Pic of the day
(Britain’s Anna Sloan shouts after delivering the stone during women’s curling competition against Russia)
Talking points
- US enjoy ice dancing success: Meryl Davis and Charlie White finally claimed a first Olympic ice dancing gold for figure skating powers the United States as they surged to victory with new world record scores on Monday. The Vancouver silver medallists led all the way to seal the title by a comfortable 4.53 points following a routine filled with difficult lifts and rapid footwork ahead of reigning Olympic champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada.
- No joy for Jamaica’s bobsleigh team: Jamaica’s Olympic bobsleigh adventure, funded by an Internet appeal and backed by an international outpouring of goodwill, ended with a whimper when 46-year-old pilot Winston Watts and brakeman Marvin Dixon came in second-last in the two-man event. Jamaica were hoping to represent their country with the same vigour and enthusiasm shown by their 1988 Calgary counterparts, who inspired the movie, Cool Runnings. The two-man bob was won by Alexander Zubkov and Alexey Voevoda who earned Russia their first gold medal in the sport.
- Germans triumph in ski jumping: Germany ended Austria’s dominance in the ski jumping team event, taking gold in a down-to-the-wire Olympic competition. The four-man German team collected 1041.1 points over two rounds and eight jumps, ahead of defending Olympic champions Austria and a delighted Japanese team, led by veteran Noriaki Kasai.
- Domracheva completes medal hat-trick in biathlon: In women’s biathlon, Darya Domracheva took her third gold of the Olympics by winning the women’s 12.5km mass start to become Belarus’s greatest winter Olympian. She finished 20.2sec ahead of Gabriela Soukalova of the Cezch Republic with bronze going to Tiril Eckhoff of Norway. Anton Kushnir completed a Belarus double in the freestyle aerials by winning men’s gold.
- Canada to take on US in hockey gold medal clash: Defending champions Canada and reigning world champions the United States will square off in their second-straight women’s hockey gold medal clash. The US clobbered Sweden 6-1 while Canada rolled over Switzerland 3-1 to set the stage for another superpower showdown in Thursday’s final.
You said what?
Norwegian skier and initial gold medal hopeful Aksel Lund Svindal is pulling out of the Olympics with allergies: ”There’s a lot of athletes that have some kind of allergy against something here. I think it’s something from the concrete that’s in the air, like some fine dust. When I got here, I felt it, too. The doctors knew exactly what it was, because they gave me allergy medicine right away. It helps, but it’s kind of draining.”
Bode Miller reacts on Twitter after an NBC interviewer made him cry following his race: “My emotions were very raw, she asked the questions that every interviewer would have, pushing is part of it, she wasnt trying to cause pain.”
Hero of the day
It has to be Belarus’ Darya Domracheva, who won her third gold medal at the Winter Olympics today.
Irish eye
No Irish athletes were in action today but 17-year-old Florence Bell competes in the Women’s giant Slalom tomorrow from roughly 7am Irish time onwards.
Moment that took our breath away
The incredible ice dancing lift, as seen below. Kudos to Julia Zlobina and Alexei Sitnikov of Azerbaijan for this highly impressive feat.
The best thing we read today
Slate have destroyed our collective childhood dreams with this persuasive piece arguing that Cool Runnings does not deserve its status as the quintessential Winter Olympics movie.
Medal table
(Via the official site of the Winter Olympics)
What’s happening tomorrow
Aside from the aforementioned Florence Bell, the women’s first and second heats for the bobsleigh event take place at approximately 3.15pm Irish time. Canada’s Kaillie Humphries as well as Lauryn Williams are among the favourites for the event. And you’ll be able to watch the action from 3.25pm on the BBC Red Button.
Elsewhere, medals are up for grabs in the men’s snowboard cross event, which was previously due to take place today. You’ll have to rise early to catch the action however, as it commences at 6.30am.
Finally, the women’s short track 1,000m heats, which can be seen on BBC Two, get underway at 9.30am. Britain’s big medal hope, Elise Christie, is among those involved.
Additional reporting by AFP
