The Americans missed the podium Friday at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, but there are plenty of chances for redemption Saturday.
(Miss something? Get caught up on all of Friday's action right here.)
If there's anyone in need of redemption it's Mikaela Shiffrin, who has struggled mightily but has one final chance for a medal in the mixed team parallel alpine event.
The men's skicross halfpipe gives the U.S. their best chance for a medal Saturday, with four American qualifiers led by two-time gold medalist David Wise and Aaron Blunck, who finished first in the qualifying round.
Kaillie Humphries, who earlier won gold in the monobob, will attempt to win her fourth gold medal of her career. She won two while competing for Canada. But she'll have to make up ground in runs three and four of the two-woman event. American teammate Elana Meyers Taylor, who won silver in the monobob, is third after runs one and two.
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More medals on tap for Team USA?
The U.S. has captured 21 total medals heading into the penultimate day of competition in Beijing to rank fifth in the overall medals table. But Team USA has a good chance to add to their tally with strong medal opportunities in men's freeski halfpipe and two-man women's bobsled. Another possible medal could be gained in the mass start in men's speedskating, where Joey Mantia, a three-time world champion in the event, can become the first American man to win an individual speed skating medal since 2010.
Norway continues to dominate in both overall medals with 34 and golds with 15. The ROC ranks second in total medals with 27, while Canada sits in third with 24. Germany, in fourth with 22 medals, ranks second in the gold tally with 10. The U.S. is fifth in overall medals and tied for third in golds with eight.
American pairs figure skater makes Winter Olympics history
BEIJING — Medals will be awarded in pairs figure skating following Saturday's free skate, and while the U.S. is unlikely to earn its first medal in the event since the 1988 Calgary Games, it did make history in another way.
American Timothy LeDuc, skating with partner Ashley Cain-Gribble, became the first openly nonbinary athlete to compete at the Winter Olympics – a historic step for LGBTQ representation and visibility at the Games.
LeDuc, whose pronouns are they/them, said they wanted it to be the beginning of a shift, a way of showing queer people that they have the opportunity "to be open and be authentic to themselves and everything that makes them unique, and still achieve success in sport."
LeDuc found a perfect match in 2016 with Cain-Gribble, a former singles skater who has been open about facing body shaming earlier in a career that almost forced her into retirement. LeDuc and Cain-Gribble, who have won two national championships, sit in seventh place heading into the free skate.
— Tom Schad
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