The U.S. men's hockey team is looking to go unbeaten in the preliminary round at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
The U.S. improved to 2-0 after defeating Canada 4-2. It was the first time the U.S. beat their archrival at the Olympics since the 2010 Vancouver Games.
They are scheduled to play Germany on Sunday morning with first-place on the line.
(Looking for a recap of yesterday's action? We've got you covered.)
Meanwhile, speedskater Erin Jackson makes her 2022 Olympic debut along with fellow Americans Brittany Bowe and Kimi Goetz in the women's 500 meters. Jackson, the favorite to win gold, nearly missed out on competing. She slipped at the U.S. trials in this event and didn't make the team, but Bowe gave up her spot in the 500 before later receiving a third quota spot in the event.
But the action begins with the debut of the women's monobob, a new Olympic bobsled event. Team USA has two gold-medal favorites in three-time Olympic medalist Elana Meyers Taylor and Kaillie Humphries, a newly minted U.S. citizen who won three Olympic medals, including two gold, for Canada at previous Games.
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Rough weather postpones women's freeski slopestyle qualifying
ZHANGJIAKOU, China – Qualifying in women’s freeski slopestyle was postponed on Sunday as wind and low visibility made for difficult conditions on the start.
The competition was originally set to start at 10 a.m. local time before organizers delayed for at least two hours. In that time, workers tried to clean snow off the top rail sections and painted lines on the course.
It continued snowing throughout the delay, and wind and visibility didn’t improve. From the base of the course, it was difficult to see beyond the last jump.
Both conditions would have made it difficult if not dangerous for athletes to compete. The course features three large jumps at the end, and not being able to see landings or, potentially worse, getting blown around in the air could easily lead to injury.
By postponing, organizers avoided the type of disaster the female snowboarders faced in Pyeongchang four years ago when the final was held in windy, adverse conditions.
Organizers expected to determine when the competition would be rescheduled later Sunday. Regardless of timing, it will make for a hectic few days for the athletes.
The women’s final and men’s qualifying had originally been scheduled for Monday, followed by the men’s final on Tuesday.
There is a break in the freeskiing schedule set for Wednesday, something that is likely to be important for some athletes before heading into the halfpipe competition the next day.
— Rachel Axon
Kaillie Humphries leads after first run as women's monobob debuts
BEIJING — Kaillie Humphries’ first competitive run at the Olympics as an American was a historic one.
Humphries had the top time in the first heat of monobob Sunday, which is making its Olympic debut at the Beijing Games. Humphries trailed U.S. teammate Elana Meyers Taylor after the start, but picked up speed in the second half of her run and finished in 1:04.44.
Laura Nolte of Germany was second, 0.30 seconds behind, and Meyers Taylor and Christine de Bruin of Canada are 0.68 back. The second run is later Sunday, and the third and fourth runs are Monday.
Humphries and Meyers Taylor were instrumental in getting a second medal opportunity for women bobsledders, who have only been allowed to compete at the Olympics, in a two-man race, since 2002. Men’s four-men was part of the first Winter Olympics, in 1924, and the two-man was added eight years later.
Humphries and Meyers Taylor had pushed for a four-man race, like the men have, but were rebuffed by international bobsled officials, who say there aren’t enough countries that could field teams. As part of its effort to improve gender equity, the International Olympic Committee agreed to add monobob, beginning in Beijing.
“It's not what the men have … but at least we (both) have two opportunities to compete so we are equal in medal opportunities,” Humphries told USA TODAY Sports in November.
And both Humphries and Meyers Taylor are favorites to win medals in both races. Humphries is the reigning world champion in both monobob and two-man, while Meyers Taylor won the overall monobob title this World Cup season.
Both are previous Olympic medalists, too. Meyers Taylor has won silvers at the last two Olympics as a driver, and also has a bronze as a brakeman in 2010. Humphries won gold medals for Canada in two-man in 2010 and 2014, as well as a bronze in 2018.
Humphries asked Canada for her release in 2019, revealing that she had filed a formal complaint a year earlier alleging verbal and emotional abuse by Todd Hays, Team Canada’s bobsled coach. The case is ongoing, with the findings of one investigation tossed out and Hays suing Humphries for defamation.
