Here are some things to watch as Day 4 of the Beijing Olympics get underway:HockeyMarie-Philip Poulin capped a three-goal run by scoring on a penalty shot with 2:35 left in the second period, and Canada upended the defending Olympic champion United States 4-2 on Tuesday to claim the women's hockey tournament's top seed entering the playoff round.Barring a major upset, the two global hockey powers are expected to meet once more in the gold-medal final next week.In a fierce rivalry dating to before the women’s first Olympic tournament at the 1998 Nagano Games, and won by the Americans, the U.S. and Canada put on yet another entertaining show at the Beijing Games in a fast-paced outing, with both teams trading leads.Brianne Jenner scored twice, Poulin had a goal and assist and Jamie Lee Rattray also scored for Canada, which improved its Olympic record to 6-3 against the U.S. Anne-Renee Desbiens stopped 51 shots.Figure SkatingNathan Chen has set the world record during his short program at the Beijing Olympics, scoring 113.97 points to break the previous mark set by longtime rival Yuzuru Hanyu and putting himself in position to win his long-sought gold medal.The third skater from the end, Chen opened with a perfect quad flip, breezed through the triple axel that sometimes gives him problems and drilled a quad lutz-triple toe loop that by itself scored more than 21 points.His total was more than five points ahead of Yuma Kagiyama, who sits in second place, and nearly 20 points ahead of Hanyu, the two-time Olympic champion who bailed on his opening quad attempt during a calamitous short program.All that’s left for Chen, whose poor short program four years ago cost him a medal opportunity in Pyeongchang, is to hold onto his lead through Thursday’s free skate at historical Capital Indoor Stadium.SpeedskatingTwo short track speedskating gold medals are at stake in the women's 500 and men's 1,000. The Americans haven’t won an individual speedskating medal since 2010.Big AirAmerican-born Eileen Gu of China cranked out the first 1620 of her career on her final jump, stunning Tess Ledeux of France and earning the first of what she hopes will be three gold medals at the Beijing Olympics in women’s freestyle big air Tuesday.Nicknamed the “Snow Princess,” Gu is among the biggest local names in Beijing. She is a medal favorite in big air, slopestyle and halfpipe. Her first attempt at gold came down to the last round.Ledeux is the only other woman to ever land a 1620 — 4 1/2 spins — in competition, and she stomped one out with a slight wobble on the landing in Round 1.Gu hinted after qualifying Monday that she might be able to match Ledeux. With everything on the line, she did.The 18-year-old from San Francisco shrieked when she landed the jump, then dropped to her knees when her score of 94.50 was announced.CurlingThe mixed doubles competition wraps up when Italy faces Norway for the gold medal. Sweden and Britain will battle for will show the bronze medal.Amos Mosaner and Stefania Constantini have already clinched Italy’s first-ever Olympic curling medal by reaching the final."That feels great," coach Claudio Pescia said. "Not only that we have a medal, but the performance these two athletes made this week is amazing."LugeGermany’s Natalie Geisenberger is trying for her third consecutive gold medal in singles luge.Geisenberger can become the first three-time women’s singles gold medalist in Olympic history.
Here are some things to watch as Day 4 of the Beijing Olympics get underway:
Hockey
Marie-Philip Poulin capped a three-goal run by scoring on a penalty shot with 2:35 left in the second period, and Canada upended the defending Olympic champion United States 4-2 on Tuesday to claim the women's hockey tournament's top seed entering the playoff round.
Barring a major upset, the two global hockey powers are expected to meet once more in the gold-medal final next week.
In a fierce rivalry dating to before the women’s first Olympic tournament at the 1998 Nagano Games, and won by the Americans, the U.S. and Canada put on yet another entertaining show at the Beijing Games in a fast-paced outing, with both teams trading leads.
Brianne Jenner scored twice, Poulin had a goal and assist and Jamie Lee Rattray also scored for Canada, which improved its Olympic record to 6-3 against the U.S. Anne-Renee Desbiens stopped 51 shots.
Figure Skating
Nathan Chen has set the world record during his short program at the Beijing Olympics, scoring 113.97 points to break the previous mark set by longtime rival Yuzuru Hanyu and putting himself in position to win his long-sought gold medal.
The third skater from the end, Chen opened with a perfect quad flip, breezed through the triple axel that sometimes gives him problems and drilled a quad lutz-triple toe loop that by itself scored more than 21 points.
His total was more than five points ahead of Yuma Kagiyama, who sits in second place, and nearly 20 points ahead of Hanyu, the two-time Olympic champion who bailed on his opening quad attempt during a calamitous short program.
All that’s left for Chen, whose poor short program four years ago cost him a medal opportunity in Pyeongchang, is to hold onto his lead through Thursday’s free skate at historical Capital Indoor Stadium.
Speedskating
Two short track speedskating gold medals are at stake in the women's 500 and men's 1,000. The Americans haven’t won an individual speedskating medal since 2010.
Big Air
American-born Eileen Gu of China cranked out the first 1620 of her career on her final jump, stunning Tess Ledeux of France and earning the first of what she hopes will be three gold medals at the Beijing Olympics in women’s freestyle big air Tuesday.
Nicknamed the “Snow Princess,” Gu is among the biggest local names in Beijing. She is a medal favorite in big air, slopestyle and halfpipe. Her first attempt at gold came down to the last round.
Ledeux is the only other woman to ever land a 1620 — 4 1/2 spins — in competition, and she stomped one out with a slight wobble on the landing in Round 1.
Gu hinted after qualifying Monday that she might be able to match Ledeux. With everything on the line, she did.
The 18-year-old from San Francisco shrieked when she landed the jump, then dropped to her knees when her score of 94.50 was announced.
Curling
The mixed doubles competition wraps up when Italy faces Norway for the gold medal. Sweden and Britain will battle for will show the bronze medal.
Amos Mosaner and Stefania Constantini have already clinched Italy’s first-ever Olympic curling medal by reaching the final.
"That feels great," coach Claudio Pescia said. "Not only that we have a medal, but the performance these two athletes made this week is amazing."
Luge
Germany’s Natalie Geisenberger is trying for her third consecutive gold medal in singles luge.
Geisenberger can become the first three-time women’s singles gold medalist in Olympic history.
Source link
