Canada Beats China in Men's Hockey, Advances to 2022 Winter Olympics Quarterfinals
Feb 15, 2022
BEIJING, CHINA - FEBRUARY 15: Adam Tambellini #15 of Team Canada celebrates a goal with their team in the second period during the Men’s Ice Hockey Qualification Playoff match between Team China and Team Canada on Day 11 of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at National Indoor Stadium on February 15, 2022 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Canada advanced to the quarterfinals of
the men's hockey tournament at the 2022 Winter Olympics with a 7-2
victory over China on Tuesday at Beijing National Indoor Stadium.
Jordan Weal and Adam Tambellini each scored
twice to pace the Canadian attack, while Eric O'Dell, Eric Staal and Jack McBain also found the net in the
team's second straight win over the Chinese squad after beating the host nation
5-0 to close out the group stage.
Canada moves on to face Sweden in the
quarters.
Weal lit the lamp twice in the opening
10 minutes to give the Canadians an early advantage, but the game wasn't without at least a hint of drama as China's An Jian scored late
in the first period to keep the hosts within striking distance at the
first intermission.
Give that goal post an assist! 🚨#TeamCanada strikes first.
Canada scored the next three goals to
pull away as expected, though it wasn't as dominant of a performance
overall as the score may suggest. It held a modest 28-23 shot
advantage after the second frame, but it did fully control the third.
Jian added a second goal for China,
which finishes last in its first men's hockey appearance at the
Winter Games. The lack of NHL players in the tournament did make the
hosts more competitive than anticipated, though.
Staal added a tally for Canada in
the third period, the first goal of the tournament for the longtime
Carolina Hurricanes center who's currently a free agent. McBain capped the scoring inside the final two minutes.
The quarterfinal
matchups are now set for Wednesday:
(1) United States vs. (8) Slovakia
(2) Finland vs. (10) Switzerland
(3) Russian Olympic Committee vs. (6) Denmark
(4) Sweden vs. (5) Canada
The bracket will be reseeded after the
quarters, so the potential exists for a rematch between rivals Team
USA and Canada in the semifinals. The Americans won the first
meeting, 4-2, in Group A play.
Meanwhile, Wednesday's hockey schedule
in Beijing also features the bronze-medal game in the women's
tournament, with Finland taking on Switzerland.
Olympic 2022 Medal Count: Final Tally, Winners from Day 11 Early Events
Feb 15, 2022
Team Norway's Peder Kongshaug, center, Sverre Lunde Pedersen, left, and Hallgeir Engebraaten react after winning the gold medal in the speedskating men's team pursuit finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Norway took a commanding lead in the overall medal table at the 2022 Winter Olympics on Tuesday morning.
Norway picked up three golds and five overall medals to create separation between itself and the Russian Olympic Committee in the medal table.
The top Winter Olympic country won two golds in its traditionally strong sports of biathlon and nordic combined, and it also came away with a victory in the men's team pursuit in speedskating.
Germany was the only nation that attempted to match Norway's large medal haul on Day 11 of the Beijing Games.
Germany completed a clean sweep of the two-man bobsled event to extend its dominance in the sliding sports events, where 12 of its 18 medals have come from.
The United States picked up a single medal by way of a bronze in the men's team pursuit. It sits fourth in the overall medal table with a few days of competition left.
Norway produced a medal-winning statement over the last 24 hours.
The European country has been at, or near, the top of the overall medal table for most of the Beijing Games, but it did not create a large amount of separation until Tuesday.
Norway kept control of the events it is strong in. It captured its fifth biathlon gold medal through the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay.
The second and third medals in nordic combined came by way of Joergen Graabak and Jens Luraas Oftebro.
Graabak won the men's individual large hill event in the sport, which combines cross-country skiing and ski jumping. Grabaak has two medals in Beijing. He won his first in the normal hill discipline of the nordic combined.
Tuesday's third gold for Norway occurred in a sport that we do not typically associate with the nation's Winter Olympic success.
The men's team pursuit speedskating team repeated its gold medal by beating out the ROC and United States.
Norway has six overall medals from the men's and women's speedskating events in the last two Olympics. Two of the three golds came from the men's team pursuit.
Norway can still produce more medals over the coming days, which makes it now the overwhelming favorite to finish atop the overall table. It should feel somewhat safe about earning the most golds. It leads Germany by three in that category.
