Chasing Gold 🥇: Lindsey Jacobellis earns golden redemption while Mikaela Shiffrin's woes continue
Finally!
Five days after the opening ceremony, the U.S. earned its first gold of the 2022 Winter Olympics as Wednesday in Beijing proved to be both exhilarating and heartbreaking for Team USA.
It was redemption for Lindsey Jacobellis, who finally captured gold in women’s snowboard cross and made history in the process – sixteen years after she walked away with an infamous silver medal. At the 2006 Torino Games, Jacobellis was on her way to a sure golden moment when she showboated and took a tumble. But the woman who is known as the GOAT of her sport was laser-focused in the final this time in her fifth Olympics and can finally exorcise those demons. At age 36, Jacobellis not only won Team USA’s first gold medal of these games but became the oldest American woman to win a Winter Olympics gold medal.
Over on the alpine skiing slopes, Mikaela Shiffrin was seeking her own redemption moment but suffered heartbreak for the second consecutive race at these Games. Days after wiping out on the giant slalom course while trying to defend her 2018 gold medal, the skiing superstar returned for her specialty but suffered another Did Not Finish after missing a gate in the first run of the slalom – the first time since December 2011 she has had consecutive DNFs in technical races. And now, after a career filled with the kind of success most athletes can only dream of, Shiffrin, who won two golds and a silver in her first two Olympics, is at a loss – and perhaps still mired in grief over the death of her father.
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The U.S. also captured its fifth silver of the Beijing Games when Colby Stevenson earned a surprise medal in the men's big air freeskiing final. Stevenson put down two monster runs after crashing on his first attempt.
So what will Thursday in Beijing bring?
Skating's new king? Nathan Chen is in position for Olympic gold after a majestic short program in the men's figure skating competition. Chen skates Wednesday night in the U.S. (Thursday in Beijing) in the long program, seeking to become the first American man to top the Olympic figure skating podium since Evan Lysacek at the 2010 Vancouver Games.
Two-time snowboard queen? Chloe Kim eyes another win in the snowboard halfpipe. The Olympic champion in Pyeongchang four years ago, Kim easily advanced in qualifying on Wednesday and now has the opportunity to make history and become the first woman to win two gold medals.
Diggins seeks more hardware: Two days after taking home an historic medal – a bronze in freestyle sprint – cross country skiing star Jessie Diggins returns for the women's 10K, looking to add to her medal collection, which began with a gold in a team event in the 2018 Games.
Here are more stories that might grab your attention:
- These young hockey players at 2022 Winter Olympics could become NHL stars
- Dropped twice by US national team, cross country skier Rosie Brennan worked her way back for second Winter Olympics
- Jamaican bobsledder, who competed for Team USA, fights through grief to make Olympic return
- Olympic athletes are using tape to protect their faces from the cold. Does it actually work?
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