Olympic Highlights: Speedskating and Women’s Hockey
Milan (AP) — In a gripping finale to the 1,500 meters event, U.S. speedskater Jordan Stolz narrowly missed out on gold, securing a silver medal instead. Stolz, who had previously triumphantly claimed victories in both the 500 and 1,000 meters at the ongoing Milan Cortina Olympics, finished the race with a time of 1 minute and 42.75 seconds, trailing behind China’s Ning Zhongyan, who shattered the Olympic record with a stunning time of 1 minute and 41.98 seconds.
As Stolz caught his breath afterward, Ning celebrated inciting the crowd by raising his flag high during a victory lap.
The Wisconsin-native Stolz is set to compete again in the mass start event scheduled for Saturday. Notably, Dutch athlete Kjeld Nuis, a two-time Olympic champion in the 1,500 meters, took home the bronze medal.
Women’s Hockey Showdown
In women’s hockey, a highly anticipated gold medal match is on the horizon as the United States faces off against Canada. This matchup marks the seventh Olympic gold encounter between these two rival squads since the introduction of women’s hockey to the Olympic Games in 1998. The U.S. team, current world champions, is looking to exact revenge following their defeat to Canada in the Olympic final last year, despite having previously outperformed them 5-0 during the preliminary rounds in Milan.
On the same day, Switzerland’s Alina Muller secured a bronze medal by scoring the decisive goal in overtime against Sweden, clinching a 2-1 victory. This triumph is significant as it mirrors Muller’s earlier success in 2014, where she contributed to Switzerland’s initial Olympic medal in women’s hockey.
Curling Semifinals
In women’s curling, both the United States and Canada emerged victorious, advancing to the semifinals. The American team, led by Tabitha Peterson, narrowly triumphed over Switzerland with a score of 7-6, while Canada defeated South Korea 10-7, setting them up for clashes against their next opponents on Friday.
This day has been notable for both historic athletic performances and fierce competitive spirit as the Olympics progress towards their climax.