Germany Produces 1st Medal Sweep of Beijing Games
Germany continued its dominance of the sliding sports by earning the first medal sweep of the Beijing Games.
The country's three two-man bobsled teams took gold, silver and bronze in the final medal event to conclude Tuesday morning.
Francesco Friedrich and Thorsten Margis put down the winning set of times in the two-man bobsled with a total time of 3:56.89.
They were followed in the standings by two other German sleds that finished within two seconds of the gold-medal winners.
The gold medal added to the championship haul in the sliding sports for Germany. It won all four luge golds and both skeleton competitions.
So far, Kaillie Humphries of the United States is the only non-German to win a sliding sport event. She won the first-ever women's monobob Sunday night.
Olympic Snowboarding 2022: Medal Winners for All Events at Beijing
Feb 15, 2022
Gold medalists United States' Lindsey Jacobellis and Nick Baumgartner celebrates during a medal ceremony for the mixed team snowboard cross at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
With the conclusion of the men's snowboard big air final Tuesday, the 11 snowboard events at the Beijing 2022 Games officially concluded.
Olympic snowboarding kicked off with the women's slopestyle final on Feb. 6 and concluded on Tuesday with the men's big air.
Mixed team snowboard cross was officially added to the program for the 2022 Games in July 2018, for a total of 11 events, up from 10 in 2018: five for men, five for women and one mixed.
A total of 29 nations competed across the snowboard disciplines at these Games. Canada won the most overall medals, with six (one gold, one silver and four bronze); Austria and the United States tied for second, with four medals (including three golds and one silver); Japan was in fourth with three medals (one gold and two bronze).
Two of the United States' three gold medals were won by five-time Olympian Lindsey Jacobellis, whose only podium finish before these Games came with a silver from Turin 2006.
In the men's big air final, 17-year-old Su Yiming won host nation China its first snowboarding gold medal at the Winter Olympics. China's total medal count was two, both earned by Yiming (the first was a silver in slopestyle).
The full snowboard medal count can be found at Olympics.com.
Below you'll find every athlete who earned a medal in these 11 events at the Beijing Olympics, as well as brief analysis of the results of each event.
Women's Slopestyle
Gold: Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, New Zealand
Silver: Julia Marino, United States
Bronze: Tess Coady, Australia
Sadowski-Synnott came into these Games fresh off a gold medal in slopestyle at January's X Games Aspen, a first-place finish at Dew Tour in December and a slopestyle world title win in March 2021.
American Jamie Anderson, who took gold in slopestyle at the Sochi 2014 Games and Pyeongchang 2018, was hoping to successfully defend her gold in Beijing but finished ninth. Marino, who took silver, ensured an American landed on the podium for the third straight time since the event debuted in 2014.
Men's Slopestyle
Gold: Max Parrot, Canada
Silver: Su Yiming, China
Bronze: Mark McMorris, Canada
Like Anderson, Red Gerard was the defending gold medalist in slopestyle from Pyeongchang 2018 and, with a Dew Tour win in December under his belt, seemed well-poised to defend. He was in bronze-medal position on the third and final run, but Canada's Mark McMorris edged him off the podium.
There was controversy surrounding Max Parrot, who took silver in slopestyle at the 2018 Games, as judges failed to notice that he missed a grab on his highest-scoring second run, grabbing his knee instead of his board. But neither silver medalist Su Yiming nor McMorris appealed the result.
Women's Parallel Giant Slalom
Gold: Ester Ledecka, Czech Republic
Silver: Daniela Ulbing, Austria
Bronze: Gloria Kotnik, Slovenia
Ester Ledecka, who was defending her gold medal in giant slalom from Pyeongchang 2018, was the heavy favorite coming into the event at Beijing 2022, and she lived up to the billing. She finished first in qualifying with a time of 1:23:63. Daniela Ulbing and Gloria Kotnik earned their first Olympic medals.
Men's Parallel Giant Slalom
Gold: Benjamin Karl, Austria
Silver: Tim Mastnak, Slovenia
Bronze: Victor Wild, ROC
Benjamin Karl made his third Olympic podium but earned his first gold, after taking silver in the event at Vancouver 2010 and bronze at Sochi 2014. Tim Mastnak's silver was his first-ever Olympic medal. Victor Wild, who took gold at the 2014 Games, claimed bronze.
