OlympicsFan

Surprised that Norway still isn't completely out of reach. If Germany would have converted some of their gold medal chances (Dürr, Althaus, ski jumping mixed/men's team, Nörl, Baumeister), they actually could have won the medal table.

Excited to see what Weidle can do, she looked very good in training. Goggia seems like the no-brainer choice, but personally i hope that Ledecka will do it again. I will be happy as long as Austria won't fluke another gold.

Horrible news for Germany (and everyone else), but i guess it would have been unfair for him not to win an individual gold. Frenzel will be back for the team competition, Weber has to go home sadly.

Also: Retornaz in curling and Confortola in short track

What an insane result! This might be a bigger upset than Steven Bradbury winning gold. A team consisting of a bunch of has-beens (Fatner, Kraft) winning the gold medal ... Austria having a better medal record than Norway/Germany after this season is just insane. I guess Austria can do no wrong here. Conchita Wurst probably could have won the downhill for them if they would have nominated her. This must be one of the biggest overperformances in olympic history. The amount of nobodies (Fatner, Stadlhuber, Strolz and Greiderer) winning medals for them is unbelievable. Also: Geiger lost the gold for Germany. Horrible olympics for him and for german ski jumping overall.

Germany has been late to the party. Not too surprising. I think they underestimate the stupidity of IOC to make this non-event part of the olympics. At most monobob competitions they can't even find 10 competitors (which isn't too surprising given that women's 2-man bob is already pretty uncompetitive).

She might be a medal contender in 2026. At the 2020 youth olympics she won silver. Romania won gold, Germans placed 3rd and 4th, the best american placed 14th (more than 5 seconds behind the winner and only marginally ahead of the colombian bob*) and the best canadian placed 17th (out of 18 competitors and even behind the colombian bob). * which is especially impressive when you know that there were only 2 runs

... this event didn't do anything to answer that question?

I can't believe that again two medals went to France and Norway ... What are the odds that the same will be true for the remaining 4 races? If you bet 100 $ on it you will probably get 101 $ back ... I usually like that biathlon is so unpredictable but this time it is pretty much unwatchable for me. I guess if you are french/norwegian those races might be exciting. In biathlon 12 out of 18 individual medals went to the top 2 countries (France and Norway), in cross-country skiing 9 out of 18 individual medals went to the top 2 countries (Russia and Norway).

I think doping is the smallest of IOC's issues.

They should just get rid of it completely. 3 individual medal chances is enough. Sadly many sports got completely inflated. Speed skating also should only have 3 individual events (500 m, 1500 m, 3000/5000 m). In general you should always ask yourself if there is a need for multiple events where you can win a medal with exactly the same skill set.

Obviously Russia is dirty, but if you are dirty yourself, you shouldn't complain about others beating you at your own game. Of course Russia will always have an advantage at this game. If your economy is complete trash, it will always be easier to find people who are desperate enough to do anything.

I like this event and think that men's 4-man should be replaced by monobob as well, but currently the women clearly aren't ready.

The US and Canada were early to the party, hence their dominance. I have no doubt that Germany will catch up soon and then become the number 1. The american grandmas also won't be around much longer.

I agree, you aren't world class in any snowboarding events anymore (you used to be good in men's halfpipe) and women's cross-country skiing used to be better too. This olympics was obviously a huge fluke and 4 medals would have been a realistic expectation for Slovenia. On the other hand you could become really good in biathlon (and maybe nordic combined), which would be a complete gamechanger. If you keep your strength in ski jumping and become good in biathlon, you could regularly go for 10+ medals.

What an exciting race ... if IOC would be remotely sensible, they would take the pursuit off the program. This event makes zero sense.

Agreed, a complete shitshow. This clearly shouldn't be an olympic event. From a german perspective i won't complain though, from 2026 onwards it should be another free gold. I would be shocked if this event wouldn't develope the same way women's ski jumping did.

Just came here to ask if we already know which event will be added on Italy's request, but apparently this already has been answered ... So Russia got figure skating team, China got aerials team and Italy got a whole new sport? Hopefully this nonsense will disappear again. For me 90 % of the charm of becoming olympic champion is about being able to read your name in the history books next to the names of other great champions of the past.

Sounds crazy, but not sure how crazy it actually is. Asia is the only continent that could have achieved this and South Korea, Japan and China are probably the only countries that could have done it. I guess it is still surprising that they have never done it in speed skating/figure skating/short track. Also it was probably bound to happen in this event, considering that many times before two different asian countries won medals in the men's/women's 500 m at the olympics.

Obviously. You can't win medals in speed skaitng without doping, but this doesn't explain anything really. Russian/Chinese coaches would probably forcefully inject every single steroid that ever existed into their own children if it would give them a better medal chance. A tiny country like Norway being on the same level as Russia/China therefore must mean that Norway has a superior "training" program (same is true for the Netherlands).

Interesting that Japan and Norway are pretty much nonexistant in short track while being great in speed skating. Also Italy being that good in short track is really surprising to me. Doesn't seem like a "natural" sport for them. I am not sure about their future on the women's side, but on the men's side they have two great talents in Sighel and Spechenhauser.

I don't think that is true. Bol ran 50.72 s today.

Probably the last time Germany led the medal table, Norway should win 2-3 golds tomorrow. It was nice while it lasted.

Not sure how you can say that right after Hermann lost bronze despite having a much better run than Bos. With the same material as Bos she would have won a medal. Also Taubitz threw away a safe gold. Germany very well could have two more medals in sliding sports at this point.

Top 5 classic style legs: Johaug 13:57.8 Hennig 14:00.6 Nepryaeva 14:06.4 Andersson 14:07.3 Faehndrich 14:12.9 Top 5 freestyle legs: Sundling 12:24.8 Fossesholm 12:30.4 Niskanen 12:31.1 Stepanova 12:34.1 Carl 12:38.5