Here's what to expect on Day 13 of the Beijing Olympic Games:HockeyAmerican assistant captain Hilary Knight calls it “a beautiful rivalry.” Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin sums it up as “very fun.”Don’t be fooled by the pleasantries.One of international sports’ fiercest and longest-running grudge matches will play out for the second time at the Beijing Olympics, with the next meeting between the United States and Canada determining who goes home with gold."These are the the games that we live for," U.S. captain Kendall Coyne Schofield said following a 4-1 semifinal win over Finland. "Everyone’s been so resilient through the pandemic with the ups and downs, the cancellations, postponements and finding ways to train, and it’s for this moment. We’re going to empty the tanks, and this is what we came here to do.”The U.S. is the defending Olympic champion after rallying to beat Canada 3-2 in a shootout at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.The Canadians are considered the favorites this time after steamrolling to a 6-0 record and outscoring opponents 54-8, including a 4-2 win over the U.S. in group play.Canada also had the edge over its cross-border rivals since Poulin scored the gold-medal-winning goal in a 3-2 overtime win over the U.S. at the world championships in August to end the Americans’ streak of five tournament titles. Canada is 5-1-1 in the past seven meetings against the U.S. since.Overall at the Olympics, which added women’s hockey in 1998, Canada is 6-3 against the U.S., with four gold medals to the Americans’ two.Figure skatingThe women's figure skating event ends early Thursday — the competition portion, at least.It remains to be seen how much longer it will be adjudicated.Kamila Valieva is in first place after the short program. That part isn't a surprise — but the 15-year-old Russian's path to this point has been anything but smooth. And there's no indication that will change anytime soon.Valieva's positive drug test from an event in December put her participation in doubt, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that she could compete while officials conduct a full investigation. If Valieva finishes in the top three, the International Olympic Committee has said there will be no medals ceremony. The Russians have a chance to sweep the top three spots, with Anna Shcherbakova second and Alexandra Trusova fourth after the short program.Valieva's free skate is to Maurice Ravel's “Bolero” — a popular skating tune that ice dancers Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean famously performed to at the Sarajevo Games in 1984.Alpine skiingMikaela Shiffrin geared up for the Olympic Alpine combined by setting the fastest time in a downhill training session on Wednesday.The two-time Olympic champion so far has failed to win a medal at the Beijing Games, skiing out in the giant slalom and the slalom — the two events she has gold medals in — and finishing ninth in the super-G and 18th in Tuesday’s downhill.Next up is the combined race, which adds the times from one downhill run and one slalom run.Shiffrin is the world champion in combined and also won silver in the event at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.The 26-year-old Shiffrin is far less experienced in the downhill but finished Wednesday’s training session 0.93 seconds ahead of Wendy Holdener of Switzerland. CurlingAmerican John Shuster and the defending Olympic curling champions won a last-chance match to qualify for the playoffs at the Beijing Olympics. They beat Denmark 7-5 to keep their hopes of a repeat gold medal alive.The Americans will play Britain in the semifinals later Thursday night. Reigning silver medalist Sweden will meet Canada, which finished fourth a year ago.Four years after winning five straight elimination games to take gold -- just the second Olympic curling medal in U.S. history -- Shuster’s foursome was again in a desperate position.This time there was a twist, though: Even with a loss, they could have made the playoffs if Italy beat Norway. (The Americans beat Norway 7-6 in the round-robin to claim the tiebreaker.)In the end, Italy lost. The Americans needed to win, and they did.SpeedskatingBrittany Bowe already made a big contribution to the U.S. medal haul when she gave up her spot in the 500 meters so teammate Erin Jackson could compete. Jackson then won the event.Bowe, a fine skater in her own right, finished 10th in the 1,500 and 16th in the 500. She is the world record holder in the 1,000, which she'll compete in early Thursday morning.Also of noteEileen Gu of China, one of the stars of these Olympics, competes in qualifying for the freestyle halfpipe. The men's aerials final is also set for Wednesday night.