On the fifth day of the Beijing Games, the United States finally earned its first gold medal when Jacobellis earned redemption after her youthful mistake at the 2006 Turin Games cost her gold in this event; she was in gold-medal position with a three-second lead and did a celebratory method grab on the second-last jump, falling and finishing in silver.
Jacobellis wasn't favored in this year's event but she surprised to finish atop the podium. Chloe Trespeuch won bronze at the 2014 Games, but this was Meryeta O'Dine's first medal.
There were no surprises in the women's halfpipe final as American Chloe Kim, who had won every halfpipe contest she entered this season, soared to gold for the United States' second snowboarding gold.
Although Queralt Castellet competed at her first Games in 2006 as a teenager, her silver in these Games was her first Olympic medal. Sena Tomita also won her first Olympic medal.
Men's Snowboard Cross
Gold: Alessandro Haemmerle, Austria
Silver: Eliot Grondin, Canada
Bronze: Omar Visintin, Italy
Alessandro Hammerle, Eliot Grondin and Omar Visintin all won their first Olympic medals in men's snowboard cross. Hammerle was ranked second in the world heading into the Beijing Games, and Grondin was third.
Men's Halfpipe
Gold: Ayumu Hirano, Japan
Silver: Scotty James, Australia
Bronze: Jan Scherrer, Switzerland
After everything that happened in the men's slopestyle final, the men's halfpipe final was almost marred by judging controversy as well.
Japan's Ayumu Hirano made history as the first person to land a triple cork at the Olympics, but he was scored in second below Scotty James. The Australian had a highly technical run but the triple was off the charts in progression. Thankfully, Hirano was able to put down a slightly cleaner version of the run on his third and final attempt and finished in gold-medal position.
The final also marked American Shaun White's final snowboarding competition of his career.
Gold: United States, Jacobellis and Nick Baumgartner
Silver: Italy, Visintin and Michela Moioli
Bronze: Canada, Grondin and O'Dine
Jacobellis came into this Games with only one Olympic medal in 16 years, but she leaves with three total.
In the debut of the mixed team event, Jacobellis and Baumgartner, who are 36 and 40 years old, respectively, took gold. Visintin, with silver, added to his medal count, while Canada's Grondin and O'Dine also earned their second medals of the Games.
Women's Big Air
Gold: Anna Gasser, Austria
Silver: Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, New Zealand
Bronze: Kokomo Murase, Japan
Austria's Anna Gasser successfully defended her Pyeongchang 2018 big air gold on Monday night (Tuesday morning in China). Sadowski-Synnott earned her second medal of these Games with her silver, bringing her total Winter Olympics medal count up to three. Murase earned her first Winter Olympics medal.
Jamie Anderson, the Pyeongchang 2018 big air silver medalist, did not qualify for the final.
Men's Big Air
Gold: Su Yiming, China
Silver: Mons Roisland, Norway
Bronze: Max Parrot, Canada
Two of the three medalists in the slopestyle event found themselves sharing the podium again in big air.
Yiming, at 17 years old, goes home with silver and gold in his Olympic debut in his home country. Parrot earned his third Olympic medal ever. Mons Roisland had injured himself right before the slopestyle competition at the 2018 Games but found redemption in 2022.
Germany Wins Gold Medal, Sweeps Podium for 2-Man Bobsled at Winter Olympics 2022
Feb 15, 2022
Francesco Friedrich and Thorsten Margis, of Germany, start the 2-man heat 3 at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, in the Yanqing district of Beijing. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
Germany's dominance of the sliding sports at the 2022 Beijing Olympics continued in medal-sweeping fashion Tuesday.
The two-man bobsled team of Francesco Friedrich and Thorsten Margis captured gold with a total time of 3:56.89. They were joined by countrymen Johannes Lochner and Florian Bauer (3:57.38 for silver) and Christoph Hafer and Matthias Sommer (3:58.58 for bronze) on the medal podium.
Whether Germany would sweep the podium was the biggest question heading into the final run with Friedrich's team and Lochner's team well ahead and Hafer holding a narrow advantage in the race for bronze over Switzerland's Michael Vogt and Sandro Michel.
Hafer held off the Swiss off, although the dominance of the top-two finishers was underscored by the fact that the 13th-place finisher was closer to bronze than Hafer was to gold.
