Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Day 13: medal count by country | news summary 17 February
Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Day 13: live updates
Beijing 2022: medal table
1. Norway: Gold 14 Silver 7 Bronze 8 (29)
2. Germany: Gold 10 Silver 7 Bronze 5 (22)
3. USA: Gold 8 Silver 8 Bronze 6 (22)
4. Sweden: Gold 7 Silver 4 Bronze 4 (15)
5. China: Gold 7 Silver 4 Bronze 2 (13)
6. Austria: Gold 6 Silver 7 Bronze 4 (17)
7. Netherlands: Gold 6 Silver 7 Bronze 4 (16)
8. Switzerland: Gold 6 Silver 1 Bronze 5 (12)
9. ROC: Gold 5 Silver 9 Bronze 12 (26)
10. France: Gold 4 Silver 7 Bronze 2 (13)
11. Canada: Gold 4 Silver 5 Bronze 11 (20)
12. Japan: Gold 3 Silver 5 Bronze 9 (17)
13. Italy: Gold 2 Silver 7 Bronze 7 (16)
14. Republic of Korea: Gold 2 Silver 4 Bronze 1 (7)
15. Slovenia: Gold 2 Silver 3 Bronze 2 (7)
16. Finland: Gold 1 Silver 2 Bronze 3 (6)
17. Australia: Gold 1 Silver 2 Bronze 1 (4)
18. New Zealand: Gold 1 Silver 1 Bronze 0 (2)
19. Hungary: Gold 1 Silver 0 Bronze 2 (3)
20. Czech Republic: Gold 1 Silver 0 Bronze 1 (2)
21. Slovakia: Gold 1 Silver 0 Bronze 0 (1)
22. Belarus: Gold 0 Silver 2 Bronze 0 (2)
23. Spain: Gold 0 Silver 1 Bronze 0 (1)
23. Ukraine: Gold 0 Silver 1 Bronze 0 (1)
25. Belgium: Gold 0 Silver 0 Bronze 1 (1)
25. Estonia: Gold 0 Silver 0 Bronze 1 (1)
25. Latvia: Gold 0 Silver 0 Bronze 1 (1)
25. Poland: Gold 0 Silver 0 Bronze 1 (1)
Beijing 2022 Day 13 headlines:
- Russia's Shcherbakova wins figure skating-women's single gold as Valieva stumbles into fourth place
- Great Britain and Sweden set to meet in men's curling final
- Miho Tagaki sets new Olympic record in women's 1,000m
- Sandra Naeslund takes ski cross gold for Sweden
- Canadabeat the USA to ice hockey gold
- Mikaela Shiffrin out of the medals again as Michelle Gisin take combined slalom gold.
- China posts new record of Winter Olympic golds
Winter Olympics news articles:
We want our medals!
The decision to not award American figure skaters their medals, has been called " frankly unfair to the athletes," by the head of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
"There's no question that our team wants to go home with the medals in their hands," CEO Sarah Hirshland told The Associated Press in a video interview Thursday from Beijing. "That's just a reality we're all dealing with right now."
The decision came following the disqualification of 15 year old Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva, who tested positive for a banned substance. The Russian team won gold.
The Americans who took silver, were presented with torches by IOC president Thomas Bach who explained that the athletes would have to wait while the investigation into Valieva continues.
Jon Sallinen has a scary time on the half pipe
On Thursday freestyle skier Jon Sallinen's endured a scary first run in Olympic halfpipe qualifying. After drifting out of the halfpipe the Finnish skier collided with a cameraman. Then after picking himself up - albeit painfully - the 21 year old tried it again in run No. 2, however, sadly he would find himself in the same situation once again with a hard fall. This time he had to make his way up the slope to retrieve one of his skis.
While the event has a history and most definitely an element of danger, it's often a topic that goes undiscussed. Speaking on Sallinen's wrecks during the qualifying round, the day's leader, Aaron Blunck, reflected on his own halfpipe disaster some 16 months ago, when he broke six ribs, fractured his pelvis, lacerated his kidney and bruised his heart by landing on the pipe's cold, unforgiving edge.
"I cringed on the inside," explained Blunck, who was one of four Americans to make it to Saturday's final. "I get PTSD a little bit of just like, 'Oh.'"
Norway takes Gold!
On Thursday Norway won Olympic gold in the Nordic combined team competition. Having overcome the covid-19 related absence of Jarl Magnus Riiber, the team of four-time Olympic gold medalist Joergen Graabak, Jens Luraas Oftebro, Espen Bjoernstad and Espen Andersen pulled away late in the cross-country race, eventually winning by the sizable margin of 54.9 seconds.
