.
“I don’t know what I might have stated 20 years in the past should you had instructed me,” admitted Dodds. “I in all probability would have doubted myself a wee bit, and never had the arrogance to say I wish to go for gold.
“I believe have nonetheless received a wee bit to go till we hit our greatest. We have now not but strung eight ends collectively. We’re fairly assured we will do this. Tomorrow is a brand new day the knockouts are a brand new competitors.”
Ben Burrows6 February 2022 19:00
Anthony wins moguls gold for Australia
Jakara Anthony doesn’t watch anybody race earlier than her. She avoids glancing at any scores, too.
The method retains the stress away and frees her as much as ski like this: to a gold medal.
The 23-year-old from Australia made it look virtually straightforward Sunday, breezing by way of the bumps because the final competitor of the night time to seize the ladies’s moguls title on the Beijing Olympics.
Anthony’s again flip with a seize on the backside all however sewed up the win on the Secret Backyard Olympic course. She immediately knew, too. Possibly not a lot that she had secured the highest spot, however that it was adequate to be win-worthy.
“I used to be simply so proud of that and content material with that and it doesn’t matter what the end result was, I used to be going to be stoked,” she stated. “To see the No. 1 come up subsequent my identify, it was unbelievable.”
Ben Burrows6 February 2022 18:15
Gerken Schofield celebrates ‘mind-blowing’ moguls consequence
Makayla Gerken Schofield celebrated a “mind-blowing” consequence after ending in a career-best eighth place within the girls’s moguls ultimate in Zhangjiakou.
The 22-year-old exceeded expectations by making it by way of to the penultimate section of the ultimate sequence regardless of having by no means beforehand scored a serious prime 10 consequence.
“I don’t know when it’s going to sink in however I believe there’s going to be loads of tears. High eight is mind-blowing to be trustworthy,” stated Gerken Schofield.
“I positively felt extra assured with every run, which really feels actually good. I had a lot enjoyable snowboarding the course, it’s completely gorgeous.
“My confidence was simply rising and rising and I’m tremendous pleased with myself.”
Ben Burrows6 February 2022 17:28
USA rout Switzerland in ice hockey
Hilary Knight scored two first-period objectives, Alex Cavallini stopped 12 pictures, and the US routed Switzerland 6-0 on the Beijing Olympics on Sunday in its ultimate tune-up earlier than going through arch-rival Canada.
Kelly Pannek and Jesse Compher additionally scored twice for the People, who shut Group A play in opposition to Canada (2-0) on Tuesday. The U.S. improved to 3-0 and had 13 of 19 skaters earn no less than some extent.
The purpose eruption got here in opposition to a Swiss group which had been outscored by a mixed 17-3 in dropping its first two video games, together with a 12-1 loss to Canada on Thursday.
It additionally supplied the People some momentum a day after the they’d 62 pictures however struggled ending in a 5-0 win over the Russian group.
Ben Burrows6 February 2022 16:45
Ludwig wins luge gold
Johannes Ludwig let all his rivals know again in November that he could be the one to beat on the Beijing Olympics. He was proper.
Ludwig is the Olympic males’s champion for the primary time, making him the oldest — he’s eight days shy of turning 36 — to win that race’s gold medal.
Ludwig completed 4 runs on the Yanqing Sliding Middle in 3 minutes, 48.735 seconds, 0.160 seconds forward of Wolfgang Kindl of Austria and 0.951 seconds forward of bronze medalist Dominik Fischnaller of Italy.
“I had loads of not-so-successful years,” Ludwig stated. “In 2014, I didn’t qualify for the Olympics. I had loads of fourth locations at world championships; I believe possibly 5.
“The enjoyable of this sport is to all the time proceed pushing, and I believe this medal is an indication that I did the fitting factor.”
Ben Burrows6 February 2022 16:01
Jen Dodds and Bruce Mouat set for curling medal showdown regardless of Norway defeat
Bruce Mouat and Jen Dodds are dreaming massive as they put together for a medal showdown on the Winter Olympics.
The blended curling world champions noticed despair flip to pleasure as a sophisticated set of outcomes noticed them progress to the ultimate 4 – discovering out they’d get a assured medal match whereas they waited for the bus.
Mouat and Dodds had been downcast after a 6-2 defeat to Norway of their penultimate spherical robin match and have been getting ready for a must-win conflict with the US within the early hours of the morning.
However Australia’s shock win over curling powerhouse Canada and unbeaten Italy’s victory over Sweden meant a sophisticated mathematical equation of head-to-head matches nonetheless secured a semi-final place.
“I’m afraid that I’m no good at maths,” joked Mouat. “We’ve simply had a hug and we’re clearly very excited. We’ve nonetheless received a job to do and we wish to end the spherical robin with a win; that’ll set us up nicely for the semi-finals.
“I don’t assume we knew the permutations of individuals successful and dropping. We all know it’s going to be powerful whoever we play within the semis, we simply wish to exit and string out eight ends like we all know we are able to.
“We have been the primary athletes to start out for Workforce GB and to have the ability to get a medal could be an ideal achievement.”
Jamie Braidwood6 February 2022 15:27
Workforce GB qualify for curling blended doubles semi-finals
… Or so we thought! Outcomes elsewhere now implies that Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds have certainly now certified for the ultimate 4, regardless of dropping to Norway earlier on.
Sweden’s defeat to Italy and Canada’s loss to Czech Republic implies that neither group can now end above Nice Britian, who’ve the head-to-head benefit over each nations.
Workforce GB will nonetheless face the US tomorrow to guide their seeding. Italy are the group to keep away from and a win in opposition to the USA would imply they need to keep away from them within the final 4.
Jamie Braidwood6 February 2022 14:29
Norway defeat Workforce GB in blended curling
A dominant and spectacular efficiency from Norway, as they added two extra factors within the seventh finish to say a 6-2 over Nice Britain and Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds.
They’ll gave to attend to guide their place within the semi-finals. Victory on the final match of the spherical robin in opposition to the USA could be sufficient.
The USA can’t qualify, and it’s all the way down to Workforce GB, Norway and Sweden to hitch Italy within the final 4.
The ultimate match of the spherical robin might be performed tomorrow.
Jamie Braidwood6 February 2022 13:40