That Friedrich piloted his way to that gold comes as no surprise.
After all, he and Margis tied Justin Kripps and Alexander Kopacz in a stunning tie for gold during the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. He also won gold in the four-man event in 2018 and could do the same this year.
Friedrich paced the 2021-22 World Cup standings in the men's two-man, four-man and combined events and was Germany's flag-bearer at these Games.
His gold marks Germany's seventh triumph in the sliding sports in Beijing. The country already won the five luge events of men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles, and the team event. It also won the men's and women's skeleton competitions.
Another country finally broke through when Kaillie Humphries and Elana Meyers Taylor of the United States won gold and silver in the women's monobob. Frank Del Duca was the pilot of the only American sled in the final run of the two-man event, but he was unable to build on the momentum created by the women with a 15th-place finish.
Attention now turns to Friedrich's attempt for gold in the four-man bobsled event as he looks to add to his already legendary resume.
If Tuesday was any indication, he will be adding gold.
Olympic Figure Skating Results 2022: Kamila Valieva Tops Women's Short Program
Feb 15, 2022
BEIJING, CHINA - FEBRUARY 15: Kamila Valieva of Team ROC warms up prior to the Women Single Skating Short Program on day eleven of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at Capital Indoor Stadium on February 15, 2022 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Kamila Valieva finished first in the
women's figure skating short program at the 2022 Winter Olympics on Tuesday to qualify for
Thursday's free skate and a chance at the gold medal.
Vaileva was cleared to compete by the
Court of Arbitration for Sport, which struck down a provisional
suspension Monday that stemmed from a positive drug test by the
15-year-old Russian in December.
All three Team USA athletes in the women's
individual competition—Mariah Bell, Karen Chen and Alysa Liu—also advanced to the free skate.
Here's a look at the top finishers from
Tuesday's short program:
1. Kamila Valieva (ROC): 82.16
2. Anna Shcherbakova (ROC): 80.20
3. Kaori Sakamoto (JPN): 79.84
4. Alexandra Trusova (ROC): 74.60
5. Wakaba Higuchi (JPN): 73.51
6. Young You (KOR): 70.34
7. Loena Hendrickx (BEL): 70.09
8. Alysa Liu (USA): 69.50
9. Yelim Kim (KOR): 67.78
10. Anastasiia Gubanova (GEO): 65.40
The Valieva situation has hovered over
the event in recent days. The CAS provided
several reasons for eliminating the ban, including her status as a "protected person," the potential a ban could "cause her
irreparable harm in these circumstances" and the "untimely
notification" of the suspension amid the Beijing Games.
One of her lawyers argued the positive drug
test for trimetazidine, a heart medication, was the result of a
contaminated cup after she shared a drinking glass with her
grandfather, per Bernie Wilson of the Associated Press.
The IOC subsequently announced no medal
ceremony would be held for the women's individual competition if
Valieva is among those who reach the podium until her case is
settled. That outcome is highly probable.
She was emotional after completing her
performance Tuesday, which was far less efficient than her typical
short program despite the high score.
Kamila Valieva with a major mistake on her triple axel — messy with a big step out — and a shaky performance overall. Tears at the end, tears as she left the ice. Still moves into first place. Of course she should not be in this competition.
Valieva also opted against answering
questions from the media after the skate, per Chris Bumbaca of USA
Today.
Her biggest competition comes from her
two countrywomen, Anna Shcherbakova and Alexandra Trusova, and the
Japanese tandem of Kaori Sakamoto and Wakaba Higuchi.
Liu was the top performer among the
Americans in the short program and provided a clean, effective skate that merely
lacked the number of high-end elements necessary to keep pace atop
the standings.
A gold medal is likely out of reach for
all of Team USA's skaters—Bell is 11th and Chen is 13th—but they still own an outside shot at a podium finish depending on their performance in the second half of the event and what ultimately happens to Valieva's results.
Looking ahead, the women's free skate is scheduled for Thursday at 6 p.m. local time in Beijing (5 a.m. ET in the U.S.).