"It was actually possible to enjoy the last kilometers and just savor the moment," said Graabak, who was the final Norwegian skier to cross the line.
Team GB on the hunt for gold!
Great Britain's curling team are now guaranteed at least a silver medal after a nerve racking 8-4 win over the USA on Thursday. The team, captained by Bruce Mouat, is now set to face Sweden on Saturday as they hope to clinch their first gold since Rhona Martin's team won at Salt Lake City 2002.
Sakamoto put on a show!
The Japanese figure skater was in fine form as she took the bronze medal on Thursday.
The US figure skating team told IOC president Thomas Bach they would have liked to leave the Beijing Games with their figure skating medals won 10 days ago.
Figure skating-Russian Shcherbakova wins women's single gold
Anna Shcherbakova won the women's figure skating single gold medal for the Russian Olympic Committee team at the Beijing Winter Games on Thursday.
Her team mate Alexandra Trusova finished second for silver with Japan's Kaori Sakamoto taking bronze in third.
Kenworthy proud to be part of LGBT+ community at Beijing Games
When Gus Kenworthy competed at the Sochi Olympics in 2014 he was afraid that someone would find out that he is gay -- fast-forward eight years and he is out and proud, as are dozens of other athletes at the Beijing Games.
The British-American freestyle skier, who won silver for the United States in Sochi in the slopestyle competition, famously kissed his boyfriend Matt Wilkas live on television before his qualifying run four years later at the Olympics in Pyeongchang.
"It was really tough being in Sochi actually," 30-year-old Kenworthy recalled in an interview with Reuters.
"We had all sorts of media training ahead of the Games because there was anti-LGBT legislation in place and they said that no athletes, no press, no diplomats, would be exempt from the laws in Russia.
"Although I was in the closet and I wasn't even out, I just felt very not welcomed there, and I didn't feel like I could be my true self, and I think I had hopes in the back of my mind to maybe speak my truth at the Games in spite of that legislation, and I didn't.
"Ultimately that Games was kind of the catalyst for me to start thinking about coming out, and kind of put the gears in motion for me to make that announcement and do that," he added.
Sports website OutSports estimate that there are more than 30 LGBT+ athletes competing at the Beijing Games.
Born in Chelmsford, England, Kenworthy is in Beijing competing for Britain following a switch in allegiance.
"Honestly, it means the world to me to get to compete here as an out proud gay man and to know that there are other out LGBTQ athletes that are here competing," he said.
Beijing Olympics reports zero new covid cases
Beijing Olympics organisers said on Thursday that zero new covid-19 cases were detected among athletes and team officials on Feb. 16, the first time no symptomatic infection was found since a daily count was published.
No new cases were also found among non-Games related personnel on Feb. 16 in the closed-loop Olympics bubble and on arrival at the airport in Beijing, the organising committee said in a statement.
To minimise covid transmission risks, Beijing 2022 has imposed a "closed loop" system that restricts all Games participants to certain zones in and around venues and accommodation, creating a bubble that separates them from the local population.
Norway win team Gundersen large hill/4x5km gold
Jens Luraas Oftebro handed a 10-second lead to Joergen Graabak in the third and final exchange, and the individual/normal hill silver medallist built an unassailable 54 second lead over the challenging teams of Germany, Japan and Austria.
Graabak crossed the line in a time of 50:45.1 to give Norway the gold.
The battle for silver and bronze was far more exciting, as Vinzenz Geiger (GER), Yamamoto Ryota (JPN) and Martin Fritz (AUT) were all bunched together with about 100m to go.
However Geiger and Yamamoto pulled ahead of Fritz, and despite the Japanese giving his all to overtake Geiger in the final stretch, it is Germany who take the silver, with Japan winning bronze - their first medal in this event since Lillehammer 1994, when they won gold.
Speed skating-Japan's Miho Takagi wins gold in women's 1,000 metres
Japan's Miho Takagi clinched her first gold of the Beijing Olympics on Thursday, following up on the three other medals she has already won in the Winter Games so far, as she sailed to victory in the women's 1,000 metres speed skating.
Takagi kept close to the pace set by silver medallist Jutta Leerdam at the onset of the race. Despite falling behind at one point, she breezed through the final lap half a second ahead of Leerdam's time and crossed the finish line in an Olympic record of 1 minute 13.19 seconds.
