Here are some things to watch as Day 4 of the Beijing Olympics get underway:HockeyThe U.S. and Canada have combined to win all seven Olympic women’s hockey tournaments, and only once has anyone else (Sweden) finished second. In 2018, the Americans won the gold in a shootout over Canada.“When you actually see two equals getting after it, it’s a special opportunity, and that’s why I think people tune in to watch it,” U.S. coach Joel Johnson said. “It should be fun.” “Our team is right where we need to be at the right time,” American veteran Amanda Kessel said. “We had a bunch of games cancelled against them the past few months, so we have been waiting for that day to get another chance to play them.”Figure SkatingOlympic figure skating favorite Nathan Chen is headed toward his showdown with two-time reigning gold medalist Yuzuru Hanyu when the men’s short program begins. But there was new, unexpected stress put on the 22-year-old American star on Monday when his teammate Vincent Zhou returned a positive test for COVID-19. The two have been training at roughly the same times while in Beijing. But they have not been in close contact and Chen is confident that he will be OK. Zhou said Monday night he’d need to withdraw from the men’s competition.SpeedskatingTwo short track speedskating gold medals are at stake in the women’s 500 and men’s 1,000. The Americans haven’t won an individual speedskating medal since 2010.Big AirAmerican-born Eileen Gu of China cranked out the first 1620 of her career on her final jump, stunning Tess Ledeux of France and earning the first of what she hopes will be three gold medals at the Beijing Olympics in women’s freestyle big air Tuesday.Nicknamed the “Snow Princess,” Gu is among the biggest local names in Beijing. She is a medal favorite in big air, slopestyle and halfpipe. Her first attempt at gold came down to the last round.Ledeux is the only other woman to ever land a 1620 — 4 1/2 spins — in competition, and she stomped one out with a slight wobble on the landing in Round 1.Gu hinted after qualifying Monday that she might be able to match Ledeux. With everything on the line, she did.The 18-year-old from San Francisco shrieked when she landed the jump, then dropped to her knees when her score of 94.50 was announced.CurlingThe mixed doubles competition wraps up when Italy faces Norway for the gold medal. Sweden and Britain will battle for will show the bronze medal.Amos Mosaner and Stefania Constantini have already clinched Italy’s first-ever Olympic curling medal by reaching the final.”That feels great,” coach Claudio Pescia said. “Not only that we have a medal, but the performance these two athletes made this week is amazing.”LugeGermany’s Natalie Geisenberger is trying for her third consecutive gold medal in singles luge.Geisenberger can become the first three-time women’s singles gold medalist in Olympic history.
Here are some things to watch as Day 4 of the Beijing Olympics get underway:
Hockey
The U.S. and Canada have combined to win all seven Olympic women’s hockey tournaments, and only once has anyone else (Sweden) finished second. In 2018, the Americans won the gold in a shootout over Canada.
“When you actually see two equals getting after it, it’s a special opportunity, and that’s why I think people tune in to watch it,” U.S. coach Joel Johnson said. “It should be fun.”
“Our team is right where we need to be at the right time,” American veteran Amanda Kessel said. “We had a bunch of games cancelled against them the past few months, so we have been waiting for that day to get another chance to play them.”
Figure Skating
Olympic figure skating favorite Nathan Chen is headed toward his showdown with two-time reigning gold medalist Yuzuru Hanyu when the men’s short program begins. But there was new, unexpected stress put on the 22-year-old American star on Monday when his teammate Vincent Zhou returned a positive test for COVID-19.
The two have been training at roughly the same times while in Beijing. But they have not been in close contact and Chen is confident that he will be OK.
Zhou said Monday night he’d need to withdraw from the men’s competition.
Speedskating
Two short track speedskating gold medals are at stake in the women’s 500 and men’s 1,000. The Americans haven’t won an individual speedskating medal since 2010.
Big Air
American-born Eileen Gu of China cranked out the first 1620 of her career on her final jump, stunning Tess Ledeux of France and earning the first of what she hopes will be three gold medals at the Beijing Olympics in women’s freestyle big air Tuesday.
Nicknamed the “Snow Princess,” Gu is among the biggest local names in Beijing. She is a medal favorite in big air, slopestyle and halfpipe. Her first attempt at gold came down to the last round.
Ledeux is the only other woman to ever land a 1620 — 4 1/2 spins — in competition, and she stomped one out with a slight wobble on the landing in Round 1.
Gu hinted after qualifying Monday that she might be able to match Ledeux. With everything on the line, she did.
The 18-year-old from San Francisco shrieked when she landed the jump, then dropped to her knees when her score of 94.50 was announced.
Curling
The mixed doubles competition wraps up when Italy faces Norway for the gold medal. Sweden and Britain will battle for will show the bronze medal.
Amos Mosaner and Stefania Constantini have already clinched Italy’s first-ever Olympic curling medal by reaching the final.
“That feels great,” coach Claudio Pescia said. “Not only that we have a medal, but the performance these two athletes made this week is amazing.”
Luge
Germany’s Natalie Geisenberger is trying for her third consecutive gold medal in singles luge.
Geisenberger can become the first three-time women’s singles gold medalist in Olympic history.