Finland vs. Switzerland Women's Hockey Bronze-Medal Game Live-Stream Schedule
Feb 15, 2022
Finland's Jenniina Nylund (28) moves the puck against Switzerland's Nicole Vallario (16) during a preliminary round women's hockey game at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
During the semifinals of the women's ice hockey tournament at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Finland and Switzerland had their dreams of winning a gold medal ended. However, there's still a chance that one of these teams will end up on the podium in Beijing.
On Wednesday, Finland and Switzerland will face off for the bronze medal. Neither Finland nor Switzerland has won gold or silver in women's hockey in the past, but each has captured the bronze before. Finland finished third at the Winter Olympics in 1998, 2010 and 2018, while Switzerland won the bronze in 2014.
Here's everything else you need to know about this year's bronze-medal game.
Bronze-Medal Game Information
Date: Wednesday, Feb. 16
Start Time: 6:30 a.m. ET
Live Stream: Peacock, NBC Sports app and NBCOlympics.com
TV (Re-air): 1 p.m. ET on USA Network
Preview
Finland and Switzerland both had some struggles against the tougher opponents it faced throughout the tournament. However, this should be a competitive matchup, much like it was when these teams met earlier in the Games.
With both countries part of Group A, they faced off Feb. 7. In that contest, Switzerland got goals from Lara Christen, Dominique Ruegg and Lara Stalder to notch a 3-2 victory.
That was one of Switzerland's two wins in Beijing, with its other being a 4-2 triumph over the Russian Olympic Committee in the quarterfinals. However, Switzerland couldn't carry that momentum into the semifinals, losing 10-3 to free-scoring Canada.
Finland also enters the bronze-medal game with a 2-4 record during the Winter Games. It defeated the Russian Olympic Committee 5-0 in its final game of the preliminary round and then cruised to a 7-1 victory against Japan in the quarterfinals. But Finland fell to the United States in the semifinals, taking a 4-1 loss.
Even though Switzerland won the previous matchup between the teams, Finland heads into the bronze-medal game as the favorite. Considering it has won this contest three times before and that its play had improved prior to its semifinal loss to the U.S., the Finns have a strong opportunity to avenge their group-stage loss to Switzerland.
In that game, Switzerland goaltender Andrea Braendli had 38 saves for a .950 save percentage. It was an impressive performance against an offense that can be devastating if it gets into a groove. That's what happened in its pair of wins in Beijing, in which it scored 12 times and sent 79 shots on goal.
Braendli could once again be the key to Switzerland pulling off the upset against Finland and coming away with the bronze medal. But it will also need to generate enough offense of its own to capitalize on another solid showing from its goaltender, who will be looking to have a bounce-back performance after allowing four of Canada's 10 goals on 18 shots in Switzerland's semifinal loss.
Meanwhile, Finland will need to produce better offensive results than in its semifinal loss to the U.S., wherein Susanna Tapani scored its lone goal with 26 seconds remaining. Braendli could make that difficult if she plays up to her potential.
Although Finland is likely to play well enough to win, this game could go either way. Expect it to still be in the balance come the third period.
Valieva's Lawyer: Contamination from Grandfather's Medicine Led to Failed Drug Test
Feb 15, 2022
BEIJING, CHINA - FEBRUARY 15: Kamila Valieva of Team ROC warms up prior to the Women Single Skating Short Program on day eleven of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at Capital Indoor Stadium on February 15, 2022 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
A lawyer for Russian figure skater
Kamila Valieva said her positive drug test in December was the result
of a contaminated cup.
Bernie Wilson of the Associated Press
reported Tuesday the lawyer argued Valieva used the same
drinking glass as her grandfather, which led to the positive test for
trimetazidine, a heart medication.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled Monday the International Olympic Committee, World Anti-Doping
Agency and International Skating Union could not suspend Valieva amid
the Beijing Games, saying such a decision "would cause her
irreparable harm in these circumstances."
Its ruling also listed the 15-year-old
Russian's status as a "protected person" based on the world
anti-doping code and the "untimely notification" of the
suspension amid the ongoing Winter Olympics as reasons the ban
couldn't be imposed.
The IOC's executive board responded to the decision by saying no medal ceremony would be held if Valieva wins a
medal during the women's individual figure skating competition, which
is scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday.
"The IOC will, in consultation with
the athletes and NOCs concerned, organize dignified medal ceremonies
once the case of Ms. Valieva has been concluded," the board wrote.