Humphries has lived in the United States since 2016, and married Travis Armbruster, a former U.S. bobsledder in 2019. But she feared as late as last fall that she wouldn’t get her U.S. citizenship in time to compete in Beijing.
She was sworn in Dec. 2, and is wearing a helmet painted like a U.S. flag. She also had her long, blonde hair tied back with a red, white and blue scarf.
— Nancy Armour
US ice dance teams third and fourth after rhythm portion
BEIJING — Two U.S. ice dance teams are in medal contention after the first half of the event Saturday.
Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue placed third in the rhythm dance portion of the event, with a score of 87.13 while skating to a compilation of music from Janet Jackson.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates, the reigning national champions, are in fourth — but trailing their compatriots by almost 3 full points (84.14).
Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France are in first after turning in a world-record rhythm dance score of 90.83. And Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov of Russia are in line for the silver.
Competition continues Monday with the free dance.
— Tom Schad
Meyers Taylor ready to grab more medals after Beijing quarantine
It's already been an eventful stay on Beijing for American bobsled star Elana Meyers Taylor, who tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival on Jan. 29 and spent time in quarantine. Meyers Taylor was scheduled to carry the flag for the USA in the opening ceremony but had to pass up the honor with speedskater Brittany Bowe filling in.
These Olympics mark Elana Meyers Taylor's fourth Olympic Games, but it will be her first as a mother. Meyers Taylor took off during the 2019-20 bobsled season to welcome son Nico in February 2020 with husband Nic Taylor, a fellow bobsledder she married in 2014.
Meyers Taylor enters the 2022 Beijing games with three Olympic medals – two silvers (in 2014 and 2018) one bronze (2010).
She begins her quest for two more medals with the debut of women's monobob Sunday followed by the two-man competition next week.
— Cydney Henderson
Team USA gets gold medal boost from snowboarders
The U.S. sits sixth in the overall medals table heading into Sunday's events after adding gold Saturday in the debut of mixed-gender team snowboardcross.
Lindsey Jacobellis, who on Wednesday won the USA's first gold medal of these Games, added a second one, pairing with partner Nick Baumgartner, who finally captured his first medal in his fourth Olympic Games.
Their gold medal bumped the U.S. tally to five, tied with Sweden and the Netherlands and three behind Norway and Germany. Norway leads in total medals with 17, followed by Germany and Austria with 14.
Daughter of Valieva’s controversial coach dodges media questions
BEIJING – The Kamila Valieva controversy is taking its toll on the patience of Russian skaters.
The ice dancing partner of the daughter of Valieva’s controversial coach tried to shut down questions about the Olympic doping scandal four times in a 1½ minute interview with journalists Saturday night – after ending an interview with the wire services a few minutes earlier.
ROC skater Gleb Smolkin did his best to shield his 19-year-old partner Diana Davis, the Detroit-based daughter of Russian coach Eteri Tutberidze, from any scrutiny in the wake of Valieva’s positive drug test.
– Christine Brennan
Speedskating gold medal favorite began on online skates
Speedskater Erin Jackson, one of the few Black competitors in an overwhelmingly white sport, is favored to win a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. Five years ago, she switched from inline skating to ice, and now the 29-year-old enters the Olympics as the No. 1-ranked skater in the world at 500 meters.
That's a lot of pressure to bear, sure. But Jackson relishes it.
"When there's not enough pressure, I feel like I get a little too relaxed," she said. "The more pressure we can put on me, the better."
— Tom Schad
U.S. men's hockey has first place on the line
The U.S. men’s hockey team, which improved to 2-0 by beating archrival Canada, takes on defending silver medalist Germany (1-1) in the final preliminary-round game. First place in the pool is on the line, and if the USA wins or loses in overtime, it will get a bye to the quarterfinals. It still has a chance at a bye even with a regulation loss. The Americans have the top two scorers in Beijing in college forwards Sean Ferrell (six points) and Ben Meyers (four).
Money for medals: How much are Olympians paid?
Moments of Olympic glory aren’t just paybacks for years of hard work. In many countries, they are a payday.
USA TODAY surveyed nearly 60 national Olympic committees and received responses from 20.
A look at how much money 20 countries are paying their athletes for medals won at the Beijing Olympics.
– Rachel Axon
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