The 27-year-old punched the air in delight upon seeing her time after crossing the finish line.
Dutchwoman Leerdam claimed silver in 1:13.83, while Brittany Bowe of the United States took bronze in 1:14.61.
Weather forces Biathlon schedule change for women's mass start
Weather conditions at China's National Biathlon Centre have forced the International Biathlon Union (IBU) to reschedule the final women's race of the Beijing Olympics, moving it from Saturday to Friday.
"Due to anticipated low temperatures and strong wind, the women's mass start event is re-scheduled (advanced) to Friday at 15:00," the IBU announced on the official Olympic February 2022 information channel.
The men's mass start race is scheduled to begin at 1700 local time on Friday, bringing the biathlon competitions at the Games to a close a day earlier than planned.
Hilary Knight makes US history
The 32-year-old forward, who has won eight World Championships, three Olympic silvers and a gold, has become the player with the most Olympic appearances for the United States after featuring in her 22nd game for her country.
Miho Takagi wins gold in record time
Japan's Miho Takagi clinched her first gold of the Beijing Olympics on Thursday, following up on the three other medals she has already won in the Winter Games so far, as she sailed to victory in the women's 1,000 metres speed skating.
Takagi kept close to the pace set by silver medallist Jutta Leerdam at the onset of the race. Despite falling behind at one point, she breezed through the final lap half a second ahead of Leerdam's time and crossed the finish line in an Olympic record of 1 minute 13.19 seconds.
The 27-year-old punched the air in delight upon seeing her time after crossing the finish line.
Dutchwoman Leerdam claimed silver in 1:13.83, while Brittany Bowe of the United States took bronze in 1:14.61.
Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP
Sandra Naeslund makes history for Sweden
The 2021 ski cross World Champion has claimed a first ever gold for Sweden in the event in Beijing.
Krueger set to race for Norway after covid delay
Simen Hegstad Krueger has been picked in Norway's four-man team for Saturday's 50km freestyle race, the final men's cross-country event of the Beijing Olympics, after his journey to China was delayed when he tested positive for covid-19.
Krueger was stranded in Italy following his positive coronvairus test but has finally arrived in Zhangjiakou, some 200km north-west of Beijing, and is fit enough to take part in the race - one of the sport's blue riband events.
"I'm really glad to finally be here. It's been a long wait for me in Italy so looking forward to finally getting the chance to compete on these tough courses, looking forward to that," he said on Thursday ahead of the race.
"(There were) some parts where I thought my chances were quite small to get here, but sometimes my chances felt bigger, so it was ups and downs, but very glad to finally be here."
Norway have already collected 13 gold medals in Beijing, one short of the record for a single Winter Games that they hold with Canada and Germany.
Michelle Gisin claims combined gold
The Swiss skiier beat off competition from compatriot Wendy Holdener and Italy's Federica Brignone to win the combined slalom event.
Canada beat USA to ice hockey gold
Team Canada got the better of Team USA in the gold medal match-up, winning 3-2 despite a late rally from the Americans and a flurry of shots on the Canadian goal.
Beijing Olympics reports zero new covid cases
Beijing Olympics organisers said on Thursday that zero new covid-19 cases were detected among athletes and team officials on Feb. 16, the first time no symptomatic infection was found since a daily count was published.
No new cases were also found among non-Games related personnel on Feb. 16 in the closed-loop Olympics bubble and on arrival at the airport in Beijing, the organising committee said in a statement.
To minimise covid transmission risks, Beijing 2022 has imposed a "closed loop" system that restricts all Games participants to certain zones in and around venues and accommodation, creating a bubble that separates them from the local population.
Shiffrin fails to finish again
American Mikaela Shiffrin suffered yet another disappointment at the Beijing Olympics on Thursday, failing to finish for the third time as she skied out of the women's combined competition.
The American was a heavy favourite to win gold in the combined event and was well placed after finishing fifth fastest in the morning's downhill leg.
But returning to the Ice River course, where she had skied out in both the giant slalom and slalom, her favourite events, Shiffrin missed a gate and skied off the course yet again.
The biggest hope for the US Alpine team, and one of the finest slalom skiers the sport has seen, was once again left staring in disbelief at the course.
After finishing the downhill section of the combined 0.56 off the lead, a distance she was well capable of making up, Shiffrin had conceded she was struggling with her confidence in slalom.
"I don't know, I have to overcome the image that I am going to ski out on the fifth gate," she said.