Meanwhile, Valieva continued to prepare
for Tuesday's short program while awaiting the CAS ruling. She discussed the situation with Russian state
broadcaster Channel One on Monday night, per Wilson.
"These days have been very difficult
for me," she said. "I'm happy but I'm tired emotionally."
Valieva won the women's individual gold
medal at the 2022 European Championships and captured her first
Olympic gold in the team competition earlier in the Beijing Games.
If Valieva finishes among the 24 qualifiers
for Thursday's free skate, an extra skater will also be allowed to
advance given the continued uncertainty about whether her results
from the Olympics are going to stand once the case is completed.
Oddschecker noted Valieva was the heavy favorite in the
women's individual competition coming into the Games.
Olympic Alpine Skiing Schedule 2022: Live Stream, TV Info for Men's Slalom Runs
Feb 15, 2022
France's Clement Noel speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom race, in Wengen, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)
Austria has traditionally fared well in men's alpine skiing at the Winter Olympics, and that has again been the case at the 2022 Games in Beijing.
Matthias Mayer won the gold medal in the super-G event, while Johannes Strolz topped the podium in the combined event.
There's one more individual men's event to go, and it's one that Austrians have dominated in the past. The men's slalom is set to air Tuesday night/early Wednesday morning in the United States, as the competition will be taking place on Wednesday in Beijing.
At past Winter Olympics, Austria has won 17 medals, including seven golds, in the men's slalom. No other country has more than eight medals or three golds. Manuel Feller, Marco Schwarz and Strolz are among the nation's medal hopes in the event this year.
Here's everything else you need to know heading into the men's slalom event.
Men's Slalom Schedule
Tuesday, Feb. 15
First run, 9:15 p.m. ET, USA Network
Wednesday, Feb. 16
Second run (medal event), 12:45 a.m. ET, NBC
All coverage can be streamed on Peacock, the NBC Sports app and NBCOlympics.com.
Preview
While it's possible a skier from Austria will win the men's slalom event, there are a lot of strong competitors from other countries who could contend for the gold medal. It should be exciting to watch, as there will likely be some impressive runs laid down on the two courses.
Of the Austrians in the field, Feller may have the best chance to win the gold. The 29-year-old has never won an individual Olympic medal, and he placed 15th in the men's slalom in his Winter Games debut in 2018. But he's third in the FIS World Cup standings for the event.
Feller is behind two Norwegian skiers in those standings: Lucas Braathen and Sebastian Foss-Solevag. Both should be competing for medals in Beijing, while Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen is also likely to have a strong showing.
Kristoffersen won the bronze medal in the men's slalom in 2014, but he recorded a DNF in 2018. This year, he placed fifth in the giant slalom. If he hopes to win an individual medal for the third straight Games, he'll need to fare well in the slalom.
While Austria has won two individual golds in men's alpine skiing this year, so has Switzerland. Beat Feuz won the downhill event and Marco Odermatt won the giant slalom. However, it would likely be a bit of a surprise if a Swiss skier wins the slalom, as none are among the expected top contenders.
Daniel Yule is tied for fourth in the FIS World Cup standings for the men's slalom, so he'll likely provide Switzerland with its best chance at winning a medal in the event. He placed eighth in the men's slalom in 2018, when he also helped Switzerland win gold in the team event.
The Swiss team has won only three medals (one gold, one silver and one bronze) in the men's slalom at past Winter Olympics. Its only gold came in the inaugural event in 1948, when Edy Reinalter stood atop the medal stand.
One skier to keep an eye on in this year's men's slalom is France's Clement Noel. The 24-year-old almost came away with a medal in the event at the 2018 Games, where he placed fourth. He has a good opportunity to earn his first Olympic medal this year.
There's no overwhelming favorite in the field, so there's also the potential for some surprise showings. Perhaps there could be one from Luke Winters, the 24-year-old from the United States who is competing at the Winter Olympics for the first time.
Will Austria or Switzerland win a third individual men's gold medal at these Games? Or can a man from another country prevent that from happening? It will be intriguing to see how things unfold in what should be a competitive men's slalom event.
After several days of controversy, Kamila Valieva will be on the ice Tuesday, when the women's figure skating event got underway with the short program at the 2022 Winter Olympics...
The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing is entering the final week before wrapping up on Sunday. We're now in the peak medal portion of the Games, and several medal events are set to take place on Tuesday...