Here's what to expect on Day 13 of the Beijing Olympic Games:
Hockey
American assistant captain Hilary Knight calls it “a beautiful rivalry.” Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin sums it up as “very fun.”
Don’t be fooled by the pleasantries.
One of international sports’ fiercest and longest-running grudge matches will play out for the second time at the Beijing Olympics, with the next meeting between the United States and Canada determining who goes home with gold.
"These are the the games that we live for," U.S. captain Kendall Coyne Schofield said following a 4-1 semifinal win over Finland. "Everyone’s been so resilient through the pandemic with the ups and downs, the cancellations, postponements and finding ways to train, and it’s for this moment. We’re going to empty the tanks, and this is what we came here to do.”
The U.S. is the defending Olympic champion after rallying to beat Canada 3-2 in a shootout at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.
The Canadians are considered the favorites this time after steamrolling to a 6-0 record and outscoring opponents 54-8, including a 4-2 win over the U.S. in group play.
Canada also had the edge over its cross-border rivals since Poulin scored the gold-medal-winning goal in a 3-2 overtime win over the U.S. at the world championships in August to end the Americans’ streak of five tournament titles. Canada is 5-1-1 in the past seven meetings against the U.S. since.
Overall at the Olympics, which added women’s hockey in 1998, Canada is 6-3 against the U.S., with four gold medals to the Americans’ two.
Figure skating
The women's figure skating event ends early Thursday — the competition portion, at least.
It remains to be seen how much longer it will be adjudicated.
Kamila Valieva is in first place after the short program. That part isn't a surprise — but the 15-year-old Russian's path to this point has been anything but smooth. And there's no indication that will change anytime soon.
Valieva's positive drug test from an event in December put her participation in doubt, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that she could compete while officials conduct a full investigation.
If Valieva finishes in the top three, the International Olympic Committee has said there will be no medals ceremony. The Russians have a chance to sweep the top three spots, with Anna Shcherbakova second and Alexandra Trusova fourth after the short program.
Valieva's free skate is to Maurice Ravel's “Bolero” — a popular skating tune that ice dancers Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean famously performed to at the Sarajevo Games in 1984.
Alpine skiing
Mikaela Shiffrin geared up for the Olympic Alpine combined by setting the fastest time in a downhill training session on Wednesday.
The two-time Olympic champion so far has failed to win a medal at the Beijing Games, skiing out in the giant slalom and the slalom — the two events she has gold medals in — and finishing ninth in the super-G and 18th in Tuesday’s downhill.
Next up is the combined race, which adds the times from one downhill run and one slalom run.
Shiffrin is the world champion in combined and also won silver in the event at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.
The 26-year-old Shiffrin is far less experienced in the downhill but finished Wednesday’s training session 0.93 seconds ahead of Wendy Holdener of Switzerland.
Curling
American John Shuster and the defending Olympic curling champions won a last-chance match to qualify for the playoffs at the Beijing Olympics. They beat Denmark 7-5 to keep their hopes of a repeat gold medal alive.
The Americans will play Britain in the semifinals later Thursday night. Reigning silver medalist Sweden will meet Canada, which finished fourth a year ago.
Four years after winning five straight elimination games to take gold -- just the second Olympic curling medal in U.S. history -- Shuster’s foursome was again in a desperate position.
This time there was a twist, though: Even with a loss, they could have made the playoffs if Italy beat Norway. (The Americans beat Norway 7-6 in the round-robin to claim the tiebreaker.)
In the end, Italy lost. The Americans needed to win, and they did.
Speedskating
Brittany Bowe already made a big contribution to the U.S. medal haul when she gave up her spot in the 500 meters so teammate Erin Jackson could compete. Jackson then won the event.
Bowe, a fine skater in her own right, finished 10th in the 1,500 and 16th in the 500. She is the world record holder in the 1,000, which she'll compete in early Thursday morning.
Also of note
Eileen Gu of China, one of the stars of these Olympics, competes in qualifying for the freestyle halfpipe. The men's aerials final is also set for Wednesday night.
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