"I am just trying to stay calm because I think I was doing pretty well with that this morning. Stay calm and have a good run at slalom."
Six-times world champion, Shiffrin won gold in giant slalom in Pyeongchang after winning in slalom at Sochi in 2014. She also claimed silver medal in the combined four years ago in South Korea.
Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
Day 13 is underway
There are six goal medal events scattered throughout the day on Thursday. The Women's hockey gold medal match is underway. The next gold will be handed out in Alpine Skiing at 2 p.m. ET.
USA vs. Canada the dream matchup
It's the goal medal match that everyone wanted, everyone expected and everyone gets. It's the biggest rivalry in Women's hockey and they get to settle the scored on the biggest stage in the world.
The Americans won 3-2 on a shootout in the gold medal match of last Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, but Sara Nurse and the Canadian team have been the most dominant team in the tournament in the build up to tongiht.
Hilary Knight will be looking to make it back-to-back golds against Canada. Faceoff is set for 11:10 p.m. ET.
Day 13: Speed Skating
In the women's 1000m, we will certainly have a new champion after Jorien ter Mors of the Netherlands, who won gold in 2018, recently retired.
Fellow Dutch skater Jutta Leerdam, the 2019 world champion, is her nation's best hope, while United States duo Brittany Bowe and Erin Jackson, who won gold in the 500m, are also among the favourites.
Japan's Miho Takagi could become the third reigning world sprint champion to win Olympic 1000m gold after Karin Kania-Enke of Germany and American Bonnie Blair.
Day 13: Nordic Combined
The final event of the Nordic combined, the team Gundersen large hill 4x5km relay, will see Norway's team of Joergen Graabak, Jens Luraas Oftebro, Espen Bjoernstad and Espen Andersen looking to increase their nation's dominance.
Norway (three) is the only country to have won more than one Nordic combined medal so far, but they will likely face competition from the other nations to medal: Germany, Austria and Japan.
Day 13: Ice Hockey
The anticipated women's gold medal game between Canada and the United States takes place on Thursday.
Both teams comfortably made it to the final on Monday after Canada beat Switzerland 10-3 and USA overcame Finland 4-1 in the semis.
The rivals have already played each other in Beijing, with the Canadians winning 4-2 in the group stage.
Day 13: Freestyle skiing
In the women's ski cross event, all eyes will be on Sweden's Sandra Naeslund. She has won eight out of nine races of this season's World Cup, including the final event before the Olympics last month.
Marielle Thompson of Canada, the 2014 Olympic champion, is the only other woman to have won a World Cup event this season, and she will be hoping to complete an inspirational return after rupturing her ACL in her right knee last March.
The qualification for the men's and women's freeski halfpipe begin, with Gu aiming to win another medal in front of her adoring fans in Beijing, with the women's final set to take place on Friday.
Day 13: Figure skating
Valieva leads the way in the women's single skating event after receiving 82.16 points in the short program on Tuesday.
The 15-year-old is ahead of another Russian, Anna Shcherbakova (80.20) and Japan's Kaori Sakamoto (79.84) heading into Thursday's free skate.
Day 13: Alpine skiing
The women's alpine program ends with the combined event, with 2018 Olympic champion Michelle Gisin from Switzerland hoping to become the third woman to successfully defend the title after Janica Kostelic of Croatia (2002-2006) and Maria Hofl-Riesch of Germany (2010-2014).
We could see Mikaela Shiffrin's redemption story after the American, who has had a Games to forget so far, crashed out of the giant slalom and slalom, before finishing ninth in the super G and 18th in the downhill.
A silver medallist at PyeongChang 2018, Shiffrin is also the reigning world champion, and achieved the best time in training on Wednesday.
Kamila Valieva takes to the ice looking to secure her second figure skating medal of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games on Thursday.
The Russian teenager was controversially cleared to continue competing this week despite testing positive for performance-enhancing drug trimetazidine in December.
Valieva won a team figure skating gold last week before her positive test was revealed and is on course to win the singles title after leading the way in the short program routine on Tuesday.
Another teen sensation, China's Eileen Gu – who has already won freeski big air gold and slopestyle silver - begins her quest for a third medal in Beijing as the women's freeski halfpipe qualification gets underway.
We take a look at Thursday's upcoming medal events:
Hello and welcome to Beijing for Day 13 of the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Following Wednesday's events, Norway continues to have a solid hold on the number one position in the gold medal standings with 13. Germany are in second place with ten golds, and the US is close behind with eight.