Sochi 2014 Olympic Update (Day 8)
Day 8 is over in the Olympics and the games have reached their halfway point with 8 more days until the focus of the sports world leaves Sochi. It has been a great games by all accounts so far with many of the worries before the games not making any big stories during the games. It was to be expected though as the reports of terrible accommodations and the issues in Russia itself have given way to the games and the athletes. It is one of the only sure things in the Olympics as there are always a number of issues that become the talk of the Olympics before the game begin. When the games actually start though, the talk of the Olympics before the games fades away with the sports themselves taking focus. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing is another debate for another time but the fact is there has rarely been talk of much of the issues before the games began. Instead it is the sports that have become the stories of the Olympics and there have been plenty. There are the Russian athletes who are finally starting to respond to the pressure of a home games as they have taken the game by storm in the last few days. They have started to win medals at a rapid pace and have come up to the top of the medal table and are rewarding the enthusiastic fans that are coming out to every sport and every event to cheer on their country. The Russians are in a great battle for the top of the medal table with some very strong teams that seem to win medals on a daily basis. The Norwegians are having a great games as they have done great in skiing events winning multiple medals each day from the biathlon, cross-country, and alpine skiing events. Meanwhile the Netherlands have used their dominance in Speed Skating to move up to the top of the table as it is not uncommon to see three Dutch athletes on the podium of any speed skating event. Meanwhile Germany has been leading the gold rush for these games in multiple disciplines with Luge taking the focus as they have won 4 of their 7 Gold on the track. As these teams fight it out for the top of the medals the USA have had a relatively disappointing games as only recently did they enter to top of the medal count. Canada would start great in the game launching themselves to the top of the medals but have struggled in the last few days with top contenders falling short and medal counts drying up. The games have not been all about the medals though as there have been some great stories that have taken focus. There was the Canadian Cross-Country coach who gave a Russian athlete a spare ski after his broke. It was a selfless act made by the coach to ensure that the Russian could finish his race in front of his home crowd despite not being able to win. There was Cross-Country Gold medalist in the 15km race Dario Cologna waiting at the finish line for last place finisher from Peru Roberto Carcelen. There was also something that has never happened before when Alpine Skiers Tina Maze and Dominique Gisin shared the gold and happily did so smiling and holding hands at the flower ceremony. Athletes have shown the greatness of sports and sportsmanship throughout the games and it was never more evident when Canadian Speed Skater Gilmore Junio gave up his spot in the Men’s 1,000m final to his teammate Denny Morrison because he had a better shot of winning a medal. There has been a lot of positive throughout the Olympics as fans and athletes hope that these stories continue on as the Olympics enter the second half of the games with more medals and more stories to be made. It has been an overall positive games so far this year with only a few issues along the way but the sports will remain the focus for the next 8 days as the world continues to cheer on their teams to reach Olympic glory and to make an impression as there is a lot more to these games than just the medals that will be handed out.
Canadian Story:
Motivation Pushes Through
Denny Morrison would earn the Silver medal after his teammate Gilmore Junio gave up his spot to give him a shot and now that act has given him motivation that helped push him to his second medal of the Olympics earning a Bronze in the 1,500m
Disappointment at the Track
Charles Hamelin and Marie St. Gelais went into Day 8 as the best medal hopes for Canada but the short track was once again more about heartbreak than anything else for Canada with both skaters unable to make the finals of their events
Curlers Still Rolling
The Canadian Curling teams are on a roll as the Women continue their strong tournament beating Japan and Russia to clinch a spot in the playoffs with a 7-0 record while the men would win their fourth straight game improving to 5-2
Matchup Determined
The Canadian Women’s Hockey Team would have the day off but they would be watching the hockey closely as Switzerland beat Russia in the qualifying round meaning the Canadian women will play Switzerland for the chance to play in the gold medal game
Day 8 Medal Results:
Alpine Skiing
Women’s Super-G
1. Anna Fenninger (Austria)
2. Maria Hoefl-Riesch (Germany)
3. Nicole Hosp (Austria)
Cross-Country
Women’s Relay
1. Sweden
2. Finland
3. Germany
Short Track
Women’s 1,500m
1. Yang Zhou (China)
2. Suk Hae Shim (Republic of Korea)
3. Arianna Fontana (Italy)
Men’s 1,000m
1. Victor An (Russia)
2. Vladimir Grigorev (Russia)
3. Sjinkie Knegt (Netherlands)
Skeleton
Men’s Skeleton
1. Alexander Tretiakov (Russia)
2. Martins Dukurs (Latvia)
3. Matthew Antoine (USA)
Ski Jumping
Men’s Individual Large Hill
1. Kamil Stoch (Poland)
2. Noriaki Kasai (Japan)
3. Peter Prevc (Slovakia)
Speed Skating
Men’s 1,500m
1. Zbigniew Brodka (Poland)
2. Koen Verweij (Netherlands)
3. Denny Morrison (Canada)
Day 9 Medal Events:
Alpine Skiing
Men’s Super-G
Biathlon
Men’s 15km Mass Start
Cross-Country
Men’s Relay
Snowboarding
Women’s Snowboard Cross
Speed Skating
Women’s 1,500m
The Sport Addiction 